Getting Started

Getting started is easier than you think! In fact you’ve already taken the first step… you’re here checking out the idea of therapy! The next step is simple too. Just contact us by sending us an email including your preferred email address, phone number and type of insurance.  If someone referred you for a specific reason, you can tell us that too. We’ll get you set up in the patient portal, send you some documents and we’re on our way! Sometimes the hardest part is waiting for that first appointment. Realizing this, we’ll get you scheduled as quickly as we can. We keep a waiting list when the schedule is tight and will give you our best estimate on what the wait time might be like for you. 

If our wait time is longer than you wish, feel free to seek other recommendations from friends or your doctor. You can also call your insurance company for a list of providers near you. 

First Appointment

Bring

• Identification such as your driver’s license.

• Insurance card(s).

• Form of payment for your copay.

When You Arrive

• Arrive at Dayspring Wellness 10 to 15 minutes early.

• If you have a telemedicine appointment then log into the waiting room early enough to check your sound and video.

• You might appreciate a few minutes of calm and quiet to gather your thoughts prior to the appointment. Our lobby is usually pretty serene.

• Have a seat knowing that I will be with you soon and am eager to learn how I can help.

Beginning the Session

• I look forward to meeting you. After we greet each other in the lobby, I will show you to my office so we can get started.

• Please sit wherever you will be most comfortable. I’m not analyzing your seating choice and no, you do not have to lie down on the couch (unless you really want to!).

Learning Your Story

• Since this is our intake session, it will be a pretty structured conversation. I will guide us through the many topics we need to cover.

• Our main focus will be quickly exploring various aspects of your story. Learning about the whole of you is especially important so that I can understand the challenges impacting you within the larger context of your life.

• Toward the end of our meeting we will directly focus on your goals and discuss what treatment might look for you.

• You might feel rushed, it’s a lot to cover in a very short time, however it is valuable to do this in this session.

Moving Forward in Future Sessions

This is where the real change happens! Come to your sessions prepared with your agenda for the day, and know that I have some thoughts too. We will explore, problem solve, talk about tools you can use and make decisions about what you will work on between sessions. 

Getting the Most Out of Therapy

Having clear goals, intent to make changes, and a willingness to forgive & work toward acceptance, all make a huge difference in outcome. People with these features typically progress more quickly and are more satisfied with the results of therapy. 

Be authentic. You don’t have to have it all figured out when you say what’s on your mind. Saying it like you think it works best. It helps me get a feel for how you think. If you have conflicting thoughts you can say that. You know when you’re being genuine and it will help you develop trust - in yourself and our therapeutic alliance - which will help us foster the improvement you seek.

What People Are Saying