What is therapy?

Therapy is the process of figuring out how to solve a problem. Starting therapy is like dumping a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle on the table. All the parts seem unrelated and there are so many pieces!

So, therapy begins with the obvious:

• Identifying the problem
• Looking at the history of the problem
• Figuring out what keeps the problem in place
• Naming all of the attempted solutions that have failed

These things form the outline of the puzzle. Next is the process of sorting through the remaining pieces of information and experience and their relationship to one another.

Gradually, more and more areas appear connected to one another and the picture takes shape. Greater clarity leads to solutions.

 

Who will I talk to?

At FirstStep you will see a therapist who is:

• Master educated
• Clinically trained
• Experienced
• Licensed by the State of Kansas
• Involved in continuing education

When you call to make an appointment for therapy, you will be asked a variety of questions such as:

• What is the problem you wish to address?
  
• Do you have a preference for a male or female therapist?
  
• What are the best times for you to come to therapy?

Based on the answers to the above questions, a therapist will be matched to your needs and will call you that same day to schedule your first appointment.

Of course, if you call requesting a specific therapist, you will see that individual.

 

What is a session?

The first counseling session usually begins with a discussion about what particular problem brought you in for help and what you have already tried in an effort to fix the problem.

Once these factors are identified, you will work with the therapist to develop a plan to solve the problem.

Some issues can be resolved in 6-12 sessions, while more serious problems will require additional sessions.

The usual length of a session is 50 minutes. Sessions can be scheduled weekly, bimonthly, or monthly according to your needs.

 

How much does it cost?

Fees at FirstStep Counseling, Inc. are in line with the community standards.

Your health insurance may cover all or a portion of the fee for therapy. We will assist you in determining what benefits you may have from your health insurance.

If you do not have health insurance, and/or are experiencing significant financial difficulty, you may be eligible to apply for financial assistance for counseling services. For more information download an Application for Discount Eligibility, or call us toll-free at 1-877-262-5253 .

 

How do I begin?

For an appointment, call 316-262-5253. You will be asked the following:

• Your Name
• Your Address
• Your Phone Number
• The problem you would like resolved
• Your preferences with regard to therapist and appointment time
• Your insurance information, if you plan to use your health insurance

Based on the answers to the above questions, a therapist will be matched to your needs and will call you that same day to schedule your first appointment.

 

What is "MFT"?

Marriage and Family Therapy is one of five core mental health disciplines recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health along with psychiatry, psychology, social work, and psychiatric nursing.

Marriage and family therapists have pioneered brief, solution-focused treatment, which seeks to pinpoint problems and conclude therapy as soon as specific, attainable therapeutic goals are met. Therapies used by marriage and family therapists are based on the scientific findings that individuals and their problems are best viewed in the context in which they developed. Trained in psychotherapy, marriage and family therapists focus on understanding their clients' symptoms, and the interaction patterns within family, coworkers and friends that may contribute to and sustain problems.

Training for marriage and family therapists includes a rigorous, fifty credit hour graduate program along with five hundred (500) face-to-face client hours and one hundred (100) face-to-face clinical supervision hours. Full clinical licensure requires an additional fifteen hundred (1500) face-to-face client hours and one hundred (100) supervision hours. By the time a marriage and family therapist has achieved licensure, that individual will have spent a minimum of two thousand (2000) hours working one-on-one with clients and their problems. Clinically licensed therapists at FirstStep Counseling, Inc. have many years of experience beyond that. See also our "Accreditation Glossary".