WHAT TO EXPECT
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What actually happens, start to finish
The unknown is the biggest reason people put off calling. So here is the whole sequence, in order, with nothing left vague.
1
The first call
About fifteen minutes, free. You describe what's going on in your own words. I ask a few questions and tell you honestly whether I think I'm the right fit — and if I'm not, I'll point you toward someone who is.
2
Paperwork, before you arrive
Intake forms, consent, and privacy notices come to you electronically so the first session isn't spent on a clipboard. Budget about fifteen minutes. Answer honestly.
3
Session one
Mostly history and context: what brought you in, what you've already tried, what you want to be different. If you're coming as a couple or family, everyone gets to describe it their own way. Nobody is put on trial.
Location
1066 W 4th St
Lower Level 001
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
The office is at the back of 1066 W 4th St and isn’t visible from the street. Park in the rear lot by driving down the driveway, or use the street parking nearby and walk down the driveway. The entrance faces the back lot.
After the first session
By the end of the first session or two, you should be able to answer these questions: what are we working on, and how will we know it's working. If you can't answer those, ask me. That is a reasonable expectation to avoid confusion.
How often, and for how long
Most people start weekly. Sessions run fifty minutes; couples and families sometimes use longer blocks. Frequency usually stretches out as things stabilize. There's no fixed session count, and no pressure to keep going once you've got what you came for. For individuals, after the second or third session we will discuss an expected timeline of treatment that aligns with your goals. For couples and families, that will be around the 5th session.
In-office or telehealth
Both, and you can mix them. In-office sessions are in Winston-Salem, NC; telehealth is available anywhere in North Carolina, which matters for couples juggling two schedules or families spread across the state.
What therapy is not
I won't referee your arguments, assign fault, or tell you whether to stay together. Marriage and family therapy is about making the pattern visible so the two of you can decide what to do with it.
What stays private
Sessions are confidential, with the narrow legal exceptions you'll see spelled out in the consent forms — risk of serious harm, abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, and court orders. I’ll walk through those with you in our first session
Nothing about the first step is binding.
Fifteen minutes on the phone. You can decide everything else afterward.
