Frequently Asked Questions about Therapy

Your first therapy session is a chance to get to know your therapist and talk about what brings you to therapy. Your therapist will ask about what you have been experiencing, relevant parts of your history, and what you would like help with.

You do not need to share everything at once or arrive knowing exactly what you want to work on. The first few sessions can also help you get a sense of whether the therapist and their approach feel like a good fit for you.

You do not need to be in a crisis or know exactly what you want to work on before starting therapy. People often reach out when something has been difficult for a while, when the ways they have been managing things are taking more effort, or when they want space to better understand themselves and what they need.

Therapy can support concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, grief, relationship difficulties, life transitions, or questions related to autism or ADHD. The first few sessions can help you get a better sense of what you want from therapy and whether it feels useful for what you are experiencing.

Neurodiversity-affirming therapy recognizes autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence as meaningful parts of how a person experiences and moves through the world. Therapy considers your strengths, sensory needs, communication style, executive functioning, emotional experiences, and the environments you are navigating.

The focus is on helping you better understand yourself, reduce unnecessary strain, identify supports and changes that fit your needs, and work toward goals that matter to you and your quality of life.

Yes. Receiving an autism or ADHD diagnosis can bring relief along with new questions about your identity, past experiences, relationships, and what you need going forward.

Therapy can provide space to process those reactions, better understand how autism or ADHD shows up in your life, address burnout or self-criticism, and explore supports, boundaries, and changes that fit your needs.

Our therapists use a range of approaches based on your goals, needs, and what fits you best. Depending on what you are working on, therapy may draw from EMDR, Brainspotting, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness-based strategies, trauma-informed approaches, and other therapeutic methods.

We also consider factors such as neurodivergence, sensory needs, relationships, life experiences, and the environments you are navigating when deciding how to approach therapy.

You can learn more about the concerns we work with and the services we provide on our Therapy Services page.

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured therapy approach commonly used for PTSD and trauma-related distress. During EMDR, you briefly focus on aspects of a distressing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements.

Over time, EMDR can help reduce how distressing the memory feels and how strongly it affects you in the present. You can learn more about what the process involves on our EMDR Therapy page.

Yes. We offer secure telehealth therapy for adults throughout Minnesota, as well as in-person appointments at our White Bear Lake office.

Telehealth can be a convenient option if you prefer meeting from home, live farther from the Twin Cities, or want to avoid the time and travel involved in coming to the office.

We are an out-of-network provider for all insurance plans. Some clients receive partial reimbursement through their out-of-network mental health benefits, and we can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company.

We also accept HSA and FSA cards. You can contact us with questions about therapy fees, payment options, or using out-of-network benefits before getting started.

How often you meet with your therapist depends on your needs, goals, availability, and what you are working on. Many people begin with weekly or every-other-week sessions.

You and your therapist can revisit the frequency over time and adjust it based on what feels useful and the level of support you need.

There is no set timeline for therapy. Some people come in with a specific concern and meet for a shorter period, while others find longer-term therapy helpful as their needs and goals change.

You and your therapist can check in over time about what feels useful, what has changed, and whether continuing, meeting less often, or ending therapy makes sense for you.

Yes. Autistic and ADHD burnout can involve deep exhaustion, reduced capacity for everyday tasks, increased sensory or emotional overwhelm, and a greater need for rest or recovery after prolonged stress, masking, executive functioning demands, or trying to keep up with expectations that exceed your available resources.

Therapy can help you better understand what may be contributing to burnout, identify supports or changes that reduce unnecessary strain, and explore boundaries, routines, accommodations, or environmental changes that may make daily life more sustainable.

You can also learn more about our therapy for autistic and ADHD adults.

Yes. Anxiety for autistic and ADHD adults can be shaped by many factors, including sensory overload, uncertainty, executive functioning demands, masking, social expectations, and ongoing stress from environments that do not fit their needs.

Therapy can help you better understand what is contributing to anxiety in your life and find ways of responding that take your neurodivergence, needs, and experiences into account.

You can learn more about our therapy for autistic and ADHD adults and our anxiety therapy services.

For a closer look at why autistic experiences are sometimes mistaken for anxiety, read our article on the difference between anxiety and autistic dread.