Community Counseling Associates

Frequently Asked Questions (Questions and their answers are listed below in no particular order).

Please note: The answers and comments below do not constitute therapy or personal advice. They are written based on the limited and non-specific information stated in each question.

"Is 'down in the dumps' the same as depression?" If you feel sad or "down" most of the time, or, if you are so upset that you do not arise from bed for days on end, or, if you no longer have the desire to have fun experiences, or, if food has either lost its appeal or become an obsession after a crisis, then you should consider you might be depressed. Other signals can include feeling overwhelmed, helpless, hopeless, intense guilt, trapped, withdrawn, unlovable, unworthy, rejected, fatigued for no reason, or grief-stricken. There might be thoughts of death, dying, or suicide. The final determination can be made only after a face-to-face evaluation. Certain forms of depression can continue to worsen and develop complications if left untreated. Even though you have not been able to feel better on your own or even with the help of a friend or a lover, you should know that, with proper professional care, depression is treatable in most cases. The healing process begins when you call for the initial interview.

"I'm sometimes nervous. Does that mean I have an anxiety disorder?" Most everyone has anxieties or anxious experiences from time to time. An anxiety disorder is when your anxiety is out of control so that it significantly interferes with your work or social activities. An anxiety disorder might involve sudden and intense fears as in phobia, sudden and intense terror and dread as in panic disorder, recurrent fears or worries as in generalized anxiety, or even repetitive and unwanted thoughts or actions as in obsessive-compulsive disorder. There is also the special case of post-traumatic stress disorder which can occur anytime after a trauma, even many years later. The trauma can be from a natural disaster, experiencing violence, crime, or a serious accident. Post-traumatic stress disorder can show itself in any number of ways including recurrent nightmares or night terrors, avoiding places or activities similar to the original trauma, or suddenly initiating new problem behaviors. There are many factors to consider in diagnosis. Some symptoms are the same or similar for different disorders. Only a qualified professional should make this determination. You might have tried to overcome the symptoms yourself and even felt bad each time you failed. Some anxiety disorders will stay at the same level of severity for years. Others continue to worsen and might even develop complications without proper professional treatment. The major symptoms of anxiety disorders and sometimes the underlying process are treatable in most cases. Feelings of relief sometimes begin as early as the first session.

"How successful is therapy?" This is one of those questions that has no meaningful answer. Even in the research literature, there is inconsistency and a great deal of discussion over the definition and measurement of "success" in psychotherapy. This problem of definition and acceptable data is compounded when the question is brought down to a single therapist. It is clear, however, that psychotherapy effectively decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety. There is also mounting evidence that psychotherapy can enhance the functioning of the immune system, can prolong survival in certain life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and some heart conditions, and can reduce symptoms of pain, fear, nausea, fatigue, and others.

"If I need medication, do you prescribe it?" No. The counselor or social worker licensure does not include prescribing medication. There are several psychiatrists CCA refers to for medications.

"How long will our meetings last?" Most sessions are 45 to 50 minutes once a week. The initial session is usually a little longer to allow for evaluating your situation, developing a plan of action, and to still have enough time to begin the treatment. Billing is based on time allotted and, therefore, sessions can be arranged for very brief or for extended time periods.

"What hours are you available? Are you available at non-office times?" Click on the "contact us" tab to find out how to contact the office for available appointment times.

"Do you discuss my problems with anyone else?" No. CCA personally supports, and Texas law reinforces, the confidentiality of information you tell your therapist in the course of psychotherapy. We do not reveal information about you unless you specifically request us to do so. If you utilize an insurance company or other third-party payer for reimbursement, that company might demand that you give them access to your therapist's information about you if you want them to pay. This is the same standard whenever you submit a health or mental health claim to an insurance company.

"Do I have to bring my spouse if I have a marital problem?" Different therapists have different approaches to this question. Marital therapy works better, and usually much better, when both partners are present. However, even if one person is unwilling to attend, there are usually benefits to the relationship for the willing partner to be in therapy, but the process is slower and sometimes frustrating for the interested partner who is initiating the changes.

"I've been in therapy with someone else for years and it didn't help. Is CCA's therapy different?" Without knowing who you saw or what style of therapy you participated in, there is no definitive answer to this question. Many of the patients we have seen have had prior therapy experiences.

"I believe in therapy, but my wife says we don't need it and doesn't believe therapy will help. What should I do?" Ask her to attend an evaluation session with you. If she is not willing, and you believe in your marriage, arrange for an evaluation for yourself, anyway. If you do not "need" therapy, the therapist should tell you in no uncertain terms. You do not have to "believe" that therapy works in order to benefit. Usually, even the evaluation itself is helpful.

"How can I tell if I need therapy?" Everybody has something to complain about, but that is not enough to indicate you need therapy. In general, you should consider therapy and at least be evaluated if your complaints, concerns or fears occupy a significant amount of your thinking or your time, or significantly affect your emotions, or significantly interfere with relationships or your work or getting things done, or if the people around you are significantly bothered by your thoughts or actions. An evaluation is in order after being exposed to a major trauma such as being the victim of abuse, or being close to a murder, beating or armed robbery even if you think you are coping adequately with your feelings.

"How long will I have to be in therapy?" There is no single answer to this question, and certainly no answer to this question until there is some analysis of the problem. Some will come for one session and others will come for many. Some come for one or two sessions each year for many years. You are in charge of how often you attend and for what length of time, using your own judgment and aided by you and your therapists discussion and his/her recommendations.

"Do you just offer advice like a friend would?" If you come to the office for psychotherapy, the therapy process is quite different than advice, although occasionally, advice is offered. The therapy process can take many forms. The variations include analyzing recent events, situations or people, completing guided mental exercises, talking out an issue, emoting an experience, planning strategies for solving a problem or minimizing the negative impact of a bad situation, clarifying and re-deciding major life decisions, and many more too numerous to cover here.