Our Approach to Counseling

If you have never been in counseling before, you may be unsure of what it will be like. If you have been in counseling at another facility, there is a good chance this will be different. Counselors do different things depending on their training, experience, personal preference and other factors. At the same time, our staff are united in the approach we take to helping those we serve. The purpose of this brochure is to give you an idea of what to expect from counseling at the Bowen Center.

Therapy should focus on your concerns. We will work with you to reach the goals we establish together. Our work will be a partnership. If we are heading in a direction you don't understand or agree with, please let us know. Between now and the next time you come in, you can do some thinking about what you want to accomplish in our work together. Don't worry if you're still unsure of what you want to accomplish; we'll talk about it during our sessions.
• We all have strengths as well as problems and limitations. We will work hard to ensure that we get a balanced view of you and your life, so sometimes we will be asking you about your successes and abilities. People are occasionally surprised by this line of questioning, as they expect to focus on finding out about their problems. Our intention is not to ignore your problems or your pain, but also to search for strengths that might help us together solve the problem.
• Similarly, we won't always find out about everything that happened in your past that might have led up to your current concerns. Change happens in the present and toward the future, so we will place our focus there. Of course, if there is something important for us to know about your past that we have missed, please let us know.
• We often see our role as similar to a guide or coach. Just as the coach helps players make strategies that they execute and change in the game, we will make strategies for reaching your goals which you will carry out or change in your everyday life.
• Doing therapy this way allows clients to make faster progress and save time and money.
• We usually plan for individual or family sessions to last about 50 minutes. First appointments or group meetings may be longer. If we can finish what we need to do in a shorter time, we will. Depending on what happens in the first session, we will decide if and when we will meet again.
• Often we will suggest "homework" or actions you can try. Usually these are not solutions to your concerns but are designed to lead to solutions. Please think of your homework as negotiable rather than as an "assignment". If you have any questions, we are glad to answer them.
• There will be a charge for failing to arrive for an appointment or canceling with less than 24 hours notice.
• Success in therapy requires clients to do hard work. Progress depends as much on what you do differently between counseling sessions as on what you discuss in the office.

Commitment to Quality :
• Our goal is to help you achieve long lasting positive results in the shortest possible time.
• Our service will be timely and our approach will be respectful.
• We will seek to improve the quality of therapy done elsewhere by providing training to other therapists interested in our work.
• If you have any questions or concerns about our services, please discuss it with the staff member involved or call the office manager at the Bowen Center.

Limits of Confidentiality :
We will keep your visits and what you talk about confidential. We use a team treatment approach, so we may consult with our colleagues here at the Bowen Center for help and ideas for resolving your concerns. We will not let anyone outside the Bowen Center know anything about your visits here without your written permission. However, there are a few situations in which we must break confidentiality, either because we are required by law to do so or to keep you or someone from harm. Although these situations rarely occur, you should be aware of these requirements.

We may break confidentiality when :
• We suspect a child is being neglected, physically or sexually abused, and it hasn't been reported to authorities.
• We discover that someone's life (yours or someone else's) is in danger.
•Your records are demanded under a court order.