FAQ

Therapy is useful in the treatment of various disorders and addressing non-clinical problems.  For instance, some individuals begin psychotherapy to treat depression, interpersonal relationship struggles, or specific stressful work situations.  Decisions about psychological treatments would ultimately be up to you.  Each session progresses based upon the client’s needs.

Many research studies have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of psychotherapy.  These studies have shown therapy to be effective in reducing psychological symptoms and building new resources to cope more effectively with life stressors as they arise.  The effectiveness of therapy partly relies on the relationship developed between the therapist and client.  Therapeutic relationships grounded in trust and collaboration provides the foundation for successful treatment and allows the client to explore and address their deepest and most troubling concerns in a environment of safety, acceptance, and trust.

The first step is to schedule an appointment for an initial consultation.  It would be helpful for you to complete or review the “Client Information” form prior to your initial consultation. This information will help us to gain insight into your unique circumstance(s) and make appropriate recommendations for treatment.

If you have any special concerns or questions, please feel to call us at 212-724-2466, where you may leave a confidential voice message.  Privacy and confidentially are the primary concern at New York Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology Group.

During the first session, you will meet with a doctor at New York Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology Group and share your specific problem during a clinical interview. This also provides an opportunity for you to build rapport with the therapist and provide him/her with some background information about yourself and the reasons you are seeking counseling.  In addition, the intake therapist will be able to answer your questions regarding services, fees, confidentiality, and learn more about the process of therapy.

After the clinical interview, if we decide that it is in your best interest to move forward working with the assigned therapist, you will decide on a mutually agreeable time slot for your therapy sessions.  We are interested in developing a collaborative relationship with you in which we try to decide together what kind of treatment would be best for you. However, not everyone will be referred for continuing therapy at New York Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology Group. We make decisions on what we believe will be best for the client.

At New York Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology Group, we do not bill through insurance.    As an out-of-network provider, we are happy to assist you gain reimbursement from your current insurance company if appropriate.  Typically, you would submit a receipt of services (we provide) that includes specific information needed by insurance companies for reimbursement of treatment.  In some circumstances, your insurer may not cover treatment.  We recommend that you check with your specific insurance company to determine what is considered a reimbursable service. We do offer a sliding scale fee based on household income, family size, and financial hardship.

No we do not.  Physicians prescribe medicine and psychiatrists specialize in medical treatment of psychiatric disorders.  However, we will work with you and your prescribing physician by noting any unintended effects and sometimes document behavioral changes as an intended effect of medication through objective testing.

Psychotherapy sessions are typically 45-50 minutes in length; however, there are times when longer sessions may be necessary, e.g., during the assessment phase, beginning of treatment, or certain circumstances that require more time.

This also depends on the nature of your concerns.  If you want to address a specific time-limited issue, the course of treatment may be brief.  For other long-standing difficulties, meeting with the therapist over a lengthier period of time will be beneficial.  Additionally, some individuals engage in therapy for a limited time, cease treatment, and then return as needed.  The probable duration of therapy will be discussed at the onset of therapy and on a continuing basis as required. Group therapy may either be time-limited (distinct beginning, middle, or end) or open-ended.  Please contact New York Psychotherapy Neuropsychology Group to learn more about current and future groups.

Therapy sessions are usually scheduled on a weekly ongoing basis; however, there are times when you and your therapist will determine if more or fewer sessions are needed.  For instance, when problems are acute, you may wish to be seen more often.  Toward the end of therapy, you may require less frequent visits.  This should be discussed with your individual therapist.

In the event of an emergency, you should call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room and seek immediate help.

It is not uncommon for children and adolescents to resist the idea of meeting with a mental health professional.  As with adults, there can be a stigma associated with young people going to a psychologist.  They sometimes assume this means everyone thinks they are ‘crazy’ or that they are being blamed and punished by having to meet a doctor.

We always recommend that you be honest with your child, but communicate in a way that matches their understanding of current circumstances.  The issue will come up during the session, but it is important for you to prepare your child for psychotherapy or psychological testing. Giving your child this kind of information before the first appointment can help set the tone, prevent your child from feeling singled out or isolated, and provide reassurance that the family will work together on the problem.

EMDR is an acronym for a psychotherapeutic technique called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  EMDR is a treatment method used to heal the symptoms of trauma, as well as other emotional conditions. EMDR is the most effective and rapid method for healing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as shown by extensive scientific research studies.

The EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation, right/left eye movement, or tactile stimulation, or sound, which repeatedly activates the opposite sides of the brain releasing emotional experiences that are “trapped” in the nervous system. This assists the neurophysiological system, the basis of the mind/body connection, to free itself of blockages and reconnect itself.

EMDR allows a client to process an emotional experience that he/she cannot yet talk about, yet following a EMDR session find an ability to talk about it freely. Most importantly, it can eliminate stress surrounding the traumatic event.

If you have any special concerns or questions, please feel to email or call, Dr. Tama Lane, at 212-724-2466, where you may leave a confidential voice mail.  Privacy and confidentially are the primary concern at New York Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology Group.

Psychological or neuropsychological testing may be completed in one session under certain circumstances and varies depending on your needs.  You may wish to schedule an entire day to complete testing or prefer to complete testing in multiple shorter sessions.  Options for testing should be discussed with your psychologist.

Additionally, the length of the evaluation depends on the nature of the referral questions.  Some evaluations can be completed in a one 2-hour session, while more complicated referrals may take several sessions to complete.  Typically, a comprehensive interview is followed by an average of 4 hours of testing, and a feedback session with you to discuss the results and recommendations.