Jesse A. Rieber, LCMHC
106 Spring Street, Suite 115
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone/Fax: (508) 999 - 3290
EMAIL: JARIEBER@AOL.COM
Selecting a therapist can be difficult. In most cases, people seek therapy because of a personal or family crisis. Unless they have gotten advice from someone who was in therapy with a particular therapist, clients know little about the therapist they select or the therapist's background. To help potential clients in making the decision whether to enter therapy with me, I provide information concerning my background (professional and personal), experience, and expertise. Additionally, I provide information for other therapists seeking supervision, as well as some articles on subjects and issues that have emerged on a continuous basis over the years in therapy sessions. These articles are intended as a general service to the public.
THE PROCESS OF THERAPY/EVALUATION:
Participating in therapy can result in a number of benefits to you, including improving interpersonal relationships, and resolution of specific concerns that led you to seek therapy. Working towards these benefits, however, requires effort on your part. Psychotherapy requires your very active involvement, honesty, and openness in order to change your thoughts, feelings or behaviour. I will ask your feedback and views on your therapy, its progress, and other aspects of the therapy and will expect you to respond openly and honestly. During evaluation or therapy, remembering or talking about unpleasant events, feelings, or thoughts can result in your experiencing considerable discomfort or strong feelings of anger, sadness, worry, fear, etc. I may challenge some of your assumptions or perceptions or propose different ways of looking at, thinking about, or handling situations which may cause you to feel very upset, angry, depressed, challenged, or disappointed. Attempting to resolve issues that brought you to therapy in the first place, such as personal or interpersonal relationships, may result in changes that were not originally intended. Psychotherapy may result in decisions about changing behaviours, employment, substance use, schooling, housing, or relationships. Sometimes a decision that is positive for one family member, is viewed quite negatively by another family member. Change will sometimes be easy and swift, but more often it will be slow and even frustrating. There is no guarantee that psychotherapy will yield positive or intended results. During the course of therapy I am likely to draw on various psychological approaches according, in part, to the problem that is being treated and my assessment of what will best benefit you. These approaches include behavioural, cognitive-behavioural, psychodynamic, existential, system/family, developmental (adult, child, family), EMDR, and psycho-educational.
If you have any unanswered questions the procedures used in the course of your therapy, their risks, or about your treatment plan, please ask, you will be answered fully. You also have the right to ask about other treatments for your condition and their risks and benefits. If you could benefit from any treatments I do not provide, I have an ethical obligation to assist you in obtaining those treatments. I consult regularly with other professionals regarding my patients: however, patient names or other identifying information are never mentioned. Patient identities remain completely anonymous, and confidentiality is fully maintained. After the first couple of meetings I will asses if I can be of benefit to you. I do not accept clients who, in my opinion, I cannot help. In such a case, I will give you a number of referrals you can contact. If at any point during the psychotherapy I assesses that I am not effective in helping you reach your therapeutic goals, I am obligated to discuss this with you and, if appropriate, terminate treatment. In such a case, I will give you a number of referrals that may be of help to you. If you request and authorize in writing I will talk to the psychotherapist of your choice in order to help with the transition. If at any time you wish another professional’s opinion, or wish to consult with another therapist, I will assist you in finding someone qualified, and will provide them with the essential information needed. Therapy never involves sexual or business relationships or any dual relationship that impairs my objectivity, clinical judgment, therapeutic effectiveness or can be exploitive in nature. You have the right to terminate therapy at any time. If you choose to do so, I will offer to provide you with names of other qualified professionals whose services you might prefer.
