Work. Life. Balance.

A sometimes-hilarious thing that happens to therapists is when we find ourselves giving out very sound, balanced advice that we are neglecting to implement in our own lives. This is not such an uncommon phenomenon – we are human, after all, and in need of just as much self-reflection and intention-setting as anybody else is. And sometimes, we don’t carve out the time to do it, and we find ourselves in a puddle of messy emotions that require the care that we’re recommending all day to everybody in our therapy rooms. 

Therapists: they’re just like us!

Currently, a theme that keeps popping up for me is intention – the intention behind my practice, the intention behind my daily schedule, and the intention behind the nature of the care that I’m providing for myself on a daily basis. As a dual business owner, it can be hard to figure out how to juggle things in a way that reflects what my initial visions were for my work-life: Calm. Fulfilling. Quiet. Impactful. Allowing for space for my body, and my mind, and for Fun (lots of fun!) and Rest. 

It’s a tall order, for sure, and sometimes I go all akimbo with it. 

One of the ways that this occurs is when I operate from a Fearful Part in my work-life. I hear this a lot from clients in the therapy room – the Fear associated with not earning enough, with starting a business and having to buy health insurance, with not enjoying work but fearing trying something new and liking it even less, with going into student debt to learn new skills, with not being able to save for retirement….trust me, this list could go on and on and on. 

I don’t believe that American culture does a very good job of prioritizing the well-being of the worker (we like everything Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger), and that leaves many of us burnt-out, anxious, and questioning how we can pursue “thriving” in our very individualistic society. 

To that end, it’s interesting to think about what would happen if we threw out cultural expectations to a degree, and set our own individual intentions around our careers. If we no longer cared about 40 hours as a benchmark, how many hours would we choose to work? If we weren’t reliant upon our nonprofit jobs for Student Loan Forgiveness (and if you’re in that program, my fingers are triple-crossed that it comes through for you), would we venture out into self-employment? If our identities weren’t so wrapped up in our value as workers, would we be more forgiving of ourselves when we didn’t perform perfectly? Could we allow ourselves to let go of the Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger mentality? 

Much of my choice to venture into business ownership had to do with the intention for my work to take up less of my life. I wanted (and still want) my work to be a pleasure – a place where I have the opportunity to sit down with individuals that I like and respect, and be able to actually help them get to where they are going. I aim to be enthusiastic and learning, always, in my work. 

And I certainly don’t want to be Fearful, despite all the anxiety about work that the helping professions likes to hoist onto its (highly skilled, educated, and valuable) workforce. 

So – an intention: Let’s nurture and take good care of our Fearful Parts, so we can work from our center. 

What would you like to do to be better aligned in your work-life?

faq's

Useful Information

Some frequently asked questions and useful answers.

Online therapy works in the same way as in-office therapy, but is done online, similar to a Skype or FaceTime conversation. Clients are able to have sessions from home, work, or any other convenient location. We meet with clients using a HIPAA-compliant secure platform.

Online therapy allows you to work with us from the comfort of home, or any private location of your choosing. For some, the screen provides an added layer of comfort that makes the challenging work of being vulnerable in therapy a little easier.

Online therapy also creates the unique opportunity for you to work with us without the constraints of proximity! The practice was born in Keene, New Hampshire, but has since grown to service clients anywhere in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Florida, and New Hampshire.

Online therapy is a great option for clients that travel for work, for college students that go home during the summertime and do not want a break in their sessions, and for anyone with a challenging or inconsistent day-to-day schedule. It is an excellent choice for clients seeking a therapist with a particular specialty that they are unable to find support for locally. Some of our clients report that online therapy makes the vulnerability element of therapy a bit less intimidating.

No. For some clients with more complex symptoms or safety concerns, having a local therapist that is readily available is important in case of crisis or the need for a higher level of care. Online therapy is also a challenge for clients that do not have access to a private, quiet space to be “in session” for the hour, or for those that do not have adequate internet connectivity.

There are several reasons why we don’t accept insurance. The most important are:

Confidentiality. Insurance companies require that your information be shared with them in order to pay for services. We prefer that clients’ information is kept as confidential as possible.

The pressure to diagnose. Insurance companies require that clients are given a mental health diagnosis in order to pay for therapy. We have found that many clients benefit from therapy, but do not meet criteria for a diagnosis. Not using insurance allows clients to access therapy without being given a mental health diagnosis.

Flexibility and freedom. Insurance companies dictate the length and number of sessions they will authorize, as well as when a client is no longer eligible for the benefits of therapy. Because we do not work with insurance panels, you and we can collaborate to determine your individual needs regarding session length, frequency of sessions, and when to terminate therapy.

While we do not accept insurance, many clients choose to submit receipts to their insurance companies to receive reimbursement via out-of-network benefits. We are happy to provide these receipts for you! Please check with your insurance company for details on your benefits.

testimonials

Feedback

Read some of our latest testimonials to see why others put their trust in us.

Ready To Get Started?

Get the support you need from anywhere with online therapy.

Enter your email address for special offers, new services, resources and the latest blog posts right to your inbox.