We all have difficult things we deal with and therapy can help change your relationship with even your most difficult challenges.

First and foremost, you will get to know your therapist and they will get to know you.  You will be asked to share about what you are hoping to get out of therapy.  You can give as much or as little detail about your problem and story as you feel comfortable.  If your therapists asks you something you don’t want to answer, it is ok to tell them that.  Over the first few sessions, you will collaborate with your therapist to set some goals for therapy and some plans for how to reach those goals.    

Most therapy sessions are 40-55 minutes, 2-8 times per month.  Some people come to therapy for a very brief time, other people come to therapy for many months or even years.  The length of therapy is dependent on what your preferences and goals.  Your therapist will work with you to establish a therapy plan and an approximate length of time to work on that plan. 

It can be challenging to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with.  As therapists, we appreciate feedback from you about how we are doing.  Of course, giving that feedback can be a challenge.  If you find you are not satisfied with your experience we encourage you to talk with us about it or to find a therapist who feels like a better match for you. 

We are in network with most major insurance companies in Minnesota.  This means that the cost of your therapy sessions is set by your insurance company.  The cost is also impacted by your deductible and out of pocket spending for the year.  The best way to know for certain what therapy will cost is to check with your insurance company directly.  If your deductible is not met the rate will likely be somewhere between $90 and $130 per session.  If your deductible is met, co-pays range from $20-$45 dollars per session. 

All therapists go through a period where they work as a clinical trainee.  This training begins in graduate school and continues post-graduation until the therapist reaches the required number of practice and supervision hours to apply for independent licensure.  An independently licensed therapist has completed all their supervised practice requirements and passed exams determined by their licensing board that give them license to practice without any supervision.  At AMAR Wellness, we have both independently licensed therapists and clinical trainees.  Our independently licensed therapist provide supervision to our clinical trainees. 

1. Trauma-informed therapy starts with us asking “what happened to you?” instead of “what’s wrong with you?” Trauma-informed therapists understand that any symptoms you are struggling with, whether they are cognitive, behavioral, or somatic, are manifestations of an injury, rather than an indicator of inherent badness or failings.
2. Understanding the neurobiology of trauma. This means we take into consideration the impact therapy has on people’s bodies and brains. This also means we seek to understand the science underneath behavior and beliefs in order to reduce shame and allow more room for curiosity. Understanding neurobiology helps us to normalize, humanize, and accept the way our bodies react, and it leads to having more compassion for ourselves and the people we work with.
3. Keeping the consumer at the center of the treatment. This means making decisions WITH you, not for you.
4. Always prioritizing humanizing language over pathologizing language
5. Incorporating social justice and intersectionality into practice by taking into account the role of power, control, and inequality within systems and within people’s lives. This also means we recognize that even if we provide the best therapy ever, and have the best of intentions, our interventions often fall short. Reparations of trauma cannot only occur in therapists’ offices. Changes have to be made on a societal level. As long as people are marginalized and oppressed, trauma reparations are incomplete. Until there are societal changes that not only allow people to live but to thrive, any trauma-informed intervention will fall short. As trauma-informed therapists, we will continue to advocate for societal change.