Questions About Counseling and Therapy?
One of the therapeutic approaches I use is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which has proven to be extremely effective for childhood anxiety, depression and self-esteem. CBT improves mental and emotional wellbeing which usually translates into improved behavior, with new opportunities for healthy development and growth. CBT focuses on modifying your child’s thinking patterns, so they can better respond to daily challenges. Through goal-oriented sessions, we will work on helping your child self-soothe, decreasing the intensity of both their distress and their harmful behavior. While our goal will be to eliminate tantrums and isolation, we also cannot expect kids to be perfect. I will help you distinguish between developmentally appropriate and inappropriate behavior and examine what is manageable for you. You can develop greater empathy for your child, learn new self-forgiveness and set healthy, realistic boundaries for the whole family.
I understand the fear that others may judge you for coming to therapy. My office is in downtown Cheyenne’s Majestic Building, across the street from the train depot. With the activity of nearby commercial shops and restaurants, your family can quietly slip inside with a sense of anonymity. My relationship with your family is completely confidential, and our continued success depends on that trust. I offer a relaxed and warm environment where your family can feel safe to unravel the complexities of your day-to-day life. Your therapy sessions are confidential, and I cannot disclose what you tell me except when you state you are going to hurt yourself or others. I am also a mandated reporter for child abuse and neglect. It is also possible that I could be summoned to court and required to testify.
The first session is called the intake session and requires 75 to 90 minutes because we will be going over your initial paperwork and deciding if we are a good fit to work with each other. We will discuss what your therapeutic needs are and your counseling goals. The rest of the counseling sessions are 60 minutes and my approach includes a clear beginning, a middle and an end, parts of an overall process that takes place within 12 sessions. Some families may feel they have reached their goals in fewer than 12 sessions, while some may choose to extend our number of meetings. Families using a health insurance plan may be limited by the amount of sessions covered. In these cases, we will create a more succinct plan to reach your family objectives. Regardless of your financial situation, we will decide on a number of sessions up front.
It’s important to keep in mind that every child is unique, and each possesses a different set of internal coping skills. Even the most supported children usually have some fears. Many will internalize their fears because they do not feel comfortable discussing them with a parent or guardian, and that’s normal. But internalized fears often morph into hopelessness and sadness. Therapy allows your child a safe space to discuss what they are going through and find a sense of ease. Many children do experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that require professional help. Because prolonged depression can lead to more severe emotional issues as your child matures, identifying childhood depression early on is critical. Your child is not alone in their anxiety. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, nearly 32 percent of adolescents experience an anxiety disorder. The median age for the onset of this disorder is 6-years-old, making early detection important. Therapy can help your child learn new skills for dealing with their problems. As a trained therapist, I will help you work out the differences between normal up-and-down behavior and the signs of depression and anxiety.
Yes, I am in network with the following insurance panels Aetna, Behavioral Health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Wyoming, CHIP/Equality Kid Care, Cigna, Life, Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, UMR and UMR Employee Assistance Program (EAPs). If your insurance is not listed that would make me an out-of-network provider for your insurance company. This means that you would need to pay for counseling services at the time of service and get reimbursed from your insurance company for all or part of your therapy sessions. I will provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Potential clients need to contact their insurance company and find out if they have mental health benefits, how many sessions are covered, what their deductible is, what is their co-pay, and do they need a preauthorization letter to see a therapist. Please keep in mind that all charges are the responsibility of the client regardless of your insurance coverage. If you do not have medical insurance, please contact Dr. Torres directly to apply for sliding fee schedule.
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