What to Expect Working with Dr. Kara Kenderish
Phone Consultation
I offer a free, 15 minute phone consultation to discuss what you are looking for, payment/fees, and to begin the process of seeing if I might be a good fit for your therapy needs. At the end of the phone call, we'll determine together if we'll be good fit and if you feel you would like to continue the process. Then we'll proceed to setting up an intake appointment. If I do not feel that I'll be able to meet your needs, we can discuss other options available to you.
Intake Paperwork
Once we have agreed to schedule an intake appointment, I will collect your email, phone number, and method of payment (i.e. insurance or self-pay) in order to send you the intake paperwork. You will receive a welcome email from "Kara Kenderish, Psy.D." or "yourprovider@simplepractice.com" with instructions on how to create a log-in and begin filling out the intake paperwork. Please check your spam or promotions folder if you did not receive the welcome email, then feel free to call me if you still have not found it. Paperwork must be completed 48 hours before the intake session, otherwise the appointment will need to be rescheduled.
Below are two guides to help you get started or answer any questions about using the online portal:
Intake Appointment
The initial session is to continue the process of understanding what is bringing you to therapy and further assess if we will be a good fit for one another. In this appointment, we'll cover a variety of topics related to your current concerns and your history. This session will feel semi-structured, with me asking a lot of questions in order to assess this information. Please feel free to ask questions about any of the policies you read over prior to the appointment, the process of therapy, or my approach. If at any time you find yourself feeling we will not be a good fit, please feel free to address this with me, and I can help provide you with additional referrals in the psychology community.
All Other Appointments
During the second or third appointment, we'll further explore your goals for treatment and discuss a plan for moving you toward those goals. This is the only other semi-structured appointment. After this, I generally start sessions by encouraging you to consider how you would like to use your time for that day. Some clients find it helpful to keep a list of things they would like to talk about during their therapy session, while others feel more able to spontaneously approach things.
I also offer more structured sessions with education and worksheets around coping strategies. Some clients find these to be a helpful way to ease into therapy and talking more openly with someone new about their concerns. Whether we explore worksheets or not, I generally discuss many of the same psychological principles with all of my clients at some point during treatment.
