Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is your specialty?
Empowered Healing Trauma Therapy specializes in providing evidenced based trauma treatment to women who suffer from betrayal trauma, cultural trauma, domestic violence, relationship issues, religious/cult trauma, sexual trauma, and substance abuse.
I’m nervous about starting therapy, is that normal?
When starting therapy, it's very common to feel nervous. It can be difficult to imagine the words around what you are feeling. Maybe you've experienced feeling tongue tied when trying to open up to friends or loved ones in the past. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. It takes courage to start going to therapy. The fact that you are on this website, looking for help, and reading this right now shows that you are brave and resilient.
Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and come just as you are, including feeling nervous. Dr. Alicia Tolerico is committed to building a safe therapeutic relationship to
ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.
How do I know if Dr. Alicia Tolerico is the right therapist for me?
Take your time to read through Empowered Healing Trauma Therapy website. If you sense that Dr. Alicia Tolerico may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can schedule your complimentary consultation.
During a complimentary phone consultation, you can ask Dr. Alicia Tolerico how she would support you during your recovery process. You can also ask additional questions you may have that are specific to you. You’ll also be able to speak to what's bothering you and we will discuss how therapy can assist you with your presenting issues.
During the first few sessions, we will get to know each other. During the sessions, you’ll be able to get a sense of Dr. Alicia Tolerico’s therapeutic style to get a better understanding of how working with her will be. Dr. Alicia Tolerico’s approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important is that you connect with a therapist who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.
What if I don't want to talk about something?
If something feels overwhelming or even terrifying to discuss, that's actually very normal. It can often feel hard to talk about the difficult things you have experienced. During our sessions, you never have to talk about something you’re not comfortable talking about. We will collaborate on understanding what you feel ready to open up about. Together we will work through the challenging stuff one step at a time.
You can also share with Dr. Alicia Tolerico that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whenever you have a lot of feelings about something, you are welcome to discuss them in session.
How long will I be in therapy for?
You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you think that therapy will be an overwhelming process.
If this is true for you, we want you to know that on average, new clients start seeing relief after the first few months. Feeling relief can vary from person to person.
By that point, they feel a little more calm and hopeful that healing is possible
The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. We typically work with individuals who have had multiple traumas. Complex traumas can take longer to heal from. Clients who begin to utilize healthy ways of coping and taking care of themselves find their healing process to begin more quickly. While other clients feel more supported by longer-term therapy.
What can I expect during the first session with Dr. Alicia Tolerico?
Overall, you can think of the first session as the “getting to know each other” session. During the first few sessions, we begin a semi-structured assessment that allows us to get to know you and the challenges you are facing. You are invited to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.
Some questions that are asked during a first session include:
• What’s present for you in your life right now?
• Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
• What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?
You can ask Dr. Tolerico questions as well. You might be curious about her training or what sessions will be like moving forward.
The most important part of the first few sessions is that we determine if we are a good fit for each other. If you feel seen, heard, and validated that can feel like a good indicator to continue the therapeutic process.
What if we happen to know each other from the community, will I be able to work with you?
If we happen to know each other outside of the therapeutic setting, Dr. Tolerico will not be able to work with you. This is called a dual relationship, which occurs when a therapist has a second relationship with a client. Boundaries in therapy create safety and trust. You will be referred you to another therapist who can assist you with your presenting issues.
How can I get started with Dr. Alicia Tolerico?
Dr. Tolerico will provide a complimentary phone consultation where you can speak to what's bothering you and we will discuss how therapy can assist you with your presenting issues.
Schedule your complimentary 20-minute phone consultation. You are not alone, together we can do hard things. Begin your empowered healing journey today!