It depends! If you are an adult or teen you will likely want to talk through your thoughts, feelings, needs, etc. Within the safe, warm relationship you build with your therapist you may expand your capacity to be with your distress, learn new ways of coping, identify patterns that are no longer serving you and more. You and your therapist will design the ideal therapy for you! For kids, their language is play so their therapy will often involve play based approaches.

Play therapy is a dynamic interpersonal relationship between an individual and a trained therapist who provides play materials and the space for a secure, safe relationship where the individual can fully express themself through play (Landreth, 2002). Most individuals in play therapy are children as children’s natural form of communication is play (Landreth, 2002). Children navigate our world in a unique way that adults can hardly understand (Landreth, 2002). Play therapy uses the medium of toys to bridge the gap of understanding between children and adults (Landreth, 2002). 

Children’s toys are words, and play is their language (Landreth, 2002).

Yes, confidentiality is a cornerstone of therapy. Information shared is private, with some legal exceptions.

• If you are at imminent risk of harming yourself for someone else your therapist must ensure the safety of yourself and others.

• If you disclose any child abuse, elder abuse, or abuse of a dependent person all therapists are mandated reporters and must report this to the proper authorities

• If your therapist receives a subpoena to court your therapist might be required to disclose information

  • Tide Pool Counseling does not provide custody evaluations and will not testify for or against any parent in court. All divorced or separated parents will be required to sign an agreement regarding this inability to determine custody.

The first session, known as an intake, is a time where you can get to know your therapist and your therapist can get to know you/ your family. Prior to the intake your therapist will send you paperwork on the online platform using your provided email to obtain consent to work with you. This paperwork must be completed 24 hours prior to the initial appointment to allow time to process all of your information and check insurance when applicable.

If you are seeking services for a child, your therapist will likely meet only with the parents for this initial appointment and your child will NOT attend this initial meeting. (This is especially true for any child under the age of 13.) This allows you and your therapist to explore your concerns from your perspective, discuss your family dynamics, explore treatment goals, and explain the process of therapy. This also allows the initial meeting between therapist and child to be focused on beginning to build the therapeutic relationship. 

It depends! Your therapist will work with you to develop a treatment plan and goals to determine the structure, frequency, intervention type, etc of family sessions. Treatment in family therapy is aimed at helping the whole system change and giving new tools to increase connection while decreasing conflict.

During the initial intake session, your child’s therapist will go over confidentiality and how it works in our practice. To make sure therapy feels like a safe, protected space for your child, their therapist won't share specific details from the sessions.

Instead, the therapist will focus on the main themes that come up during their time together. We’ll always reach out to you immediately if there’s ever a concern about safety, abuse, or neglect.

Additionally, Tide Pool Counseling is required to break confidentiality if your child is a danger to themselves or others, if abuse of a child, elder, or person with a disability is disclosed, or if it's ordered by a court.

To cancel or reschedule your appointment please email your provider. Tide Pool Counseling requires 24 hours notice of cancellation or reschedule. We have a cancellation fee of $150 for a no show and $75 fee if the appointment is cancelled within the 24 hours. We understand that sometimes an emergency or illness may arise that inhibit your ability to attend your appointment and fees may be waived in these instances at the discretion of the practice.

It is important that you/ your child is seen regularly. If you cancel or reschedule more than 3 appointments in any 60 day period it is possible you may lose your recurring appointment time.