Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need therapy? There’s nothing going on in my life that’s THAT bad.

Everyone goes through struggles in their life, and even if you’ve been able to navigate through other difficulties you've faced, seeking out extra support when you need it can be extremely helpful. By reaching out, you are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making steps towards change that can benefit you and those around you. Therapy can provide life-long benefits by helping you gain the tools to change unhelpful patterns of interaction and increase your ability to cope with stress for whatever future challenges you may face.

I’m feeling a little nervous, what should I expect for my first appointment?

Having some anxiety or apprehension to beginning therapy is a very common and “normal” (I hate that word!) feeling to have. When you come to Maleck Therapy, you will be met with supportive, compassionate care and will work together with your therapist to develop a plan for change. The purpose of our first meeting will be to get to know you and gather information about your life and history to get a sense of where you are and where you want to go.

I like to end intake appointments by setting some preliminary goals to make sure that we are on the same page regarding what you would like to get out of therapy and what changes you would like to see for your life. In our next meeting we will expand more on these goals and create a more concrete plan of what these next steps will look like and how to go about achieving them. Initial sessions last between 60-90 minutes, and subsequent sessions are generally about 50 minutes.

How long will this process take?

This is a very common question, and also one without a hard and fast answer. Within our first couple sessions, we will identify patterns of thought and behavior and then work to create some tangible steps for you to begin to put into action on your own. How long therapy will last is dependent on several factors, such as the severity of the issue, amount of support you have making your change, along with how much effort and reflection you are putting in between sessions.

If you went to meet with a personal trainer at a gym once a week, you wouldn’t expect to see results if you weren’t also exercising and/or eating healthy in between those training sessions. Therapy follows this same model. There is a lot of emotional and personal exploration that takes place during the hour along with learning coping skills and different patterns of interaction, and the way to maximize on this learning is to continue this reflection outside of my office and to practice these skills.

Will my insurance cover therapy?

It is important to check with your insurance company before your appointment to verify that your plan will cover therapy services. At this time, Maleck Therapy accepts Wisconsin Medicaid/Badger Care, Dane County CCS, The Alliance, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Other types of insurance may be accepted if your insurance plan offers out of network mental health coverage.