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COUNSELING For children, individuals, couples & families

General Treatment Expectations

We understand that when you aren’t feeling well, making that first call for help can seem like one of the hardest things you’ve ever done. Brené Brown once said, “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” In fact, from the very moment you reach out to the Cognitive Behavior Institute for help, you are not facing your struggles unaided. There’s strength in being able to say, “I’m here to get through this, and others have come alongside me to help along the way.” Though the path may appear untraveled, unworn, and unforgiving, you are not alone; the CBI team is here to support and guide you and yours. We operate more like a family than a mental health factory. In doing so, here is part of the process you can expect when joining our family.

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First, a friendly member of our office team will work with you to schedule an appointment with one of our clinicians and review important paperwork to complete. Please feel free to discuss any preferences or concerns you may have, as we recognize and honor the importance of matching you to someone with whom you will feel comfortable. The appointment will be scheduled as soon as possible depending on your preferences and schedule, as well as the availability of clinicians. Second, as your appointment approaches, you will set up access to our website portal and complete your assigned paperwork. Here, you will fill out consents and other documents ahead of time rather than at your first appointment. If you have difficulties completing the paperwork, your clinician can provide further direction. Additionally, telehealth services will operate through the portal account. Third, the day prior to your appointment, you will receive either a reminder call, text, or email. We understand it can be difficult to remember appointments and other obligations; if you find it to be helpful, these reminders can continue for the duration of treatment.

For those clients meeting for an in-person session at the Cranberry office, please check in at the front window with a staff member when you arrive. Your clinician will greet you at the waiting room to take you back to his or her office. For those clients meeting virtually or at one of our other offices, your clinician will greet you in their private telehealth space or guide you to their office. Once you’ve settled into one of our soundproof offices or encrypted Zoom rooms, our experienced mental health professional will ask you questions about what brings you in, what areas of your life are currently affected, and what goals you have for therapy, to name a few. Prior to leaving, your clinician will accept any copay you may have and schedule your next appointment with you. In total, you can expect your appointment to last about an hour.

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One tool we bring on our journey to wellness with you is the openFIT program. This innovative online platform allows us to keep track of your overall progress and your satisfaction level with the clinician and sessions. To measure these areas, a brief survey is reviewed at the beginning and end of each session to ensure your treatment is on track. The first survey asks how you feel things have gone over the last week individually, interpersonally, socially, and overall, all on a scale of 0-10. These results give the clinician an idea of your well-being and progress since the last appointment, which can guide and focus the session. The second survey allows you to rate (using the same scale) your working relationship with the clinician, how well desired goals and topics were covered, how good of a fit you feel the clinician’s approach or method is, and how you felt the session went overall. These scales are used to build a “Culture of Feedback” into the therapeutic process. As scores accumulate over time, the program creates graphs to easily review your progress on treatment goals. Depending on the outcomes, the clinician may talk to you about how he or she can do things differently or what could have been improved on during the session. This research-validated approach to treatment allows us to provide the highest quality of care possible so that you can feel better, faster.