Frequently Asked Questions
Deciding to work with a psychologist is a major decision, and research shows that one of the most important factors in making your experience successful is feeling comfortable with that person. Some psychologists do offer free telephone consultations, but the best indicator of fit is a face to face meeting.
To help you decide if you’d like to work with Dr. Tanja, the first consultation is always at no cost. It is an opportunity for you to meet her, tell her a bit about your situation, and make an informed decision about whether to continue working with her or not. It is also an opportunity for Dr. Tanja to tell you about her approach, and to ensure that she is the best person to help you with the issue you are struggling with. Please contact her for information about her current fee schedule.
Everything that you talk about with a psychologist is confidential, and the information can only be released with your written consent. However, there are some exceptions if there is a risk of suicide or harm to another person.
A psychologist is someone who has specialized in psychology, has attained at least a Master’s degree in psychology, and has successfully completed one year of supervised training along with the appropriate licensing exams. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialized in working with psychiatric issues, and a therapist or life coach is someone who may or may not have completed relevant educational training.
A Certified Gottman Therapist is a clinician with at least a Master’s degree or Ph.D. in counselling or a related field, who has completed all 5 levels of the Gottman Training program. Included in that training is extensive consultation and supervision of the clinician’s work with actual clients, which is then evaluated by a team at the Institute. Please contact Dr. Tanja for more information about her experience and training.
There are many factors that impact the length of counselling including what the presenting problem is and how long the issue has been a problem. Also, if the issue involves you and your partner, that will impact the length of counselling. The most important factors though, are how motivated you are to make changes and the fit between you and your psychologist. If the approach makes sense to you and you are willing/ready to take the appropriate steps that you and your psychologist have agreed upon, you will notice some changes fairly quickly.
Yes! Dr. Tanja has extensive experience working with adult individuals struggling with all kinds of issues including stress, depression, anxiety, and life challenges. She also has a special interest in working with women who are experiencing chronic health issues related to hormonal challenges, allergies, and autoimmune diseases.
A Ph.D. level psychologist has at least 8 years of graduate training in counselling coursework, along with extensive licensing exams and one year of supervised clinical practice (1600 hours). A physician may or may not have taken workshops or seminars in counselling/therapy. However, there are some physicians who have taken training to become an MD psychotherapist, which is a total of 60 hours of training.
Further Resources
or, you can read articles by Tanja here.
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
– Alan Cohen
Get more information about the services Dr. Tanja offers.