What Can I Expect Out of Therapy

Starting therapy is a brave and meaningful step, and it’s natural to wonder what the process will feel like. At Counseling and Consulting on the Hill (CCH), we believe therapy isn’t something that’s done to you—it’s something we do together. Therapy is a collaborative process, where you bring your life experiences, insights, and goals, and we bring professional training, perspective, and support. Together, we create the conditions for growth and change.

A Team Approach to Care

CCH is a training practice, which means your care is supported by both our thoughtful, eager resident and intern therapists, and by senior clinical supervisors with advanced training and AAMFT designations. This structure allows you to receive highly personalized, ethical care while knowing your therapist is continually guided by experienced clinical leadership.

Rooted in Relationships

Research shows that one of the strongest predictors of therapy’s success is the therapeutic relationship itself. We approach therapy from a systems and relational perspective, which means we pay attention not just to the individual, but also to the relationships and contexts that shape your life. We believe healing happens in connection. That’s why our therapists work to create a safe, respectful, and collaborative environment where you feel truly seen and heard.

What We Ask of You

Therapy works best when it’s an active process. We bring a person-centered framework—grounded in empathy, unconditional positive regard, and respect—but your openness, curiosity, and engagement are equally important. Growth takes time, and it’s normal to experience ups and downs along the way. Many people even feel worse before they feel better, as therapy often involves facing difficult truths or emotions. With consistency and collaboration, however, these challenges become stepping stones toward real and lasting change.

Therapy as a Journey

There is no single roadmap for therapy—because your story and needs are unique. What you can expect is a process that unfolds at a pace that feels right for you, guided by a supportive relationship, and strengthened by both your commitment and our clinical expertise. Whether you’re seeking clarity, healing, or growth, therapy at CCH is a journey we walk together.

Every Therapist Brings Something Unique

While all of our therapists share a foundation in systems thinking and a relational approach, each one also brings their own style, training, and preferences for clinical theory. Most use an integrative or mixed-model approach—drawing from different therapeutic methods depending on what best supports your needs. This flexibility means your therapy experience is tailored, not “one-size-fits-all.”

Because of our systems background, we take time to understand not only you as an individual, but also your family and social context. Early in therapy, this often includes creating a genogram (a family map based on Murray Bowen’s model), which helps us explore generational patterns, relationships, and dynamics that may be shaping your present experience. [Link to Bowen Center 8 Concepts]

Beyond training and theory, our clinicians bring their own rich life experiences to this work. We practice in a way that is both deeply relational and highly ethical striving to connect with you as a person, while maintaining the professional boundaries that make psychotherapy a safe and structured space for growth.

What to Expect in the Practical Sense

At the start of a new therapy relationship, your therapist will review our informed consent, which outlines how therapy works, your rights as a client, and what you can expect from us. We want you to feel fully informed and comfortable as we begin.

CCH is in-network with CareFirst/Blue Cross, and for clients using other insurance plans we can set an out-of-network rate, with some sliding scale options available. Sessions are typically 55 minutes long, and we encourage weekly meetings at the beginning of therapy. Meeting consistently at first helps build momentum and strengthen the therapeutic relationship. Over time, you and your therapist will work together to decide what frequency feels most supportive.

To make sure therapy is effective, we also use tools that help capture progress beyond what’s said in session. These include the OQ-45 (a well-established outcome questionnaire) and other symptom-tracking measures hosted through SimplePractice. This data offers another lens for understanding your growth and identifying areas that might need more attention.

During sessions, you can expect your therapist to join you in the conversation, listen deeply, reflect, offer insights, and gently redirect when needed. What you won’t get is someone telling you what to do. Instead, therapy is a collaborative process where your voice, goals, and choices guide the work. At times, your therapist may suggest resources—like movies, books, podcasts, or worksheets—and occasionally provide psychoeducation to help you better understand what you’re experiencing. But these tools are always offered with your permission and tailored to your preferences.

Ready to take the next step?

Reach out to us at Counseling and Consulting on the Hill to be matched with a therapist and begin your journey.