In The First Therapy Session. At Desert Oak Counseling in Phoenix, your first session is a welcoming space to explore your reasons for seeking trauma-informed therapy. We’ll discuss your background, current challenges, and goals for counseling. You’ll also receive an overview of our therapeutic approach, including modalities like EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness approaches. This will help you determine if our care aligns with your needs.

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Choosing a therapist is a meaningful decision. Therapy requires a commitment of time, energy, and emotional investment, and we encourage you to reflect on whether our approach feels supportive and safe.

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Scheduling and Planning. If you decide to move forward, sessions are typically scheduled every 1–2 weeks and last 55 minutes, which is covered by most insurance plans. Your therapist will develop a personalized treatment plan based on intake insights, integrating techniques like parts work, nervous system regulation, and cognitive reframing to support your healing journey.

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Therapy length varies depending on your goals, motivation, and the complexity of issues being addressed. We’ll regularly assess your progress and adjust the duration of care to ensure it remains effective and empowering