site search by freefind

Appointments


At this point, you've found a therapist from the
list who seems like they might be a good fit to you, your issue, and your location. But what can you expect when you email, phone, or start treatment with that therapist? Of course, each therapist runs their office to fit their own circumstances, but the answers below are what typically happens.

Your therapist will probably use several different types of healing techniques in your sessions – some of them we will teach you so that you can use them on your own. One of their primary tools is Whole-Hearted Healing™, which is a simple way to heal issues in the present by locating and healing underlying past traumas. We also use simple meridian techniques such as EFT. The sessions usually last about 90 minutes but it is best to allow 2 hours in case you run over. Please be understanding if your session starts late as a result of the previous client’s session lasting longer than expected. After a session you might experience some tiredness – as traumas are healed the body often relaxes deeply so it is best to be prepared ahead of time. Occasionally, in the course of treatment a particular condition might worsen before it gets better. Although not common, if this occurs and causes you concern, simply contact your therapist to discuss what needs to be done before the next session.



Schedule an Appointment

How do I contact a therapist to make an appointment?
            Look on the Find Therapist page, at the particular therapist's listing. There is a button link to open an email contact page for the therapist. (Their email address is shown as a picture to keep spam from being sent to them.) Or you can simply phone ahead. Most therapists want to speak with you briefly before you make an appointment to be sure you have a problem that they feel they can help you with. These people are experts in their field - if they feel they can't help, they will usually know someone in another healing area that can.


There is an appointment calendar on the therapist's page - can I just book it without chatting first?
            Most therapists prefer to have you chat with them over the phone or in person first. Usually, the appointment on the calendar is for full sessions. After you chat with them, you can set up appointments with them or with their calendar (if they have one listed).


What do I need to do before the appointment?
            Be sure that you are able to identify the issue that you want to heal, as best as you can. Sometimes you will have several issues; part of the first interview will be to prioritize them, and find out which one your therapist can actually help you with.


Where is my session going to be?
            Your therapist will let you know where his office is. Many people can be helped via Skype, so they can do the sessions in the comfort of their own home. This can be very important if the therapist and client are many miles or even continents apart.


Do I have to see my therapist in person, or can I work over Skype?
            Your therapist can often work over Skype, but in some issues, or with some people, it is necessary to work in person. Your therapist will be able to let you know.


What conditions won't you treat?
            Some problems require specialized training that your therapist may not be interested in becoming an expert in. Examples could be addictions, sexual abuse, and so on. Or your therapist might feel that their general training simply isn't focused enough for your specialized problem. They would refer you to another therapist, or you could choose one from the list, if you wished to continue with a Peak States therapist.
            Almost none of the therapists will work with pre-existing suicidal clients, as this takes special training and a relationship with local care facilities. Also, clients with a heart condition need to discuss this with their therapist, to evaluate the potential risk of a heart attack.


Should I be seeing this type of therapist?
            That is a very good question. Trauma therapists specialize in eliminating issues that you don't feel calm about. They are typically not guidance counselors, although they may act as relationship counselors while they are healing the issue in the relationship. You can discuss this with your therapist - remember, they will be making a 'pay for results' agreement with you, and so they are really motivated to achieve results with you or find you help elsewhere.




What to Expect in a Session

What is going to happen in my first, 'get to know each other' appointment?
            You and the therapist will have a relatively short first conversation, so you can get a better feel of who they are, and for them to find out if they think they can help you. This is often done over the phone or skype. During this time, you and your therapist will usually come to an agreement on what makes sense to heal, and how much it will cost. This is what we call the 'pay for results' contract. Then, after this chat, you may start the actual session, or you may choose a later date and time to work together.


What are the forms that I will have to fill out?
            Your therapist will have several forms for you to read and sign. First there is a history form, to make sure there are not any unusual medical or other problems they need to be aware of. It can sometimes help in diagnosing your issue, so it is well worth filing out carefully. There is a liability form, to make sure you understand what your responsibilities are. Then there is an informed consent form, which describes the training of your therapist, your rights, what problems you might encounter, and so on. Your therapist will go over any questions you might have about these forms before treatment starts. And if you are willing, there is an optional testimonial form.


Will anyone else see my records?
            Unless there is some legal request by lawyers or police, your records are kept only with your therapist. There is one exception, however - if your therapist calls in an Institute clinic specialist, your data will be shared with the clinic and saved, in case follow-up is needed.
            You should note that if you are happy with your therapist's work, they would really appreciate a short testimonial - a short video would be even better!


What is going to happen in the real healing session?
            All your therapist cares about is that you get well. Hence, they will use a variety of techniques to do this, not just ones they have learned from the Institute. Our slogan is "As long as it works!" One might include gentle tapping on the hand, or movement of the eyes, or sometimes brief body positions. You might also be asked to recall past incidents in your life; the discomfort should fade fairly quickly. For the most part, you will simply be sitting in a chair concentrating on feelings and sensations in the particular ways that therapist directs you to do.


How long will my session last?
            Trauma therapy sessions can last various amounts of time, typically from 1 to 2 hours. However, your therapist won't stop working with you until you feel reasonably calm, so on rare occasions your appointment may go longer. Plan on that happening just in case.


Can I ask questions before starting treatment?
            Always! And during treatment as well. If the questions become a significant amount of your therapist's time - some clients are very interested in the theory about what is being done - your therapist will let you know and direct you to appropriate textbooks.


How many sessions will it take?
            The typical problem takes the first meeting and about three sessions.


What do I do about my medication?
            Don't stop taking any required medication, but be sure your therapist knows about it. It is very unlikely that any medication will inhibit the healing processes, although it is possible for some drugs to do so.


My therapist is consulting with someone else. Is this normal?
            Peak States certified therapists may occasionally work with specialists from the Institute for the Study of Peak States clinics to help resolve your issue. Sometimes this is just an additional diagnosis, and sometimes it is for assistance with your healing. Although not frequent, it should give you a sense of security that there are highly trained clinical staff from the Institute ready to assist your therapist if your situation is unusually difficult.




After the Session

What about after the session?
            Don't plan on doing anything important right after the session, or in fact the rest of the day. We also don't recommend that you make any major life choices until well after the treatment is finished. The reason for this is that emotional material might be activated in a session, and if you don't finish that day, might cause you to make poor choices because of the feelings and thoughts triggered.


I have an important decision to make, and my therapy isn't finished. What should I do?
            It would be wise to try and hold off as long as possible, just in case your judgment has been flavored by the unfinished feelings you have uncovered.


Will my problem be gone completely?
            It depends on what you and your therapist agree to treat. Usually, those things are gone completely at the end of the third session. This does not mean that your other issues (for example, "I don't feel sick upset anymore with my spouse, but I still don't like my in-laws.") will have also gone. (There is an exception - we've seen this happen with the Inner Peace state, but not typically from healing a single issue.)


Will my problem come back?
            People are complex, and we recognize this. Hence, your therapist will usually schedule two follow-up appointments to make sure they've gotten all of your issue. Some problems simply don't need more than the session that healed it - your therapist will know if that is the case or not.


My problem has come back! What do I do?
            This sometimes happens because of trauma that simply wasn't activated during the previous sessions. Albeit rarely, your therapist will typically schedule two more sessions after your problem is gone spread out over a couple of weeks just to be sure they got it all. It is a bit like a doctor cleaning out a wound - sometimes the small infection in the corner under the skin is missed because of the relief of getting all the rest of the wound swabbed out.
            Unfortunately, not everyone can be helped, and we recognize this. Because your therapist has a
'charge for results' policy, you won't have to pay for the time you've spent with him if it wasn't successful in meeting your agreed-upon criteria.


What happens if I quit treatment before we heal my issue?
            Generally, treatment is so short that you and the therapist know if it is going to work by the second or third session. But if you leave for some reason after starting but not remaining a reasonable amount of time to finish, the therapist will charge you on an hourly rate for the time they have spent. Fortunately, this rarely is a problem.


I feel so much better I don't want to take those medicines anymore!
            Many prescription drugs have possible withdrawal problems if stopped too rapidly. See your physician if you wish to change your medications.




Other Questions

What will it cost?
            Each peak state therapist charges differently, although all only 'charge only for results'. Typically, your therapist will give you a fixed price for your issue at the start of therapy.
            Our
Institute clinic prices are almost always higher than what your certified therapist will charge.


Can I have more than one therapist?
            Of course! The whole point of seeing a peak states therapist is to get well. Generally, after you heal one issue, you can certainly see another therapist for the next issue, if you have one. We do want you to tell the new therapist what you did with the previous one, as this can really help speed up the work.


Can you treat any problem?
            No, unfortunately. Your therapist might direct you to another type of healer, such as a chiropractor or medical doctor. Or they might direct you to an Institute clinic.


Should I just go to an Institute clinic first?
            We don't recommend this, both because the clinics are usually more expensive, but because they focus on treatments that your certified therapist doesn't have access to. However, your certified therapist might either get a clinic's help to work on you, or send you to them directly once they've talked to you and realized your issue is only healed at a clinic. You can also look over some of the diseases and issues treated at the clinics by clicking here.


Can a peak state process be done in groups (to save money)?
            Because of the range of individual reactions to a process that involves accessing prenatal trauma, we generally find that group work is often less successful than individual work, and/or requires a personal therapy session after the group anyway. Your therapist may do group work on occasion, but it is not a common practice.


What if I have problems with my therapist?
            You should try and resolve any problems with your therapist first. If that doesn't work, you should contact us at the Institute for Peak States.We may be able to help your situation, or we may advise you to seek help from local authorities.

Return to Top




...or visit our Forum


Revision History
1.0, Sept 1, 2012: First draft of this webpage.