What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract.
What you imagine, you create. -Buddha
When someone is considering counseling, it is natural to have questions about the process, what to expect, and whether counseling might be helpful. We have gathered some of the questions we are most often asked and provided brief answers to help you learn more.
We are always happy to talk with you further about any of these questions or about your individual circumstances, whether by phone or in person. These questions and answers are intended as a starting point and are not meant to address every question or concern you may have.
Ultimately, counseling is a personal experience, and an individualized assessment and conversation with a clinician can help determine what type of support may be most appropriate for you.
When Should Someone Seek Counseling?
Every person is unique in how they experience and respond to challenges, changes, and transitions in life. There may be times throughout our lives—from childhood through adulthood and later life—when talking with a professional can provide support, perspective, and new ways of understanding or addressing what we are experiencing.
People seek counseling for many different reasons. You do not need to be experiencing a mental health diagnosis or be in crisis to benefit from counseling. Counseling may be helpful when you are experiencing emotional distress, facing a difficult transition, seeking greater self-understanding, or simply feeling that additional support could be helpful.
Professional clinicians can provide support with many situations and life circumstances, including, but not limited to:
-Anxiety, depression, and other emotional or mental health concerns
-Family and relationship issues
-Eating disorders and concerns related to food and body image
-Career changes and job-related stress
-Social and emotional challenges
-Adjusting to or recovering from divorce or separation
-Adapting to life transitions and changes
-Grief and the death of a loved one
-Questions about identity, purpose, meaning, and personal growth
-Exploring spiritual beliefs, values, and life experiences
-Feeling disconnected from yourself, others, or a sense of meaning and connection
-Stress and emotional concerns that may benefit from a mind-body approach
-Exploring energy psychology and complementary approaches to emotional healing
Counseling can incorporate a variety of approaches based on each person's individual needs, preferences, and comfort level. Along with traditional counseling, some individuals may find value in mindfulness, relaxation, energy psychology, and spiritual or mind-body practices. These approaches can offer additional ways to explore the connection between thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, relationships, and one's sense of meaning or inner well-being.
Our goal is to create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental relationship where each person is respected for who they are. Together, we can explore what is happening in your life, identify your strengths and resources, and consider approaches that feel appropriate and meaningful to you.
What Is Professional Counseling?
Professional counseling is a collaborative, supportive, and healing relationship between a trained clinician and a person seeking support. Throughout life, we all experience times of change, uncertainty, loss, stress, and emotional difficulty. At other times, we may simply feel called to better understand ourselves, deepen our relationships, reconnect with our sense of purpose, or create greater balance and well-being in our lives.
Counseling provides a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space to slow down, listen inwardly, and explore what may be happening emotionally, mentally, physically, relationally, and spiritually. Together, the client and clinician can explore concerns, identify strengths and inner resources, recognize patterns that may no longer be serving the individual, and discover new ways of responding to life's challenges.
We recognize that mind, body, emotions, relationships, and spirit are interconnected. What we experience emotionally can affect our bodies, energy, relationships, and overall sense of well-being. Likewise, physical sensations, stress responses, life experiences, and our connection—or disconnection—from meaning and purpose can influence our emotional lives.
Our counseling approach may incorporate traditional therapeutic methods along with mindfulness, relaxation, energy psychology, and other mind-body approaches, depending upon each person's needs, beliefs, and preferences. Energy psychology approaches may include gently bringing awareness to an emotional experience while using specific acupressure or tapping points on the body. These practices can provide another avenue for exploring emotional patterns, reducing stress, and supporting a greater sense of calm, awareness, and balance.
For those who are interested, spirituality may also be part of the counseling process. Spirituality can mean different things to different people. It may involve a connection to a higher power, nature, one's inner wisdom, a sense of purpose and meaning, or a deeper connection with oneself and others. We honor each person's individual beliefs and spiritual understanding and do not impose a particular religious or spiritual perspective.
We believe that healing is not simply about eliminating symptoms or changing what may feel difficult. It can also be about coming home to yourself, recognizing your inherent strengths and worth, reconnecting with your own inner resources, and creating greater alignment between your mind, body, emotions, relationships, and spirit.
At the heart of our work is the therapeutic relationship. Healing begins with trust. We strive to create a relationship in which you feel seen, heard, respected, and accepted for who you are. From this foundation of trust and connection, we can work together to explore what you are experiencing and discover pathways toward healing, growth, greater balance, and a deeper sense of well-being.
Do you work with individual adults? Yes. Although our practice is called Believing in Kids & Families, we work with people across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, and adults. We provide individual counseling for adults, as well as counseling for children and adolescents, couples, and families. We also offer group services when appropriate.
Our work with adults may address a variety of emotional, relational, life-transition, and personal-growth concerns. We take an individualized approach, drawing from traditional counseling as well as mindfulness, mind-body, energy psychology, and spiritual approaches when these are meaningful and appropriate for the individual.
Please see the Client Services Offered section for more information about the services and areas of support we provide.
What are your office hours?
Each clinician offers their own hours. In general, each clinician offers a variety of office hours, such as daytime and early evening appointments. Typically, appointments are available Monday through Thursday.
Is there a waiting list to receive counseling services? No. An appointment is typically available within two weeks from when you contact us for services.
How does someone start counseling services?
You can email Sue Coffey, LCSW at bikafcounseling@gmail.com. She will ask you a few questions and then identify which clinician will best suit you, your child's, you and your partner's, and/or your family's needs.
Do you accept insurance?
Insurance questions are typically discussed on an individual basis. We work with most insurance companies, however are not listed with all insurances. The best course of action is for you to first contact your insurance company to find out if Believing in Kids & Families is listed as a provider. If they say "yes", then find out if you need authorization before beginning counseling. If your insurance says "no" to Believing in Kids & Families being a listed provider, then find out if they will pay for an "out-of-network" provider as we often work in this capacity.
What does it mean to see a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or a Licensed Professional Counselor?
A licensed counselor can vary by state licensing boards. The State of Colorado licenses several professionals for mental health counseling. It is best to consult their web site, located at to learn more about the qualifications needed to become licensed in the State of Colorado.
How much does counseling cost?
Fees for services are discussed on an individual basis. Each clinician sets their own fee schedule, which is based on their education, experience and training. It is best to ask your counselor what fees she or he charges during your first contact with one another, so there will be no surprises for you and you can plan accordingly.
How long will counseling take?
There is a wide range of variables to take into consideration when discussing how long counseling will take. The severity of the problem that the person is seeking counseling for is one variable that impacts the length of counseling. How long the person has had the problem is another variable to take into consideration, as well as how motivated a person is to work on the problem. These are just some of the variables to take into consideration. Each person and their circumstances are unique and impact the length of treatment. Now, insurance companies may only authorize a certain number of sessions. It is a good idea to discuss the length of treatment with a counselor at the onset of counseling.
As with any treatment, there are benefits as well as risks. The benefits may include improved personal relationships, clearer personal goals and values, and you may find greater satisfaction in your life. On the other hand, as individuals progress through counseling they may discuss unpleasant memories or feelings. Most of these risks are expected and making important changes in your life may be challenging. A professional counselor or therapist can help you master the challenges you are facing.
