At River’s Bend, we provide therapeutic approaches and develop therapeutic relationships for people and families to feel and live change. We use innovative and evidenced-based outpatient behavioral health techniques to provide professional, comprehensive treatment in a respectful and dignified manner that helps clients to maximize overall well-being.
We have established a therapeutic and medical staff with experience and training in a variety of areas that include Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Substance Abuse, Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. In addition to their education and licensing, we have therapists with specialty training in trauma, EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy, Art therapy, Marital and Relationship therapy, Co-Dependence and Family Structures.
We are conveniently located in Troy and West Bloomfield, close to major highways and cities, making in-person sessions easy to access. We have clients in the virtual format from around the entire state of Michigan and utilize state of the art equipment to make sessions comfortable for clients and families. Both in-person and virtual sessions are available for all clients.
How do I get started?
All therapy at our clinic starts with a phone call answered by our informative and friendly support staff to pair you with the appropriate therapist for an intake appointment.
The support staff will start by gathering your demographic information and will then send you paperwork and a portal to be set up for your use later in the process.
Once paperwork is completed, our scheduler will reach out to you to schedule your very first appointment, or sometimes called an “intake”.
During your intake session with your therapist, you will have an opportunity to provide important information about your life and current situation, along with their initial goals. Together, the client and therapist develop a plan for therapy and begin to set goals.
What can I expect from therapy?
Talking to your therapist helps facilitate the release of emotions. A problem shared is a problem halved.
You do not have to deal with your problems alone. Therapists offer a safety net- a place to go when everything feels overwhelming.
The therapeutic process should help you dissect life problems and find ways to either solve or accept them.
You can speak openly in ways that are not possible within other settings because therapists are lawfully obligated to respect your privacy.
You set the goals. Therapy is a collaboration between the therapist and client. However, you are the one deciding what you are unsatisfied with in your life. You will set goals to improve your life in multiple areas, including relationships, communication skills, coping skills, boundary setting, confidence, trauma, grief or decreasing levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The ball is in your court!
Having an empathetic, non-judgmental listener fighting in your court is a huge self-confidence boost!
What are some risks that go along with therapy?
You are going to be uncomfortable. Therapists are trained to guide you through difficult feelings within a “therapeutic window”. Meaning we will not push you past the point where you are left feeling significantly worse. However, you will be accessing uncomfortable and painful feelings – such as sadness, guilt, anxiety, grief, anger, or frustration – throughout our discussions. These feelings will be uncomfortable.
Trauma therapy will bring up painful memories. Furthermore, it is normal for those memories to carry with you – even after leaving the therapy office. The therapist will help you identify ways of dealing with these memories as they occur, but there is no way to stop it from happening.
Change comes with growing pains. You will learn skills in the therapy office that will require practice to master. Feeling uncertain and maybe even a little awkward is normal as you put new skills into practice. It is unreasonable to expect that you will get it right the first time. Remember, progress is the goal – not perfection.
Not every therapist is going to be a good fit. Trust your instincts! If you do not like working with a therapist, you probably are not a good match. You may have to try out different therapists to find the best fit. We have increased our staff and have different approaches and personalities available for clients.
You might hear things you do not want to hear. Confrontation is a technique that therapists use in moderation. However, sometimes you need to hear challenging truths in order to grow.
As you grow, others in your life may not come along for the ride. The family and friends who support you are not necessarily doing their own self-work and as a result, sometimes conflicts emerge. You will have to make decisions about those relationships and what is healthiest for you as you work with your therapist.
