How we work and what you can expect from your therapy process

Starting therapy is a decision many people put off for months, sometimes years. If you've made it this far, we want to tell you directly how we work and what you'll find if you decide to begin your process with us. The practice was founded by Junisse Montaño, a clinical psychologist in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (membership No. JMP-1004-25 of the Colegio de Psicólogos de Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz College of Psychologists), and our work is to help you understand what's happening to you and to build concrete tools to manage it.

Our approach: science and a human touch

We work mainly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), one of the approaches with the strongest scientific support for difficulties such as anxiety, depression and stress. In practice, this means we don't stop at describing what you feel: together we identify the thoughts, emotions and behaviors that are keeping the distress going, and we work with strategies you can apply in your day-to-day life.

An example: if anxiety leads you to always expect the worst, the goal isn't to force yourself to "think positive," but to learn to look at those thoughts from a distance, put them to the test and respond differently. It's active work, and that's why we often keep making progress between sessions too, with small exercises you take into your real life.

That said, technique never comes before the person. Our priority is for you to feel you're in a safe, judgment-free space where you can talk freely and at your own pace. No tool works unless there's trust first.

Who we support

With adults, we mostly work with:

• Anxiety, panic attacks and worry that won't let up.
• Depression, persistent sadness and a loss of motivation or meaning.
• Work, academic or family stress that is starting to take its toll.
• Difficulties in their relationship: communication, recurring conflict, jealousy, crises.
• Grief and losses that are hard to get through.
• Work on self-esteem and the way you relate to others.

The team also offers therapy for children and teenagers and therapy in English, so that every person, and every family, can find the support they need.

What a session is like (and your first meeting)

One of the most common questions before starting is "so what exactly happens in a session?" Here it is, no mystery:

• Each session lasts 60 minutes and is a space just for you.
• At your first meeting there are no rushed diagnoses or quick fixes. We use that time to get to know each other: you tell us what brings you in, since when, and how it has been affecting your daily life (your sleep, work, studies, relationships). With that, we start putting the picture in order together and, before we finish, we define where we're headed and how often we'll meet.
• At the start, meeting weekly is usual, because it helps build momentum; later on we adjust it according to how your process is going.

And there's something we want to make clear: everything we talk about stays in that space. Confidentiality isn't a detail; it's the foundation of everything we do.

What therapy is not

Sometimes it also helps to say what you won't find. Therapy isn't someone telling you you're right or telling you what to do with your life. It isn't just "venting" either (that brings relief for a while, but it doesn't change the pattern). And it isn't forever: our goal isn't for you to depend on therapy, but for you to leave it with your own tools to sustain your well-being when we're no longer on the other side.

In person or online: you choose

You can choose the format that best fits where you are in life and your routine:

• In person, at the practice in downtown Santa Cruz (Calle Pari, Edificio Don Alcides, two blocks from Plaza 24 de Septiembre), a quiet, easy-to-reach space.
• Online, by video call, with the same effectiveness and closeness, for all of Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre, Tarija) and for Bolivians living abroad. All you need is a stable connection and a private place.

Both formats have the same length and the same fees: 190 Bs for an individual session and 300 Bs for a couples session. We always see people by appointment, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

When is it a good time to reach out?

You don't have to be "really bad" to start therapy. It's a good time to reach out if you notice that:

• A difficult feeling (sadness, anxiety, irritability) lasts for weeks and doesn't ease on its own.
• You're having trouble sleeping, concentrating or enjoying things that used to feel good.
• You feel your problems are overwhelming you and you don't know where to start.
• Your relationships, your work or your studies are being affected.

Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness: it's a way of taking care of yourself, just as you go to the doctor when something in your body isn't right. And if at any point you feel you're at risk, call 168 right away (Santa Cruz medical emergencies) or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. If what you need is to talk to someone, Familia Segura will listen at 800 11 3040, free and confidential, every day from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.

Questions people often ask us before starting

How many sessions will I need? There's no fixed number, and we're wary of anyone who promises you one. It depends on what you bring, your goals and how the process moves forward. What we can assure you is that we review together how things are going: the idea is for you to feel concrete progress, not to stay in therapy indefinitely.

Will you put me on medication? No. We're psychologists, not psychiatrists, so we don't prescribe medication: our work is psychotherapy. If at some point we assess that medication could help you, we'll tell you clearly and coordinate with a psychiatrist we trust. Often therapy alone is enough; other times, the best path is to combine both.

Does online therapy work as well as in-person therapy? Yes. The evidence shows that therapy by video call is as effective as in-person therapy for most of the reasons people seek help. What matters is that you choose the format in which you feel most comfortable talking calmly; you can even combine them depending on how your week looks.

What if I don't know where to start, or I feel a bit embarrassed? That's completely normal, and you don't need to prepare anything. The first meeting is exactly for that: to start putting into words what's happening to you, without rushing and without judgment. Many people arrive without quite knowing how to explain it, and that's perfectly fine: we sort it out together.

Let's take the first step

Junisse, the practice's founder, is a clinical psychologist with an undergraduate degree from Bolivia and a Master's degree in Clinical and Health Psychology from Spain, and at the practice we approach every session with the same ethical and professional commitment. If you feel it's your time, you can book your first session on WhatsApp or through the booking page. Whether you choose in-person therapy in Santa Cruz or online, the first step is usually the hardest, and that's exactly why we're here: to support you from there.

Sessions are held in Spanish. Therapy in English is available with psychologist Jazmín Villazón.