Questions on semi-stick

Ok, on my mom's 2001 Sebring LXi, it has a semi-stick (it can both be automatic and manual, cept you shift to the side) and I was wondering...do you have to let off the gas and press in the button on the bottom side of the handle to shift?

you do not have to do anything. just press over in the correct direction on the stick. Because you actually have an automatic, it is just like you are power shifting in a sort.

The correct term for this is AutoStick, unless they changed it on the newer models.