Frequently Asked Questions

Are you currently accepting new clients?

Yes. I am currently accepting new clients for virtual therapy throughout California.

I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation so we can talk briefly about what brings you to therapy, what you're looking for, and whether working together seems like a good fit.

Do you take insurance?

I am an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly.

If your plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, I can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Coverage varies by plan, so I recommend checking directly with your insurer to understand your benefits.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

I have a limited number of sliding-scale spaces available for established weekly clients.

Because those spaces are limited, I can't guarantee that a reduced-fee opening will be available.

How do I know if therapy might be helpful?

People come to therapy for many different reasons. You don't need to be in crisis or have a diagnosis to benefit from it.

You may be dealing with anxiety, grief, trauma, a difficult relationship or transition, or patterns that you understand but haven't been able to change. You might function very well in much of your life while recognizing that certain experiences continue to affect how you feel about yourself, your relationships, or your place in the world.

Therapy gives us a place to understand what is happening, identify what may be keeping it in place, and work toward meaningful change.

What is therapy with you like?

Therapy with me is collaborative, engaged, and individualized. We'll begin by understanding what brings you in, what you would like to be different, and what has or hasn't been useful in the past.

I don't use the same approach with everyone. Depending on what you need, our work may include conversation as well as EMDR, Havening Techniques®, Hakomi, or other trauma-focused approaches.

Some sessions may involve processing something from the past; others may focus more on what's happening in your life now. I'll offer observations and feedback, and we'll pay attention together to what is actually helping.

How long will I be in therapy?

There isn't one answer that applies to everyone.

A specific, relatively contained concern may respond to shorter-term work. For example, EMDR for a single traumatic experience or a specific phobia can sometimes be more focused.

Developmental trauma, longstanding relationship patterns, chronic anxiety, grief, or beliefs about yourself that developed over many years usually call for a different kind of work and may take longer.

We'll talk about your goals and progress as we go rather than assuming at the beginning that therapy needs to last a particular amount of time.

How often will we meet?

I generally recommend weekly sessions, particularly when we begin working together.

Weekly therapy gives us enough continuity to build a strong therapeutic relationship, understand what is happening, and maintain momentum between sessions. In my experience, beginning every other week can make it harder for the work to develop the same depth and continuity.

Once we've established a strong foundation and you're doing well, we can discuss whether meeting less frequently makes sense.

What if weekly therapy isn't financially sustainable for me?

Consistency matters, and I would rather someone find therapy they can participate in regularly than stretch themselves financially to work with a particular therapist.

If my fee makes weekly therapy unsustainable, a lower-fee therapist, community clinic, training clinic, or insurance-based provider may be a better option. Finding someone you trust and can work with consistently is more important than choosing a particular technique or therapist.

There are exceptions. If you're seeking help with a specific, relatively contained issue—such as a single-incident trauma or particular phobia—a shorter course of EMDR may sometimes be appropriate.

We can discuss that during a complimentary consultation. I can't predict in advance exactly how many sessions something will take, but I can give you my clinical impression of whether your goals seem suited to relatively focused work.

Do I have to talk about everything that happened to me?

No.

You are always in control of what you disclose. We need enough information to understand what we're working with, but trauma therapy does not require you to recount every detail of an experience.

This is particularly true with approaches such as EMDR and Havening, where we can often work with the emotional impact of an experience without an extensive verbal retelling.

Do you only work with trauma?

No. Trauma is a significant part of my practice and informs how I understand many of the difficulties people bring to therapy, but it isn't the only reason people work with me.

I also work with anxiety, grief, relationship difficulties, life transitions, longstanding patterns, and people who want to understand themselves more deeply or change something in their lives that no longer feels workable.

Where do sessions take place?

My practice is virtual. I provide psychotherapy by secure video to clients throughout California.

How do I get started?

The first step is a complimentary 30-minute consultation. We'll talk about what brings you to therapy, what you're looking for, and any questions you have about working with me.