FAQ

I am not an in-network for any providers.

If you have an out-of-network benefit, I am happy to provide you with a “superbill” so that you can file for reimbursement.

Sessions are 50 minutes in length.

That gives me time after each session to do my notes and to get ready for the next session.

I also offer 80-minute sessions.

I prefer to see couples in 80-minute sessions because in couples work, the couple takes time to get ready to experience meat of the issue 30 to 45 minutes into the session, and 50 minutes doesn’t allow for the time required to fully explore and experience what is needed.

I require 48-hours’ notice if you need to cancel.

I’m also a reasonable human being and I understand that emergencies come up.

The bottom line is: If you aren’t going to make your session, let me know. I care about my clients and what is going on in their lives, so talk to me if you can’t make your session.

Non-emergency cancellations are charged the full fee of the session.

Most of my clients who are new to therapy are understandably nervous at their first appointment. There is something about the word ‘therapy’ that says: “This is going to get really personal, really fast.”

My clients find a safe, comfortable place to talk to a warm, open person (me).

I am most concerned with what is causing you distress and finding ways we can alleviate unnecessary suffering.

Therapy with me feels very conversational and inviting.

Healing happens best when the process is collaborative and trusting. I see you as the expert in your own life, even if you have some blind spots (we all do).

We’ll work together to find what will work best for you because we will talk often about whether or not you feel like what you are getting is what you need the most right now.

The first thing you will notice is that I wear colorful shoes. Some say I might have a shoe problem, but I consider it more of a hobby. You can even request a color of shoe for me to wear on the day of our appointment and, if I have it, I will try to accommodate.

The second thing you will notice is that my practice is not informed by traditional wisdom but, instead, deeply rooted in what actually works—even if it seems counter-intuitive.

I am part of close therapeutic communities with experts from around the country in addiction, betrayal trauma, and relationships. I talk to them often about my work because I want to make sure I am giving my clients the best service possible. When you work with me, you benefit from the supportive communities of which I’m a part.

I also don’t bring my ego to work. If I am not the right therapist for you, I will let you know that you likely need something that I don’t offer. I’ll help you find the right fit because I want you to make the changes you want to make.

Often, my clients’ loved ones are worried about them even sooner than they are worried about themselves.

I know how painful it is to watch someone you love continue to suffer and self-destruct.

I want to assist in your getting your loved one the help he or she needs, but no one has ever felt safe and open to change when they are forced into therapy.

If you are unsure how to approach your loved one, contact me. Let’s talk about how you can invite them. If your loved one wants help but they are feeling scared to reach out, I’ll talk to them on the phone. I’m happy to give people a chance to get a taste of what they might get by working with me.

Religious beliefs and faith practice are central to many of my clients’ lives. I have found that when clients ask me this question, they aren’t always asking if or where I go to church, they are asking, “Will you understand me?”

I don’t share with my clients my personal faith, not because I am not willing to, but because I think trust and feeling understood can be determined by one factor:

Trust and understanding come from feeling together in the same space at the same time.

I work to understand my clients in all aspects of their lives. If there is something about you that I don’t understand, I will ask about it.

Many clients who are people of faith worry, and rightly so, that therapists who work with sexual issues and marriage issues will make recommendations from a “secular” perspective that will be at odds with their deeply held values and beliefs.

I won’t make any recommendations without first understanding you and what you need.

For many people, spirituality and religion are not just deeply held beliefs, but extremely meaningful parts of their lives and selves. While my approach is clinical, there is a lot of room for what matters to you and I seek to help my clients more fully access their values and the strengths that come from them, regardless of whether I share those values.

White pines (or limber pines) grow in high mountain elevations, like the camp where I worked four summers of my youth). They are known for their light, smooth bark, and long branches.

In the winter months, they can survive heavy snow because their branches are flexible. When the snow becomes too heavy, they just bend—dropping the load and eventually springing back to their original position.

I believe that flexible strength is the key to solid recovery from addiction, long-lasting healing from trauma, and a key tenant of happy, connected relationships.

I love the imagery of a strong solid tree, deeply rooted in nourishing soil that can get very flexible when it needs to. Those are the qualities I work with my clients to develop in order to meet their challenges.

I’m happy to answer them. Contact me through the contact form below.