Frequently Asked Questions

My goal is for you to leave our initial session feeling heard and understood, and maybe some relief and hopefulness that things will improve. I start by gathering some history, listening to your goals and stories, start to explore your present moment experience, and then we collaborate to create a direction for our time together.

Mindfulness: I use mindfulness skills to help orient you to the present moment through reminders and by teaching body awareness.

Many of us have lost connection with our bodies and nervous system states, and are living in the realm of thoughts and unconscious reactions. We focus on listening and trusting the intelligence of your nervous system, and becoming more in tune and present with your whole self. Clients report that these skills lead to enhanced self-awareness, a greater ability to regulate emotions and memories, an overall better understanding of reactions and triggers, relief of chronic pain, anxiety and depression, and decreased stress and burnout.

Emotion focused: Feelings like anxiety, stress, sadness, or loneliness can be overwhelming or isolating. Many of us were taught or it was modeled to avoid these feelings, push them away, deny them, or we learn to numb them through all kinds of means. These strategies may not work or help, and the feelings often persist. While it can be uncomfortable to discover our blind spots/shadow/places where we want to grow, it can also be liberating. My style is rooted in the philosophy that there are no "good or bad emotions" and emotions have inherent wisdom. When we learn to let ourselves really be present with and listen to our feelings, the messages that they convene are often simple and clear. Once the message behind the feelings is clear, we can take action with clarity and intention. This practice of living in the moment and being curious about your inner experience, ways of relating to others, and limiting patterns can transform your life.

Somatic Based Trauma Processing and EMDR: At some point in our lives, most of us will experience a traumatic event, or something that feels overwhelming and too much to bear. These painful experiences can then get lodged in our brains and nervous systems and can affect the way we experience the world, the way we feel about ourselves, our behaviors, our relationships, our fears, our hopes. In order to survive, we develop adaptive strategies to get through the event. Therapy with me can help you to understand, appreciate, and honor these survival skills, and explore how they may be or may not be serving you any longer. Once you are awakened to why and what you have had to do to get through hardships, you can then open to transforming and claiming the life you want. Together, we can process the trauma so that you can feel less burdened from limiting beliefs or unpleasant emotions/sensations.

Social Justice/Intergenerational history: Each individual has their own unique and often changing social location-this is defined as a combination of factors including race, gender, age, social class, ability, sexual orientation, religion/spirituality, and geographic location. Our social location strongly impacts our identity, sense of self, and how we see and feel in the world. Healing and greater self-awareness come as we explore your social location- this brings more understanding around your beliefs, values, strengths, vulnerabilities, and traumas. Additionally, people of all races have cultural backgrounds and generational histories. Exploring how our generational histories literally live in our cells and genes can bring a newfound sense of compassion, understanding, and healing of what our bodies have absorbed. We can see how we have been shaped, take more responsibility of the patterns and messages we’ve internalized, and embody new practices that reflect who we want to be in the world.

I see myself as your partner and guide on this journey of self-discovery. My style involves gently probing you to feel and explore your emotions, go deeper with the experience, and come into the present moment as we are talking. I will make observations, suggestions, and give you feedback, but I won't tell you what to do. Often, clients find it helpful to create an intention for the week from the work we have done in our session. I respect and empower you to make your own choices and to give me feedback on how things are progressing. I view you as the one who decides what you want to share in sessions and what direction you want to go with the insights you gain.

I prefer to meet weekly or bi-weekly as we begin working together. This helps us to gain momentum, get comfortable with each other, and create goals. Many people reduce counseling once things feel better. Each person "does therapy" a little differently. Some people may come for 6 months to work on specific life stressors, while others like to maintain therapy for years as a practice of self-care, reflection, and transformation.

Please contact me for my current rate.

I want everyone to be able to experience the benefits of therapy. If my current rate does not fit your budget, I would be happy to support you with some referrals.

I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation for new clients to see if we are a good fit and to talk through logistics.

In an effort to address the systemic factors that contribute to mental health conditions, I reserve a small number of adjusted fee slots for clients with limited resources who identify as BIPOC.

I also donate a portion of my income to non-profit organizations supporting racial and climate justice, and violence protection in our communities.

I am an out-of network provider with most insurances. I am happy to provide you with a detailed superbill so that you can seek reimbursement. Many clients have out of network benefits and will receive a portion of counseling fees reimbursed to them from their insurance companies. If this the case, clients pay my full rate and then send the superbill to their insurance company to receive reimbursement directly from them.

Life happens, and everyone has to cancel and reschedule from time to time. I ask for as much advance notice as you can give.

No shows and cancellations less than 48 hours in advance will be charged full fee. Thank you for understanding that this is a necessary policy in order for me to successfully manage my practice.

I offer both. You are welcome to choose one style that you prefer, or do both.

My practice is holistic. In order to support your mental health and overall wellness, we will also explore the foundational pillars of health. These include but are not limited to:

1) Nutrition

There is a great deal of research demonstrating that a diet that is low processed and mainly whole foods decreases anxiety and the stress response, increases endorphins and vitality, and supports healthy brain functioning.

2) Movement

I encourage my clients to get movement every day, in ways that you ENJOY and which enhance your energy, joy, and life force.

3) Sleep

Research now shows that sleep is actually more important than nutrition or exercise in terms of brain functioning, focus, and processing memories/trauma.

4) Conscious breathing

Supports state shifts from anxiety to more calm/regulation, can be used to activate and bring more energy into a system that is shut down or depressed, relieves pain, and improves immunity

5) Time in the sun and with the earth

Vitamin D is directly linked to mood, and most Americans are deficient in it. We need at least 10 minutes a day outside with some sunlight.

6). Relationships

Dying patients interviewed about the most fulfilling/meaningful part of their lives (and sadly their biggest regrets) say that how they loved others, how they felt loved, and their connections with humans and animals were the most important elements of the life they lived. Relationships are everything.

7) Healing touch, bodywork, and acupuncture

Regulates our nervous system, builds body awareness, can support changing postural patterns that are linked to stuck emotions/beliefs, supports shifting from stress to calm.

I also encourage and support my clients to find the unique practices which bring them back into connection and regulation- these may include time in nature, meditation, walking, yoga, music, dance, art, gatherings with friends, running, cooking, reading, or play. Finding which ones are right for you is key.

Lastly, here are some books which I have found to support the work we will do in therapy: The Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary McBride; Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine; My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem; The Body is not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor; Good Morning I love You by Shauna Shapiro; When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron; Radical Compassion by Tara Brach; It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn; The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté; You Belong by Sebene Selassie; and/or The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk.

I answer all my phone calls and emails. You may reach my voicemail since I do not answer the phone when I am in session, in the evening, or on weekends. Since I cannot guarantee your privacy in email or text messages, please do not discuss confidential matters through those means of communication. Please call me if you need to talk- I happily make time to support you.

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

I offer consultation for therapists looking for support and to grow their skills in AEDP and somatic trauma therapy. Please contact me for more information. Rates for consultation match rates for individual therapy.