Before We Start

• Can you help me with my issue? I have had the fortunate experience to work with individuals, couples, and families from all different walks of life including age, race, gender, sexuality, religion, and economic means. I have come to see that no matter our position in life we share common joys, confusions, frustrations, and hurts. I have clinical experience working with a wide range of different concerns. That said, I am not an expert in everything. I want to make sure you get the best possible care. At times, it is prudent to refer client's out to make sure they are paired up with the best fit for their specific needs. Call today for a free phone consult and we can determine if I am the right fit for you. Whether I am or not, I would like to help you find the right therapist for you.

• What can I expect? You can expect a non-judgemental environment in which we will explore your struggles, what's working and what's not working, set goals, share insights, observations, information, and tools to help. As you begin to share your story you will talk about things that open up wounds, at times bringing about emotions we try hard to keep under wraps. This is normal. We will work together to give you tools to deal with those things. Then we will move together toward healing and peace. Click here to learn more about counseling.

• Online (video) counseling, really?! Yes! Online (video) counseling is becoming more prominent within the counseling profession. It may even be a fit for you. The best way to determine that is for us to talk so you can make an informed decision. We can even give it a test run to make sure you are completely comfortable with it. Feel free to contact me directly for a free consult.

• Do you take my insurance? We are not on any insurance panels. We do accept cash, check, all major credit cards, as well as Health Savings Account (HSA) cards. We are considered a “Out-of-Network” provider. For those clients who have insurance and would like to seek reimbursement, we can provide a “Superbill”, insurance receipt, for you to submit to your insurance company. Reimbursement is up to your specific insurance provider. We recommend contacting your carrier to confirm out-of-network benefits and find out more details. More information is also available here.

• How much is it? Please feel free to contact me directly for any specific questions regarding rates.

Let's Get To Work

• What if I don't feel the problem is me and my child/teen/spouse won't attend therapy? However frustrating it might be and not by lack of effort at times, reality is that we can not control others. While a parent can choose to mandate therapy for a child, doing that with a spouse is not necessarily the best course of action, nor your defiant teen. Resistance can often stem from a feeling of the reluctant party that they are being told, directly or indirectly, "You are the problem and need to be fixed". Given my experience, I have sat across from countless children and teens who didn't want to be there. That's were my focus starts with building a rapport and coming alongside you, and empowering you to bring about the change you desire. A great many children and teens have come around and gone on to have productive work in their own counseling. It is also important that you remember that just because your teen or significant other may decide not to seek counseling for themself, there is still benefit for you as a spouse or parent to attend and work on what is within your ability to bring about change within your family.

• How often and how long do I need to come? You get to decide and I will be there with you to talk through that as we move forward. Typically at the beginning of therapy it is helpful to meet more often to build a strong therapeutic connection and gain traction in addressing your concerns. Ultimately, I see myself as being here for however long I am needed to help you get to your desired state of life. I do not work as a counselor to make you dependent on me, that is both unethical and unhelpful. While in some situations ongoing therapy is prudent or necessary to managing pervasive mental illness or struggles, it is my goal to help you reach your goals and then move on.

Along The Way

• What if I am not quite ready to open up and share everything? The process of coming in and opening up to a complete stranger is no small feat. Thus my focus is to make you comfortable in order to set aside any shame or fears of judgement. Even just talking about and confronting the hesistation to opening up is creating movement. You control the pace at which we go. I am here for however long I am needed whether that be 1, 4, 10 sessions, or more.

• Isn't there a stigma associated with therapy/counseling? What does it say about me that I am coming in? For some people, yes, there is. Unfortunately there are still some people in the world who will judge. For others, they could care less. It is important to education yourself about the myths and facts related to counseling. There is a quote from Brene Brown, Ph.D. LMSW that I feel speaks to this, "Loving ourselves through the process of owning our own story is the bravest thing we'll ever do." The alternative to owning your story is to keep doing the same thing. Which sounds better to you?