FAQ

I accept various insurances for individual therapy. I can confirm if your insurance covers your therapy during the free consultation. I do not, however, accept insurance for couples therapy. Unfortunately, insurance companies do not understand the complexities of couples therapy, and their compensation for therapists does not reflect all of the work that goes into providing quality care for couples. It is for this reason that I offer couples therapy at a private-pay rate only.

Even if I am not paneled with your insurance company, you can access superbills from your client portal for every session we complete which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement of your out-of-pocket costs. You can do this for individual and couples therapy to ease the impact of paying out of pocket.

I require a 48-hour notice to cancel an appointment without penalty. I will make exceptions to this policy if there is an unforeseen circumstance, such as a medical or family emergency, weather issues, Internet issues, or if we can reschedule the appointment within the same calendar week.

If you fail to provide a 48-hour notice or we cannot reschedule the appointment, I will charge the credit card on file full session fee. If you do not arrive at the appointed time within 15 minutes of the session starting without giving notice, I will assess a no-show fee for the entire session fee.

Yes and no. I am a trauma specialist, so those with a history of trauma are usually a good fit to work with me. But I don’t have specialized knowledge of every experience or condition, and sometimes I do not feel I am the right fit. If that is the case, we will talk about it, and I will help refer you to a therapist who can meet your needs better.

Suppose you cross boundaries, have an attendance issue, issues with prompt payment, or a conflict of interest. In that case, I reserve the right to terminate the therapy relationship, but under most circumstances, I will help you find a new provider better suited to your needs.

The EMDR Institute of America describes EMDR as “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.” https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/

The Internal Family Systems Institute describes IFS as “a transformative tool that conceives every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts lead by a core Self. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable states into extreme roles within us. Self is in everyone. It can’t be damaged. It knows how to heal. IFS is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.” https://ifs-institute.com/

For individuals, yes, our work is 100% confidential unless you are a danger to yourself or others. I will work with you to improve your ability to maintain safety when safety is a concern. I will assist you with finding higher levels of care if necessary.

I am a mandated reporter, so if I have sufficient evidence to warrant a report out of concern for the safety of a minor, elderly, or disabled adult, the law requires me to make a report. If I have a concern and evidence that another person is in imminent danger, I must, by law, warn the person at risk of harm for their protection.

For couples, the answer to this question is a little complicated. For all the same reasons listed for individuals, yes, the sessions are confidential within the confines of mandated reporter laws; HOWEVER, I am not a secret keeper. If you disclose something in the session that I think would benefit your partner, I will encourage you to share this in couples therapy with your partner. If there are ever issues of triangulation or boundary crossing, we will discuss this in therapy. I reserve the right to terminate the therapy relationship if needed.

In short, I do not take sides in couples therapy. I facilitate conversation, perspective-taking, healthy dialog, intimacy, healing, and goal attainment. I will, however, point out when a behavior, statement, or belief is unsafe, unkind, unfair, abusive, or the result of a protective or wounded part reacting in a way that is causing difficulties.

I work with the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy and IFS for Couples, so I come from a trauma and holistic healing perspective with positive and effective tools to promote healthy and functional relationships.

I get to meet people from all walks of life and can help people heal from their past trauma and create the ability to thrive. I get to walk alongside people on their darkest days and help them see hope.

I love witnessing when my client sees a new way forward, can let go of something holding them back, and considers the strength within themselves as fundamental for the first time. It is moments like these that keep me coming back every day! Seeing clients gain insight into their lives is my passion, and I look forward to every day I get to continue doing this work.

I take notes to annotate and assess your progress through therapy and save those notes in your client record. Keeping these notes is something required by insurance companies and represents the best practice according to ethical standards. You have the right to access your client record at any time.

I also periodically take psychotherapy notes to remind myself what we have worked on and where we should go throughout treatment. These notes are for me only so that I can keep everything straight and make sure we are addressing everything necessary that arises in session as we go.

I am a fan of anything that helps you focus on your thoughts, body, breathing, emotions, and reactions to stress. These strategies can include yoga, exercise, meditation, prayer, martial arts, theater, walking, grounding exercises, deep breathing, journaling, reading therapeutic self-help books and workbooks, listening to podcasts, socializing with supportive people, getting out in nature, listening to music, enjoyable activities, etc. The sky is the limit! For couples, anything that facilitates healthy physical and emotional intimacy is excellent to pursue while in couples therapy.