Frequently Asked Questions
About my practice
Who do you see?
I see mostly adults of various ages on an individual basis. I specialize in a wide range of areas, including anxiety, stress, depression, trauma recovery, and phase-of-life transitions. Â
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In my career, I’ve worked with people of all backgrounds and I am very familiar with a wide range of mental health disorders. Â
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If there is an area that I think you would be better served by another therapist, we’ll talk about that and find you the best person for you. Areas that I do not focus on (and that other therapists might be a better match) include couples therapy, child therapy and forensic/ legal diagnostic work.Â
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I work with a broad spectrum of people across QT-BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identities. However, if you feel you want to talk with someone who shares that identity then another therapist would likely benefit you more.
What modalities do you use?
See this page for a specific answer to this question. If you know of a modality that you don’t see, feel free to ask. Â
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People have also asked about trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed care is not a specific therapy. Instead, it is a way of delivering therapy based on certain principles. The framework most commonly cited in the U.S. comes from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). I adhere to their six principles (although peer support – valuing the healing role of relationships with others who have similar experiences - is difficult to do in our therapy I encourage this outside of therapy). Â
about sessions
How long are sessions?
Typically fifty-five minutes.
Why do your sessions sometimes begin at 15 minutes after the hour or at 45 minutes after the hour?
I try to arrange my sessions so that I have a 15 minute break between sessions. That allows me to be more present for you. It also allows us to occasionally go over time and not interfere with the next person’s time.
How do you handle cancellations?
I work with different platforms that each have their own cancellation policy. I also have my own things I ask:
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If you need to cancel, please message me and let me know you are alright. Some people I worry about more and some not as much but it’s helpful for everyone. Â
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Let me know as far in advance as you can. I understand life happens but when you work as I do an open appointment slot costs money. The more in advance you let me know, the more someone else might be able to use it.Â
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If it appears that people are cavalier with my time I may restrict them to certain dates and times or I may not be able to see them altogether.
Can I go every other week?
It’s possible, but it’s best at first to meet on a regular basis (once a week is standard). If you want to start going semi-regularly, that’s possible. For logistical purposes I try to limit that to certain time slots. Â
About my psychotherapy
What happens in the first session?
The first thing we do is find out about you. We’ll take a broad, open-minded view of your unique experiences and the issues that brought you in. Along the way, you get a sense of what I’m like and I can answer any questions you have. Think of this time as a consultation. When we’re done with this phase, we’ll discuss possible next steps together. Â
What do I need to do to prepare?
You’d need time set aside, a private space, and a reliable computer or phone set up (preferably both, if you can). Â
What if I don't know what to talk about?
There are ways to address this. I will send you a link after our first session.
Is psychotherapy effective?
It really depends on details like ‘What type of therapy?’, ‘For what problem?’ and ‘For whom’. This page has links showing the effectiveness of the types of therapy I provide applied to the most common mental health problems. Â