What is therapy?

Therapy—also called counseling or mental health counseling—can encompass many things. In its most basic terms, therapy is a service provided by a therapist for people seeking support for relationship difficulties, healing from traumatic experiences, treatment for mental disorders, or help navigating decisions. Some people come to therapy when nothing else is working and they simply need relief from acute suffering. Others find a therapist when they are hoping to learn more about themselves and perhaps enter a new phase of life. Regardless of your reasons for reaching out, my goal is to provide the best care I can in the ways that work best for you. These are three main tenets of my practice: Revive, Repair, and Renew.

Revive.

Sometimes things that appear dormant from the outside are just waiting for the right conditions in order to revive themselves. Therapy is a space for you to get what you need to feel safe, supported, and resourced. My job is to help create the conditions in which your inner strengths can bloom into the life you dream of.

This includes providing a quiet, comfortable office or virtual space, actively supporting your existing strengths, and offering information & tools that support healthy brains.

Repair.

Life can be painful—marred by trauma, loss, and heartbreak. Fortunately, humans are inherently resilient. Given supportive care, we can repair the hurts inside us. Therapy can become a corrective experience, reminding you that you were designed to survive and that you are worthy of healing.

If you’re looking to heal some hurts, we can create a plan on how to do that safely together. Some discomfort is inevitable, but I want to minimize distress as much as possible!

Renew.

Once you’ve come out on the other side of adversity, you may still have things to explore. Goals, dreams, and values may shift over time. Therapy can help you navigate renewal. This process continues throughout our lives and doesn’t stop when therapy does.

You will become new many times throughout life. I am honored to be one part of that process for my clients.

FAQs

My sessions last 50 minutes. Intake (or first sessions) are the same length. I do my best to start and end on time. I won’t be upset if you’re a few minutes late; just know that I won’t be able to extend the session past the scheduled time.
I see most clients once per week. We can discuss your particular needs during our initial phone call if you feel a different frequency is needed.
I work with clients on a variety of concerns. Some of these include life transitions, identity and self-worth, shame, trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, ADHD, relationships, & communication. I especially enjoy working with members of the LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent communities.
I am an out-of-network provider, so I do not bill directly through insurance. However, I can provide you with a bill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement if your plan covers it.
The cost of therapy is certainly an investment. Your session fee pays for a lot, though: the time to be heard & supported, office space or virtual platform software costs, my education and experience, ongoing trainings and supervision, state required professional registration fees, administrative time for scheduling and documentation, time researching resources and the latest psychological science, consultations with your doctor or psychiatrist, phone check-ins and follow-ups as needed, and more. Paying your therapist well means that they can afford to take care of all these costs and also the costs of self-care. A therapist who takes care of their own self is more able to be present with your self.
Yes! Especially now, meeting for therapy online can be a safe and effective alternative to in-person sessions. I use a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform for virtual sessions.
Fully licensed therapists have completed 3,000 hours of experience under supervision before passing their licensing exam. I passed my MFT licensing exam in December of 2023 and my PCC licensing exam in July 2024.
Yep. I don’t mind if you do or if you don’t! I want to make therapy as comfortable for you as possible, so you don’t need to censor anything if you don’t want to.
Once we’re settled into the room or virtual session, I will start by reviewing some highlights from the informed consent documents you signed beforehand. I can also answer whatever questions you might have about the paperwork, logistics, etc. Then I open the floor to you to discuss the reason you are coming to therapy, what goals you might have, and how we might approach this work together. I always invite people to share as much or as little as they like, especially during the first session. Some people share a lot of details right away, while others hold back a bit until we’ve built some trust and rapport. Go at your own pace.
Therapy can be uncomfortable because it brings up difficult feelings and thoughts. While I do my best to minimize your discomfort, some is necessary and expected. If, however, you decide this is not the right time or method for you to get support, you can discontinue therapy at any time! There is no commitment. And if you just don’t like me, that’s fine too! A good personality/style match is crucial to most successful therapy. If we’re not a match, I will do what I can to make referrals to other therapists who might be better for you.
I get that! Therapy is a big step for a lot of people, and it’s not one to be taken lightly. Even if you’re still unsure, you can schedule a phone consultation to find out more. After 15 minutes on the phone, your gut might have a clearer answer. Click here to request a free consultation.