FAQ

Individual sessions are 55 minutes.

The length of couples sessions is mutually agreed upon by the therapist and clients.

Family and group therapy sessions are 75 – 90 minutes long.

Please cancel 24 hours in advance to avoid being billed for the session.

If something unavoidable comes up and we reschedule within the same week, I will not bill you for the missed session.

You can call, text, or email me to cancel/reschedule your appointments.

I am in the process of becoming a Beacon (Medi-Cal) provider but do not take any other insurance. I am considered an out-of-network provider.

After our phone consultation and your initial appointment scheduling, you will receive an email requesting you to sign in on a confidential and HIPPA-compliant practice platform called Therapy Notes. Then, review and sign the consent, registration, and practice agreement forms. We will review these at our first in-person or telehealth session.

The first session is a time for you to share background information about yourself. We will also explore your goals and what you wish to accomplish in your therapy. If you’ve previously received therapy, I’ll ask you about your experience, including questions about what worked and what didn’t.

Most people new to therapy are understandably nervous at their first appointment. It feels strange at first talking about things that are so personal to you.

You’ll find it’s like having a conversation with a caring person who isn’t going to fix you, judge you, or tell you what you must do. This experience of feeling seen, heard, and not judged usually brings a lot of relief to clients.

Within the context of this safe, accepting environment, you are invited to show up in whatever way you want. There’s no “right” way of being in this space.

Your thoughts, feelings, reactions to what I say or do, or silence are all welcome. I will show up without judgment, not attached to any specific outcome for you. I listen with genuine interest as I get to know you and what is important to you.

Together, we’ll talk about what you want to gain from our work and what works best for you. We’ll often talk about whether you feel like you are getting what you most need right now.

I am most concerned with what is causing you distress and finding ways to alleviate unnecessary suffering. I will let you know how I believe I can best work with you. I will reflect, support, and sometimes gently challenge you during this process.

“One moment of unconditional positive regard can call into question
a lifetime of feelings of unworthiness.”

– Naomi Rachel Remen

My years of bodywork, somatic, and mindfulness practices inform my clinical work as a therapist.

I will remind you of your breath and that you have a body designed to support you through difficulties (even if it has been a source of pain or shame). I will offer suggestions on how to stay connected to it and information as to why that is helpful.

As an example, if you come to a new realization and make a statement, “I do know what I want,” I might invite you to sit more upright or stand up and repeat the statement. Having your posture match your thought or feeling state helps ground you in that experience even more.

I’ve been a teacher and group facilitator for years and understand the importance of establishing a safe environment for learning to occur.

The therapy space is a learning environment, so creating a safe space is essential. I will be curious about you as I accompany you on your healing journey, encouraging you to develop a similar spirit of curiosity toward yourself.

I work collaboratively with my supervisor and other colleagues and continue to take classes and training to provide the best service possible to my clients. I have my therapist to support me and address my fears and obstacles to healing and growth.

I’ll leave my ego at the door. If I am not the right therapist for you, I will let you know that you likely need something that I don’t offer. I’ll help you find the right fit because I want you to make the changes you want to make.

You will often have “a-ha” moments in a session, and you will naturally focus on this increased awareness and a new way of being. Journaling and other creative expressions, meditation, and contemplation, exercising, making your newly discovered declarations when out in nature are ways to help integrate these experiences into your life.

A more specific assignment might be helpful, such as writing a letter, making a call, or sitting quietly. Sometimes, doing something special for yourself or engaging in a self-care activity is a great idea.

I love to learn and often come across podcasts, books, blog posts, movies, or shows that address issues that many of my clients face. If you’re open, I may suggest those to you.

I will take notes during the first session or two as I gather information about you. This information includes names of important people in your life, family history, and any important medical information.

Sometimes, I’ll write down something you’ve said so that I can “echo” it back to you. And I make notes immediately after each session.

I’m listening very carefully and taking notes that help me remember what’s essential for you, help us pick up where we left off from our last session, and notice and communicate to you the arc of your progress over time.

Having been through the heartbreak, grief, and loss of two divorces, I can relate. I have been the one left and the one leaving, so I know both sides of that struggle.

And I’ve spent many hours in therapy with intimate partners learning how to navigate our challenges and changes, as well as grow from them.

Also, I have facilitated communication between others in different settings, which draws on the same skills and tools needed to be an effective couples therapist.

It is essential to know that addressing fears and challenges, and healing wounds that have been there for a long time takes time. This process is especially painful and difficult at first.

I will offer tools and strategies for how to work with these in session. Many people find they’re automatically applying them outside of therapy, too. Therapy is a process that is different for everyone. I understand that progress sometimes seems too slow.

When I felt discouraged, my first therapist reminded me that growth is like an upward spiral, not a straight line. There are dips, yet you will still be further along than where you were when you started.

That’s a great question and difficult to answer. You and your healing journey are unique to you. How long the process takes depends on what you’re dealing with and want to change; how much outside emotional support you have from friends and family; and how much time, energy, and money you have to devote to your healing at this time.

Sometimes with a clear focus and specific goals, it could be brief – under 10 sessions. Healing from trauma, addressing relationship or family issues, and coping with ongoing challenges like anxiety or depression can take longer.

Initially, I became a therapist to help myself. I had benefited from individual and group therapy so much when my marriage ended at the age of 29.

Going to graduate school allowed me to continue to study things in which I was interested and benefited me. I wasn’t sure where this new path would take, but I enjoyed the process immensely.

Because I was a teacher in the public schools, I got licensed to offer clinical and school counseling. I love connecting with kids and young people. Because I didn’t have an easy time in elementary school, I want all kids to feel seen and valued “just because.”

I connect well with people who know they need help, recognize that what they have been doing isn’t working, or want to understand better what is getting in the way of them receiving the support they need to feel better and enjoy a full, rich life.

I want clients who are willing to be uncomfortable in a different way (because you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t uncomfortable already, right?) and allow me to guide them to lean into their fear, anxiety, or sadness.

Being open to uncomfortable situations helps clients learn from them, transform them, and make lasting changes. I will be honest and genuine – and want you to be the same.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, having received my Master of Social Work Degree from California State University, Monterey Bay. 

Previously I received Master of Education in Clinical & School Counseling and was a Licensed Professional Counselor in North Dakota in the 1990s. I worked in a mental health agency, elementary schools, and a Catholic High School before moving to California in 1996.

I had the good fortune to learn from and train with some remarkable teachers. I received some of that instruction while living and working at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. While at the Esalen Institute, I had an immersion in Gestalt Therapy and received an introduction to Cortical Field Reeducation®.

CFR was my first experience of truly understanding what was meant by the mind/body/emotion connection. I am also certified in the Hakomi Method and a Certified Massage Therapist. More good fortune – I studied Esalen Massage in Bali and traveled to Thailand to learn Thai Massage.

While the session’s focus remains on you, you will experience me as interested and responsive, not a blank-faced robot.

I am a human being who likes to engage with my clients, so I will occasionally share something personal if it feels relevant to the therapy.

Also, I try not to take myself too seriously and think humor can be very healing. I do often laugh with my clients.