FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are you in person or online?
Currently I am offering online services for anyone in California or Oregon.
Why should I try therapy?
Why shouldn’t you?! Therapy is a tool to help you as your own unique person! You can dig into the past if you want, or explore what it would take to have a happier future. If you are in a place where you’re ready to be heard and understood, but also need to challenge patterns in your life and beliefs about yourself/others, therapy is a safe space to explore. You are the expert on your life, but you don’t have to do this alone. We will work together toward your personal growth. I’m here to help you build goals, come up with a plan to get there, and guide you along the way. If you’re nervous about taking the step, give me a call and see if you feel like I’m someone you can talk to.
If you’re toying with the idea of starting therapy, I usually say - go for it! It can be hard to get the motivation to make a change. Build on that motivation while you have it!
What type of therapy do you do?
I use a few styles in order to blend long-term healing work (such as changing deep beliefs about yourself/the world that have been there for years) and skills-based work to help in the moment (such as “how can I decrease feelings of anxiety right now?” or “what can I do instead of using my eating disorder?”).
I start with building a toolbox of what to do in rough moments, where I like to use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). Both of these approaches come with skills for interpersonal communication, emotion regulation, identifying values, and managing distress. For long-term healing of old wounds and trauma, I use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems work, and Attachment/Relationship-based therapy to focus on old wounds and rewiring old patterns of thinking. I like to blend these techniques together to find what works for you.
There are more specific details about my style available on the "Approach to Therapy” page!
Are our conversations confidential?
Confidentiality is a key aspect of therapy. Starting from our first session, we’ll review who you want involved in your therapy process. Many people prefer to be the only person involved, and other times you may want to involve family/friends, a doctor, dietitian, or a psychiatrist. Any information you share with me can only be shared if I have a signed release of information to speak to that person. Even with a signed release, I will typically speak with you directly about information that will be shared with outside parties.
However, state law requires that confidentiality must be breached in the following situations:
Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or another source
If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to seriously harm another person
In the event of a court order requiring disclosure of therapy records
What is your personality like in session?
As a person, I’m relaxed, informal, and very warm and silly (sometimes a little bit of humor helps us open up into the deeper issues!). I want to dig into the struggles bringing you in instead of staying on the surface. As a therapist, I’m here to be someone you can vent to and trust to gently push you to grow. I’m very focused on the client-therapist relationship and making sure we both feel comfortable working together.
What age range do you see?
Due to being a virtual provider, I typically don't work with individuals under age 16 if they struggle with an active eating disorder. Otherwise, I will see anyone over the age of 14.
What are your fees?
My session fee is $170. I am also an in-network provider for OHP, Aetna, and United/Optum in California and Oregon. More on my Rates page!