What can I expect from therapy? Therapy is a collaborative process that helps you to see yourself fully and, as a result, empower you to make new choices for the life you want to lead. Together we will discover the ways that you get "stuck", as well as the resources and strengths you already have, that you may or may not be aware of. My belief is that every person has the innate desire and ability to heal, and to awaken to their fullest potential. Making a commitment to therapy means making a commitment to the honest exploration of one's self, which requires your active, engaged participation. It is possible and very likely that, as a result of the process of therapy, you will make changes in your life, from the way you respond to your thoughts and emotions, to more external aspects of life like job and relationships.
What can I expect from you as my therapist? My work as a therapist is to facilitate and guide you towards making choices that help you grow and expand, rather than working to fix or change you. We are each the only person who can heal our own lives. As such I will help you to understand what motivates you towards change, as well as what gets in the way of the self-acceptance that must first be in place in order for change to happen. I will show up as your ally, supporting you with empathy and compassion, as well as an honest reflection of who you are now, gently challenging you to move towards vitality and joy.
What ages do you work with? I work with adolescents age 15 years and older, and their families where appropriate and useful. I also do family therapy as its own form of therapy. I work with couples, of all orientations, ethnicities and levels of commitment, and with adults ages 18 and beyond.
How long can I expect to be in therapy? In general, I work with clients on a mid- to long-term basis, usually anywhere from 4 months to several years, and often somewhere in between. I do also, however, engage in shorter-term processes (8-16 weeks) that are centered around specific scenarios and crises for which a person wants professional support. It depends on you and what you are seeking from a therapeutic process, how long you wish to be engaged in therapy, and I am happy to talk more about this with you.
Do you accept insurance? I am not on any insurance companies' panels, though that does not necessarily preclude your partial reimbursement for services if you have health insurance coverage. If you have a PPO, you may wish to contact your insurance company directly to find out what percentage they reimburse for mental health providers who are not listed in their directory.