Request a free, 15-ish minute phone consultation!

During this initial phone consultation, we will discuss any questions that you might have, as well as get to know each other a bit to see if we feel like a good fit.

I suggest looking through my website before requesting an initial consultation to get an idea of who I am and the services I provide to see if you think I would be a good match for your needs and interests, as well as to gather any unanswered questions you have for me.

Therapy is your space and time to explore whatever is on your mind and heart. I hope that our time together will feel like a supportive container in which to unpack whatever it is that you are experiencing. You are always in control of how we spend our time together and what we talk about.

Typically, in the first session we start with getting to know each other a bit more, diving into the circumstances that led to you seeking out therapy, and the various factors contributing to what you are experiencing. We may also go over an overview of your life in addition to your present challenges.

Once we have a sense of what you’re interested in exploring, understanding, and/or healing, the following sessions will be a gradual dive deeper into the challenges you’re experiencing, while working towards your goals for what you’d like the outcome of your therapy experience to be.

Because everyone comes into therapy for different reasons and with different goals, therapy can look a lot of different ways. Some examples include deepening your understanding of your experiences and yourself, exploring ways to work with what you are experiencing to minimize distress and suffering, identifying strategies to improve communication, working through conflict, (re) building trust, navigating challenging emotions or stressful circumstances, and processing and healing past traumatic experiences.

Sessions are conducted via Zoom, which is a HIPPA-compliant video conferencing platform. I will provide you with a link and you can log in on your phone, computer, or tablet at the time of your session.

I will always be in a confidential setting during our sessions and I encourage you to find a comfortable, confidential place as is available to you for your sessions as well.

Phone sessions are available as needed, though video sessions are preferred. In the event of technical difficulties during a video session that we are unable to troubleshoot, I will call you so we can finish the session by phone whenever possible.

Sessions are approximately 50-60 minutes in length. Requests to extend the standard session time are welcome, though need to be discussed in advance and are subject to additional fees.

Please note insurance coverage typically limits sessions to 45-53 minutes.

Typically when first starting therapy it is recommended to meet weekly or biweekly (every other week), depending on availability and need. If possible, meeting on the same day and time each week or every other week is recommended to establish a supportive therapy routine.

Meeting more frequently in the beginning allows us to get to know each other, start working through some of the challenges you are experiencing, and ideally begin to see some progress toward your goals.

As you start to experience a reduction in the severity of your challenges and progress toward your goals, oftentimes we will start to gradually reduce sessions down to every other week, monthly, or as needed.

As is the case with most things in therapy, adjustments can be made to fit your needs, though please note insurance typically will not cover more than one session per week. If you feel you need additional support beyond regular weekly sessions, please let me know and I can provide you with some referral options.

Ideally, therapy lasts as long as is needed to meet your goals and achieve your desired outcome, with the freedom to adjust or return to therapy as needed for ongoing support, though please note some insurances may have limits to the number of sessions covered.

I will always do my best to support you in achieving your goals as efficiently as possible while taking into account that healing is not a linear process and takes the time it takes which varies from person to person and situation to situation. You are welcome to leave therapy at any time and for any reason and I am always happy to provide you with referrals if you are interested in trying other therapists or healing modalities.

I wish I could give a concrete answer, but the truth is it varies. Some people feel an initial sense of relief from sharing their challenges with another person. In other cases, it can take some time to explore and figure out the best way to lessen the suffering a person is experiencing. There are also instances, such as grieving the loss of a loved one, where the situation itself is just very painful and the work we do is more about learning how to live with the pain as best one can.

I think it is also important to acknowledge that oftentimes discomfort is a natural response to a difficult experience and a certain level of discomfort and difficult experiences are a part of the variety of our human experience. Therapy is less about figuring out how to feel good all the time and more about learning how to ride the waves.

Sometimes there can even be some discomfort in the exploration and healing process. What is important to discern is the difference between that helpful growth edge of comfort and tipping too far into discomfort. In our work together we don’t want to tip too far into discomfort, though we do want to gradually and gently work to approach and expand our comfort edges.

Lastly, healing is not a linear process. It is natural to have ups and downs in this journey, and while that can be frustrating, it is very common and very much a part of long-term overall growth.

One of the most important parts of therapy is finding a therapist who feels like a good fit for you and your needs. If I am not that for you, I absolutely respect, honor, and encourage you to find another therapist who is a better fit for you.

I appreciate you letting me know in whatever way you feel comfortable that you aren’t feeling it and want to stop working together, and I am happy to provide you with referrals for other therapists or healers that may be a better fit for you if that would be helpful. I am also always open to any feedback you would like to share about what didn’t work for you.

Yes, however, there are some legally mandated exceptions to the confidentiality of what is shared in therapy sessions.

I am required by law to disclose certain information under the following circumstances:

• If information is provided that leads me to believe that you or another individual will physically harm yourself/themself or another individual;

• If information is revealed to me regarding incidents of child abuse or neglect or the abuse/neglect of an elderly or dependent person;

• If a court of law orders the release of specific information.

For teen clients, your parents/guardians may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. Typically, this can include general treatment summaries and progress updates, as well as any serious safety concerns related to the legally mandated exceptions to confidentiality referenced above.

Whenever possible, I seek to respond to safety concerns through a community care approach.

I encourage you to ask me any questions you have about these legal requirements, and please know you always have the option to share as much or as little of your story with me as you feel comfortable.

Whenever possible, I ask that you notify me at least one day before to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

I understand that life happens so I offer two late cancellations/missed appointments per calendar year free of charge. Beyond this, missed appointments and late cancellations result in a flat fee of $50.

I love working with children and teens, however I have found that with the virtual format I am better able to support teens and am not working with children at this time.

When considering whether I might be a good fit for a teen, I encourage you to keep in mind their interest and ability to benefit from virtual therapy sessions.

Children and teens who are 12 years of age or older can self-consent for therapy, however, I do encourage involving parents/guardians in the therapy process whenever possible. Parent/guardian consent for therapy is required by all parents/guardians who hold legal custody in the event a custody order is in place, unless extenuating circumstances prevent this.

At this time, I am only offering virtual teletherapy sessions.

Unfortunately, I am not a fluent Spanish speaker (I have very basic conversational abilities) so ethically (and practically) I cannot offer services in Spanish.

If you are interested in services in Spanish or any language other than English, I would be happy to explore the possibility of utilizing translation services with you.

Unfortunately, in the US therapists are restricted to only providing services in the states where they are licensed. As of right now, I am only licensed in CA and therefore cannot work with anyone who does not reside in CA.

I’m both! Although social workers are most frequently associated with child welfare, social workers work in many settings, including schools, hospitals, medical and mental health clinics, government services, and nonprofits. The Master of Social Work (MSW) program is also one of many different graduate programs that serve as a pathway to becoming a licensed therapist. After obtaining my MSW, I spent over 104 weeks and 3,000 hours working in therapeutic settings under the supervision of a licensed therapist to qualify to take the licensing exam and become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

Of all the paths to becoming a therapist I choose social work because of the social justice orientation and the framework for understanding individuals in relation to the systems they interact with and are shaped by, from the immediate family all the way out to the global political/historical arena. In addition to working with individuals in a therapy capacity, I am also passionate about systems-level work to address and prevent systemic harm. My social work background allows me to work on multiple levels of healing toward a more just and liberated world.

Therapy is a vulnerable and intimate experience and also a relationship between two (or more) people. I believe that you have a right to know who you are getting into a therapy relationship with before you begin this journey.

Who I am as a person shapes who I am as a therapist. While your therapy is most certainly not about me, my therapy approach and how I experience and view the world are inherently intertwined.

I also don’t believe objectivity or a “blank slate” truly exists. I think oftentimes the myth of objectivity is used as a tool of white supremacy.

If there is anything else you want to know about me, please ask! I’m an open book.