Frequently Asked Questions
Having a short phone call together is meant to give us both a chance to see if we might be the right fit for each other.
One of the most important factors in the success of therapy is the relationship between you and your therapist. You’ll want to make sure I feel like someone you’d be comfortable talking with and I’ll want to make sure that what you want to work on in therapy is within my area of expertise. If it seems like we’re a good a fit, then I’ll collect some information about you and we can schedule your first session.
You’ll receive an e-mail with a link to all the paperwork to be completed 48 hours before your first session, including a credit, debit, or HSA/FSA card number to secure your appointment.
Therapy can be serious and sacred, or joyful, like laughing with a friend. It can be challenging and heavy, cathartic and surprising. It’s about healing and growth; honoring your history and letting go of stories that hold you back.
It’s an hour a week, focused on what’s most important to you.
If you’re hesitant about therapy because you fear “nobody wants to hear my problems” or “my problems aren’t that bad, so who am I to complain?”—please know that your pain is valid. If you’re hurting, I want to help. Your tears are not weakness. And in case anyone has told you different: You are not too much.
(See my page on Preparing for Counseling: Getting the Most Out of Your Sessions).
It’s most effective to meet weekly. I find meeting less often makes it difficult to get traction on the goals you have for therapy. Meeting more often is also something we can discuss and decide together, if you prefer more frequent support during particularly difficult times in your life.
As you prepare to cycle out or “graduate” from therapy we can evaluate the option of meeting every-other-week.
The short answer is, it depends. Some people feel more settled and happy after just a few sessions, others may benefit from weekly counseling for several months. Still others find it such a valuable relationship, it becomes a welcome weekly part of life with no deadline, as growth continues. It depends on what brought you to counseling, your goals, and your effort to practice what you’re working on in your daily life.
Each person takes a different path. I am here to support you as long as you need. If it seems like you’re not making progress, we can have a conversation about what’s not working and look at some alternatives.
Each therapist is different, with our own style and vibe, informed by our past professional and personal experiences. The only way to know for sure if counseling with me might be different than your past experiences, is for us to have a conversation and see where it takes you. If you have specific concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask.
No worries—just call, email, or text me 48-hours prior to your session time if you need to cancel or reschedule. If you’re running a bit late, let me know and we’ll see what the options are. We may still be able to meet, but your session will likely still need to end at the scheduled time.
Sessions are typically scheduled to occur one time per week at the same time and day, if possible, and are 60-minutes in length. Your consistent attendance greatly contributes to a successful outcome.
My policy for late cancellations, late changes, or no-shows, is to charge the full amount of your session to the card on file, since it’s harder for me to offer that slot to someone else without that 48-hr heads up. If you plan to submit your superbill for possible insurance reimbursement, keep in mind that insurance companies don’t provide reimbursement for missed sessions. My informal practice is to see if we can find a time to reschedule within the same week, and if so waive the late-change fee, since I’d always rather see you!
Please read more about this on my Rates page, which will show my current fee for a 60-min. individual therapy session, and also has a list specific questions to ask your insurance carrier if you plan to seek reimbursement for your sessions
