FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I offer a variety of services that are priced based on my client's needs, including sliding scale and package discounts. This means that whatever your financial needs, I want to do what I can to accommodate them in a way that gets you access to therapy without feeling like you have a hole in your wallet! In addition to sliding scale options for those with need, I offer a 15% discount when you pre-pay for 4 or more sessions. I am not currently on insurance boards, however I can provide monthly statements for out-of-network reimbursement for services. Please feel free to speak with me if you have any questions about session pricing and costs.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Before working with a client, I like to conduct a free, 1/2 hour phone consultation. This allows a person to get a sense of the kind of person and therapist I am, without presenting any out of pocket costs. It also gives me a sense of how I might best be able to serve that person. Our first 1 to 2 sessions are more focused on assessment, as I work with a client to understand their current concerns, as well as the various elements in their life that may impact those concerns and present resources for working on them. I work out of a relationship-based, collaborative approach to the counseling process, and use research-based theories and techniques to addressing client concerns. Our therapy may be brief, about 6-8 sessions on average, but it may also be longer if a client feels it is needed. I work from a perspective that people aren't "broken," but rather "stuck" in their life's journey; my therapy serves to help them get "unstuck," and headed in the direction of life that feels most meaningful. I use a wellness perspective that focuses on all aspects of a person's life to create a system that supports change and growth. The therapy doesn't terminate in my practice - it goes 'on pause,' because I believe that people should be comfortable moving on once they've reached their goals for that course of therapy, and return when they feel they may need a "tune up." I want my clients to feel as if I am a resource and companion in their process of pursuing their most important values to create their life of meaning.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have two master's degrees and a doctorate degree in psychology and clinical mental health counseling. My experimental psychology degree helps me to be analytic and discerning when reading literature on counseling research and techniques, an helps me to ensure that I am providing evidence-based practices to my clients. The bulk of my training came from my master's and doctoral degrees in clinical mental health, providing me with the skills, knowledge, and experience to be an effective clinician. Because I value continued education and lifelong growth, I have engaged in post-graduate training in motivational interviewing, acceptance and commitment therapy, Adlerian psychotherapy, emotionally focused couples therapy, and the Gottman method for couples counseling. These skills have been applied to my work as a university mental health counselor, a substance abuse recovery counselor, and my private practice work. In addition, I have worked as a lecturer, adjunct professor, and visiting professor of counseling at various universities. My first co-authored book, "Spirituality and Religion in Counseling: Competency-Based Strategies for Ethical Practice," was published this past summer of 2018.