FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How do I choose a therapist?
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Finding a therapist that feels like a good fit is important for your therapeutic progress and outcome. You want to find a therapist with whom you feel safe and feel you can trust. It is a personal choice, so it is important to think about things that are important to you. You may wish to work with a therapist who has a certain specialty, such as trauma or couples counseling and/or holds specific identities, such as ethnic, racial, and gender. Finding a therapist who speaks your primary language is another important consideration, so you can feel your therapist understands you. Of course, factors such as cost, location and meeting times are other key factors. It is essential you feel you can be open and you would feel able to discuss your personal challenges and concerns with me.
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How long is a session & how frequently do we meet?
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A standard session is 50 minutes long. However, I also offer 75-minute and 100-minute sessions based on my availability and what feels appropriate for you. We will meet at the same time and day every week. Sometimes it's helpful to work more intensively and we may decide to meet more frequently than once per week.
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Do you meet with people in the evening or weekends?
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My regular hours for therapy sessions are 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Please discuss you availability with me. Sometimes I am able to provide later sessions on weekdays and/or weekends.
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What is your fee?
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My fee depends on a few factors: modality (individual or couple), length of the sessions (50, 75 or 100 min), meeting schedule (day and time) and meeting frequency (number of sessions in week or month). My fee range for standard session is $195-$300. I reserve a limited number of spots for sliding scale based on clients' income and my availability.
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Can I use my insurance?
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Many insurance providers require a diagnosis from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to determine if your therapy is 'medically necessary' and if they will cover mental health services. If the diagnosis does not meet the insurance provider's criteria, insurance coverage will be denied for your therapy. With some exceptions, the people I see in my practice do not have a DSM diagnosis, so their therapy would not be covered by their insurance provider. This is the primary reason I do not accept insurance.
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How do I know if therapy is helping me? How do you know therapy is successful?
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Each person's emotional and mental health needs and goals are unique. Each person engages with and responds to the therapeutic process in their own way. Likewise, each person defines and measures success differently. There is no specific definition of successful therapy. Some of the positive outcomes* my patients have described included:
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What do we do in therapy? What is the therapeutic process?
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Therapy offers you a quiet time to reflect on yourself and your life experiences, know yourself in a deeper way, and discover your path for your future. The therapy session is your time and space to feel seen and heard fully. You are free to speak about any issues or challenges with which you need assistance, whether it is a specific, current challenge or a long-standing concern. I will listen deeply and ask questions to confirm and deepen my understanding. I will share what I see and hear, and what I think. We will explore themes and patterns that emerge. We may find you are holding onto assumptions about yourself and others and explore why and how the assumptions formed. I will help you experience your feelings, name emotions, learn where they are coming from and why, and then think more fully about what you want to do. Mostly we talk, listen, and feel together. Sometimes we welcome silence. Sometimes, I suggest a movement or breathing. Sometimes, I introduce you to mindfulness or other therapeutic techniques in our work together.
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What does “culturally centered” mean and why is it important?
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Culturally centered means I respect and honor the numerous ways in which we are different and the same. I strive to create a safe space in which we can talk about issues of difference in our therapy relationship, as well as, your experience in the world. I do not take a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Your context is significant to who you are, the specific challenges you may have, how historical and life experiences influence you in the present moment, and your attitude and comfort level with therapy. This is important because certain feelings, thoughts and behaviors which may be described as unhealthy or problematic to a person in one context, may be completely fitting to a person in another context. I feel our therapeutic work can be fruitful and beneficial when we pay attention to, include, and accept your unique identities and context.
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What kind of therapy do you provide? What is your theoretical approach?
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I tailor your therapy to your unique context and needs. I have been trained in a variety of different theoretical orientations, such as psychodynamic, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), object relations, existential, attachment, CBT, and mindfulness. My primary approach is relational and psychodynamic.
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What is the therapeutic relationship and why is it important?
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The therapeutic relationship is a positive and trusting relationship between therapist and client, and it is crucial for successful therapy. Empirical research, i.e., actual observable evidence, shows that the therapeutic bond between the therapist and her client leads to better outcomes, more than specific techniques.1 Having consistent sessions with me helps you and me create a trusting and deep relationship, so you can feel safe sharing your inner experience and emotions, heal, and grow.
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What is psychodynamic therapy?
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In simple terms, psychodynamic therapy seeks to make the unconscious conscious. It is also referred to as depth therapy as we explore deep-rooted assumptions, beliefs you hold about others and yourself, and your habitual ways of being to uncover and understand the underlying causes of symptoms and repetitive patterns. Although people feel relief from current issues, the aim is greater awareness and understanding, personal growth and self-realization, and sustained well-being.
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When does therapy end?
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Each person's and couple’s needs are different. Your motivation and commitment, willingness to do the personal work, and capacity to gain insight and heal determines your progress. The length of therapy is not possible to be set in the beginning. Generally speaking, people begin to experience changes within a few months. Many clients working on more intensive issues may continue therapy for several years.
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Can my spouse/partner, family, or employer call you to get information about my therapy or to give you information relevant to my therapy?
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No. I will not speak with anyone about you or even confirm whether you are in therapy with me. Our work together is confidential. Confidentiality is a respected part of my profession's code of ethics and is protected by state laws. If you would like someone to be able to talk to me about your therapy, I will ask you to sign an authorization form granting approval.
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If I am coming for couples therapy can I also meet with you individually?
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No. When I work with a couple, I will not be able to see either member individually. Should you wish to see a therapist for individual work, I will assist you in finding another therapist. Similarly, if you are working with me individually, and wish to do couples work, I will refer you to another therapist.
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I am coming to therapy with my partner. I have something I want to talk to you about but I don’t want my partner to know.
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Since you are in couples counseling with your partner, I will not keep one partner’s secrets. I work together with both of you in the best interest of the couple. Secret-keeping undermines the integrity of the therapeutic work.
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Will you video or audio tape our sessions?
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Sessions are not audio-recorded or video-taped. Sometimes, it may be helpful for your treatment for me to record a number of sessions. If this is the case, I will discuss it with you in advance and ask you to sign a form authorizing me to record sessions.
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