+ How much do sessions cost?

For individual therapy, my full fee as of January 1, 2023 is $260 for a 55-minute therapy session, payable by debit, credit, or FSA card.

I don't offer couples/relationship/family therapy at this time.

+ Do you take my insurance?

I'm considered an out-of-network provider with insurance companies. As a courtesy, I can directly file a superbill with your health insurance plan for possible reimbursement. Check on your out-of-network benefits here. (You'll just need your insurance card.)

You'll need to pay in full at the time of our sessions; then, if you're eligible for out-of-network benefits, you should receive a partial reimbursement check from your insurer about 3-4 weeks later.

You can also use an FSA (flexible spending account) to pay for, or be reimbursed for, therapy sessions, regardless of whether you also seek reimbursement from your insurance provider. Check to see whether your employer offers an FSA option. This allows you to pay for therapy with pretax dollars, which can amount to a discount of up to 30%, depending on your income tax bracket.

+ Do you offer a sliding scale or reduced rates?

To make long-term therapy more accessible to marginalized communities, I reserve some reduced-fee spots in my practice for clients unable to afford my full fee who identify as trans, gender-nonconforming, and/or QTBIPOC (queer and trans people of color). Fee reductions are based on your level of financial access and need as well as the needs of my practice.

If you're in the Bay Area and need low-fee (less than $100/session) therapy, please visit my list of recommended low-fee psychotherapy clinics in the Bay Area (California).

+ Do you offer couples/relationship/family counseling?

No. While much of the work I do with clients centers around themes and issues that arise in intimate relationships, at this time I work only with individual adults.

If you're looking for a therapist to work with you and your partner(s) together, please see my list of recommended therapists.

+ Do you offer online or in-person appointments?

I'm currently offering conducting video sessions using Zoom, which offers a HIPAA-compliant encrypted platform. Phone sessions are also an option. In-person sessions are available in Eugene, Oregon.

+ What will our sessions be like?

We'll meet once or twice a week for 55-minute sessions. In the first few sessions, I'll ask you about what's bringing you into therapy, and we'll talk about the major areas of your life, both past and present: work, romantic relationships, friendships, family, and significant events.

Once we've gotten a rough sketch of the landscape of your life, I'll invite you to let yourself share whatever comes up for you in the moment as we talk: thoughts, feelings, memories, physical sensations. We all do a lot of self-editing in our day-to-day lives, and the things we edit out usually contain important information about our deep selves. Therapy is a place to practice being radically honest about what's happening inside so that you can start living a more authentic life.

Sometimes I incorporate mindfulness exercises and guided meditations in session. I may also suggest homework assignments or what I like to call "experiments" for you to try between sessions. All of these activities are meant to be explored with curiosity, to see what happens when you try something new. The only way to fail here is to not take small risks, both inside and outside of our time together.

+ How long will it take before I start feeling better?

Many people experience a new sense of hope and relief within a few sessions, as they get a glimpse of what could be different. Often, the experience of knowing you have a skilled, compassionate ally by your side, helping you hold your struggles, can begin to subtly shift what feels most difficult in your internal and external worlds.

At the same time, therapy will open up difficult feelings as we start to grapple with what's been holding you back. There's really no getting around this hard part of the work, but it's absolutely worth it.

Within the first six months, you'll likely experience some important shifts in the ways you're showing up at work, in your significant relationships, and with yourself.

If you want to accelerate the process and see results more quickly, it's worth considering coming to therapy twice a week.

Ultimately, how quickly you'll see changes has a lot to do with how much work you're putting in between sessions. Think of it like learning a new language: it's really hard to make much progress putting in just one hour a week. Practicing skills and doing your homework between our meetings is an essential part of getting the most out of therapy. Therapy is an investment in your own healing and growth, and, as with so many things, what you'll accomplish is in direct proportion to how much you put in.

That being said, I also invite you to take your time with this process and not push yourself beyond your limits. Sometimes going slow is the only way to get where we want to be.

+ Can I see you every other week, or once a month?

In my practice as a depth therapist, I find that the work is most effective by far when meeting at least once a week. Meeting less frequently is an option at the tail end of therapy, as the bulk of our work comes to a close. Because I prioritize weekly sessions, my schedule has limited capacity for less-frequent meetings. Other therapists take different approaches to this, so if you prefer to meet less frequently than once a week, you may find that another provider will be better suited to your needs.

+ Are my sessions confidential?

Yes, the law protects your participation in therapy and all the content of your sessions as confidential. BUT there are three important exceptions where I'm legally and ethically required to break confidentiality: if I reasonably suspect that 1) a child or elderly/dependent adult is being abused; or 2) there's an imminent risk of your physically endangering the life of another person.

If you're worried that any of these situations might arise in the course of our work together, please mention your concern to me so we can figure out how to proceed.

+ How soon can we start?

If you're eager to start ASAP, the quickest way is to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation. If we're a good match and our schedules line up, I'll usually be able to schedule your first session within a week.

I look forward to getting to know you.