“Psychotherapy is a collaborative treatment based on the relationship between an individual and a psychologist. A psychologist provides a supportive environment that allows you to talk openly with someone who is objective, neutral and nonjudgmental.” -APA 2016

My personal goal as a therapist is to be as compassionate, non-judgmental, and accepting as possible. I strive to create a safe, comfortable atmosphere where in you will feel relaxed and able to be open and honest about anything going on in your life that you would like to discuss, even if it is a difficult topic. I am also very genuine; where appropriate I use humor in session, as well as honesty about my own understanding of what we are discussing.

Where do We Start?

#1

First, start with contacting me. You may choose to email or call me. Once you contact me, we will set up a time to have a phone conversation that will last about ten minutes (if you call and I am free to answer, we will generally have this chat then and there).

#2

During this short call, I will ask a few basic questions regarding what you would like to discuss in therapy. I do this in an effort to make sure that I feel able to help you. I want you to have the best therapy experience possible. As such, if I feel as though I am not the best fit for helping you, I will do my best to help you find a therapist who is better suited to meet your needs.

#3

Based on the information you choose to share, if I am confident in being able to help I will continue toward setting up a session (finding a time/date that we will be able to meet in my office for our first session).

#4

We will also discuss how you plan to pay for sessions (i.e. Do you plan to use insurance? If so, do I accept the insurance plan you want to use? If you do not plan to use insurance, we will set the session rate at this time based in my sliding fee schedule.)

What to Expect in the First Session

Plan to arrive a few minutes early, or on time. You will be asked to fill out minimal paperwork, we will review the therapy contract (available in Documents section of this site). If you plan on using insurance, please be sure to bring your insurance card and ID.

After we complete the paperwork (usually 5-10 minutes), I will ask what you would like to discuss. While there are a few major items I need to make sure we cover in our first session, I generally like to let you have control in the direction our sessions take. If this is too overwhelming, or you don’t know where to start, I will be happy to help direct you to areas that would be helpful for us to cover. Most clients find that once they begin sharing with me, they have an easy time continuing. Often we have a few topics that we make a note of bringing up in the next session because we did not have a chance to cover everything.

The final item we cover in the last few minutes of the session if scheduling and payment. We will find a time to set as a weekly meeting, then I will accept your payment for the session.

About the Environment

I strive for my office to be a comfortable place for you to relax and share whatever may be on your mind.. As such, the furniture is comfortable, there is always water and hot tea available for your enjoyment. In addition, there is a white noise maker outside the door to further protect your privacy and confidentiality.