Getting Started
Therapy is often misunderstood as a service that is only needed for those who are severely mentally ill. There has been a stigma that if you are seeking therapy you must be seriously impaired.
This can't be farther from the truth!
Often, we wait too long to get connected to someone who can help. Our indecision could be due to our uncertainty about the process, or the difficulty in admitting the challenges we face.
When we finally seek out the help we need, our pride falters, and we question if we are up to the task of looking at ourselves in the mirror.
I offer this page as an answer to your questions and information as to what to expect.
Whether you're a single woman who feels stuck and questions your path, or you are a father who can't seem to make it right with your partner or kids, therapy is for you.
If you're a teen (or you have a teen), who feels trapped between parental expectations and the rush of adolescence, therapy is for you.
If you are constantly worried, doubt yourself or your abilities, or that family harmony is possible, therapy is for you.
I am passionate about working with teens, adults, and families, to help them find connection to themselves and to one another.
Are You Sure I Need Therapy?
I’m just having a hard time right now...
Yes, therapy is helpful to give you tools to handle tough times. If what you have tried hasn't worked, it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion.
Even the very best of relationships do well to undergo a periodic review. This includes the relationship you have with yourself.
Does it mean I’m weak?
We may feel as though we are a champion of mental health when it comes to “other people,” and recognize that the empathy ends when we consider our own needs.
You are not weak, broken, or unloveable. You are worthy of love, of self-discovery, and of an audience for the story you have to tell.
How can talking about it help?
Therapy is more than repetitive venting. It is more than ruminating on the past.
To allow an objective professional to validate your experiences, witness your pain, and help you find the words to tell your story, is an exercise in self-love.
Are You Sure We Need Family Therapy?
My son/ daughter / spouse is the one with the problem…
I approach my work from a system’s perspective. What that means is that even though you may have identified someone else as the “client”, I view the problematic behaviors or symptoms as a product of the entire family system.
We humans are social creatures, constantly noticing, evaluating, and interacting with the world around us.
When one family member is struggling, the whole system is impacted.
Does it mean that I’m a bad parent if my child needs therapy?
Our kids come without a manual. Knowing the balance between protecting your kids and allowing them the space to develop and mature is exceptionally challenging.
Healthy and well-adjusted parents are able to consider their effect on their children and are willing to make adjustments to their own behavior for the good of the household.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just take medication?
When there are serious concerns or immediate needs to address, medication offers a great option. However, research shows that it is a combination of talk therapy and medicine that is most effective in the long term.
With teens, adding medications into the mix does little to change the environment at home, whereas consistency, structure, and positivity create the most impact.
How Does Therapy Work?
Here are the details that you need to know before you get started.
What is the intake process?
Our intake process is very simple and easy!
After you set up your first session, you will receive a link for our HIPAA compliant online portal called ‘Simple Practice’.
When you receive your link, you will be directed to fill out some basic information about yourself and whoever will be joining the session, as well as select and fill out your payment method.
How long do sessions last?
It’s normal to wonder what sessions will look like, however, as with all things, it depends on you and the work you put in.
When we meet for a session, it will be a solid 55 minutes of work together. I typically see my clients once a week, sometimes twice.
Because I offer strength-based brief therapy, our work together typically lasts 3 months.
How does a typical session look?
After first catching up on how you are feeling, and the state of mind you’re bringing into session, I’ll ask: “What would be most useful for us to speak about today”.
It’s important to me to set goals and then follow the lead of my clients. They are the experts in their lives and know what they want to address. My approach is one of curiosity and exploration of their story, offering reframes and fresh perspectives to give a color and new possibilities to their journey.
How Can You Help Me?
Therapy is an incredibly personalized process that requires honesty, vulnerability, and having the flexibility to see things in a different way.
Your willingness to talk about things that are difficult requires strength and trust in the process.
When others have let you down in the past, I can help you recognize a new truth—that trust, vulnerability and having someone else witness your story are powerful healers.
How Can You Help My Family?
Living disconnected from your family and being in constant conflict with them can spoil the one place you’re meant to feel safe.
In families, often there are too many things left unsaid or things said you wish you could take back.
I can help your family tune into one another again, learn to listen and truly hear each other’s concerns. This skill alone can be incredibly healing.
I want to get the most out of therapy, What can I do to help?
I’m thrilled that you want to get the most out of your sessions. Participating in session, as well as bringing the highlights of our conversation into your day-to-day life are going to make huge impacts on our work together. Therapy is most successful when you have a goal in mind and the persistence to pursue it each week.
Sometimes the thought of knowing that you made a positive step by setting up a session can be enough to get you started, but you will not always feel better right away. Some days you’ll walk away with incredible insight, and other days our conversation will stir up things that might be difficult to process. Continue to show up—even on days when it’s hard—and you’ll tap into strength that you didn’t know you had.
As we continue to walk though the process, check in with me, and let me know what’s working or where you feel stuck. This helps us to continue to shape the process to be the best fit for you.