Peace.
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
(Unknown author)

Taking the first step to call for an appointment can be very scary. It requires courage to admit that the way you have been doing things is not working. Or perhaps things have happened in your life, through no fault of your own, that feel out of control or unmanageable. Therapy is right for you if you are willing to take the chance, to be truthful about what is happening and to take a risk in sharing your thoughts and feelings with a trained professional.  Together we can look at the big picture and help make sense of it all. In some cases, I may be able to direct you to a resource that is just what you need for your particular problem. Or perhaps, at this point in your life,  you just need someone who will listen and listen well. We will work together to figure out the next best steps. Therapy is right for you if you are ready to get the most out of your life by taking responsible actions to improve your self awareness and to intentionally work towards greater health. You deserve that.
                                                                       You don't have to keep hurting.

Each session is unique to you and your needs. Most sessions are 50 minutes long. In the first session, I will ask you questions related to what you hope to accomplish during therapy and how long you have been experiencing difficulties. We will talk about the relationships in your life and what things are working or not working. Some therapy can be short term. Sometimes therapy will need to be ongoing for several months to work on deeper issues. You and I will come up with a plan together. I will ask you to be an active participant in session, and I may ask you to do some reading or exercises on your own to integrate the best possible change. My hope is for you to leave the first session feeling some relief and with a plan in mind.

You can expect to receive compassion, respect and understanding from me, along with practical guidance and perhaps a new perspective to help you understand patterns and negative feelings that are inhibiting you from living your best life. I am a good listener and will interact with you in a non-judging, non-shaming way.

My fee is $100 per session (known as the 50 minute clinical hour), no matter how many people are present. Fees are payable at each session by cash or check.  I am able to accept credit cards on a limited basis, however the fee goes up to $105 per session to cover processing.  I do not file for insurance, but am happy to give you a form that you can submit to your insurance company for them to reimburse you for each appointment. Be sure to check with your insurance provider to see what kind of benefits they allow for mental health issues and out of network providers. In order to submit to an insurance company, a diagnosis must be assigned to the client. Many people choose to pay privately to avoid sharing personal and sensitive information with the insurance company.

The law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and their therapist. Information will not be disclosed to anyone else unless the appropriate releases are signed by you authorizing permission to share.
There are, however, some exceptions by law, which would require the therapist to file a report or disclose information about the client. These include:

• Suspected or actual child, adult or elder abuse.
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person, or to herself or himself.

Sometimes, combining medication (anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs, for example) with therapy can be the right course of action. Your medical doctor will help you decide what is best for you. It is well known that an established solution to mental and emotional wellness cannot be achieved by medication alone. Therapy can help to treat the underlying cause of some of your distress and help you look at behavioral patterns that inhibit progress. I will work with you and your physician to create the best treatment plan for you.

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) operate on the premise that individuals and their problems are best seen in context, and that the most important context is the family. MFTs focus on understanding their clients' symptoms and the interaction patterns with family and friends that may contribute to the problem. MFTs will typically ask questions about roles, patterns, rules, goals, beliefs and stages of development. The MFT then works with the individual, couple or family to change interaction patterns to help resolve the issues. You DO NOT need to be a married person to see an MFT.