What to Expect
Please read over my pages on FAQs, offerings, fees, and insurance and then reach out to me if it seems we might be a good fit. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to help us determine if we might be a good fit. During this initial phone contact, I will be most interested in what you are wanting help with, a little history regarding the issue, and how you are managing things currently. Of course, I’ll also be happy to answer any questions you may have about my practice and EMDR, and I’ll give you my initial impression of whether what you are wanting to work on is within my area of practice. Then you can decide if you’d like to schedule an initial consultation session with me. Our first meeting will last 60 to 90 minutes. My agenda for this meeting is to learn about your current life situation, especially the issues that brought you in to see me, and your goals for treatment. As time permits, I’ll ask for additional information about your life history, and we’ll discuss a plan for how to help you meet your treatment goals and/or discuss a referral if appropriate.
You also have an important job during out first meeting; specifically, you’ll want to begin deciding whether or not I’m someone you will likely feel comfortable working with. Choosing the right therapist—one you feel at ease with and “click” with—is very important. This often is a gut feeling that may take more than one meeting for you to determine. It’s important to pay attention to this process. Research says that "goodness of fit" between a client and therapist predicts positive therapy outcomes.
After the initial evaluation, I will provide you with a recommendation for continued care. Depending on many factors, I might recommend weekly sessions and/or intensive work. The length of therapy varies from person to person, depending on various factors including the type of problem being worked on, the amount of effort a client puts into the therapeutic process, and the complexity and number of problems being tackled.
My Style & Approach
You should know that my style as a therapist is generally collaborative and direct rather than neutral. This doesn't mean I will push my views on you or try to make decisions for you. In fact, I'm a strong believer in the idea that what works for one person won't necessarily work for another person and that a person generally knows what is best for him- or herself, even if he or she isn't aware of it at the time. It's my job to help you explore and make decisions that are right for you within this discovery and change process.
I also want you to know that I view therapy as a partnership between us. Psychotherapy is not like visiting a medical doctor. It requires an active effort on your part during and between our sessions. This means that for therapy to be successful you have to be open to facing important experiences, thoughts, behaviors, and feelings you have as well as practicing new skills and working towards goals between our sessions. Change will sometimes be easy and quick, but change might also occur at a slower pace than you prefer which can be frustrating. The good news is that you can change your relationship to past and present disturbing experiences and learn new, more effective ways of responding to the problems you are dealing with.
I utilize evidence-based therapies in my clinical work, meaning therapies supported by the latest research findings as the 'gold standard.' My general approach to therapy involves helping a person identify the symptoms, patterns, problems, or areas in their life that are causing them distress or that they are dissatisfied with and working together to develop a plan of action for how to best address these issues, all the while keeping in mind the person’s unique life goals and approach to life. The most central ideas in my work are:
• Change is possible
• Prior difficult experiences (memories) are often the source of current symptoms and
struggles and thus likely need to be reprocessed
• Getting “unstuck” often involves examining and/or changing how we think and behave in
response to past or current events in our lives
• Feelings are a natural, and normal part of the human experience that provide us with
important information and require our undivided attention at times
• People can learn skills that help them to be more effective in coping with stress,
responding to life’s inevitable hurdles, and obtaining desired outcomes
I am an EMDR therapist at heart, and my passion is utilizing the powerful benefits of EMDR with clients who are ready to live without anxiety, depression, dissociation, phobias, addiction, and post-traumatic stress. I'm continually astounded by how powerful and flexible EMDR Therapy is in helping people change what hurts. My clinical approach is also informed by polyvagal theory and what we know about the neurobiology of trauma, attachment, and ego states. I 'grew up' in the cognitive-behavioral therapy tradition, and I utilize pieces of this approach when clinically indicated.
