Venturing into counseling can bring up questions, hopes, and expectations, including nerves! I commend you and hope that the following FAQs will answer some of

your questions and provide a picture of what it would be like to work together. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions and set

up a free 15 min consult to allow me to make entering into counseling easier than it should be.

Inclusion Statement- A Safe Space for Everyone

My hope is that my clients encounter respect, dignity, honor, & safety in our relationship regardless of ability, ethnicity, color, sex, gender identification, sexual preference, faith expression, marital status, , etc. That has not always been the case in counseling experiences for many.

It is my desire to affirm and create a safe space where each client's lived experience in the world is welcomed with cultural humility & the recognition of how the intersections of privilege, discrimination, oppression, ableism, gender, class, racism (personal & systemic), marital status, & sexual preference impact our lives.

What Can I Expect Working With You?

The first few sessions

The first few sessions will be focused on getting to know you, exploring your unique story, addressing areas of your life that you would like to address, getting clear about what you would like your life to look like, and setting goals to map your progress in your counseling journey.

It’s also a great opportunity for you to get to know me, ask me questions, and get a feel for working with me. My utmost desire for each person I meet is to make sure they get the best care possible, whether that is working with me, or working with another counselor. For More About Choosing a Therapist, click here.

Our Work Together

A major focus in my work is helping you to see your life with fresh eyes and celebrate your strengths as part of your process and journey, bringing them to the table as we address the areas of life that need re-appraisal and transformation.

I am committed to creating relationships built on safety and trust, and working with excellence to give you the space you need to process, heal, and move forward in your life. We’ll build a toolset to gain control of your life, seeking to balance your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health so that you can create the life of deeper satisfaction, joy, and purpose. 

It is my desire to make you feel seen, heard, and understood with empathy, understanding, and free of judgment. I am a believer in de-mystifying the counseling process to make our relationship transparent, organic, personal. I like to use humor, even in the midst of the pain, so that we can keep the big picture, and allow ourselves to be fully human, as I support your recovery.

How often do we meet?

How much does a session cost?

Do you take Insurance?

How do I know if I have out of net- work benefits?

How do I pay for counseling?

What’s your cancellation policy?

How long will counseling take?

What types of chronic illnesses or disabilities do you work with?

What is clinical rehabilitation & how can I benefit?

I am interested in Spirituality but don’t identify as “Christian”

We will meet once a week at a recurring time slot until you reach your goals. I have found this to be more effective than sessions every other week or once month. With weekly momentum, you can often achieve faster progress than if you came in less frequently, and my goal is for you to reach your goals more quickly. (For information about why counselors & psychotherapists recommend weekly therapy, click here.)

Sessions (50-60 min) are offered on a sliding scale of $75-$150 per session, based on what you are able to pay

I am what is called an out-of-network provider for most PPO plans. I offer a Superbill, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement using your out-of-network benefits. I have an app called Reimbursify (linked here) which makes getting reimbursed by your insurance company so much easier and it takes only about 1 minute to file a claim.

Most private health insurance plans provide some level of out-of-network reimbursement. If you see the terms “POS”, “PPO” or “out-of network” on your insurance card then you are likely eligible. If you see “HMO”, “Medicare” or “Medicaid” then you probably do not. Check with your insurance company or HR rep to be sure.

Billing is easy and automated & I accept all credit, debit, FSA, and HSA cards. I offer Simple Practice’s secure client portal and use their Stripe billing system. Though this portal, you are able to securely enter you credit or debit card information. You are able to change or update your billing information as needed. With your authorization, session payments are taken after each counseling session and billed to the group practice of which I am a part: The Center for Psychotherapy, Spirituality, & Creativity.

I have a 24 hour cancellation policy, so if you need to cancel, make sure you give me 24 hours notice to avoid paying the late cancellation fee, which is the full session rate. I do make exceptions for being sick and/or unable to attend our meeting due to reasonable illness symptomology, flare ups, etc. And when you cancel, I am happy to reschedule another time available that week if desired.

The length of time you will be in counseling is something you and I can discuss openly throughout the counseling process and come to a consensus together about what would best suit your needs. My goal is to help you reach your goals. Throughout our work together, we will regularly evaluate how you feel like therapy is going and if you are seeing the progress that you hoped for. We will make course corrections as needed to keep things flowing.

Although “people with disabilities” sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of need as you can imagine! Persons with disabilities might have one or multiple conditions that include acute & chronic illness (MS, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue, Crohns, Depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Cerebral Palsy, Cancer, etc.), as well as Impairments (Spinal Chord Injuries, Traumatic Brain Injury, Blindness, etc.), and more. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways and some disabilities may be “hidden” or not easy to see. 

My scope of practice includes persons with chronic illness & physical disabilities. As such I do not work with clients who have cognitive or developmental disabilities

For example:

Chronic illnesses include survivors of acute, formerly fatal illnesses, such as cancer, more “traditional” chronic illnesses such multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, lymes, erlos-danhos, hashimotos, & more, persons with “persistent acute” illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS, and the natural consequences of aging.

Physical disabilities might include, but are not limited to spinal chord injuries, physical impairments that discrupt your functioning, cerebral palsy, & more. Basically, any condition (non-cognitive or developmental) that make more difficult for someone with the condition to do certain life activities, interact, and participate meaningfully in the world around them.

Rehabilitation Counselors are counselors with specialized training and expertise in providing counseling and other services to persons with chronic illness &/or disabilities. Finding a skilled clinical rehabilitation counselors & therapists has its benefits. Unlike traditional psychologists and therapists, clinical rehabilitation counselors:

• Use a person-first approach to working with you, embrace a belief in the dignity and worth of all people, with a focus on your strengths and asset. .

• Pledge a commitment to the independence, integration, and inclusion of people with chronic illnesses & disabilities in the community & the work world.

• Posses competency and understanding of the chronic illness & disability experience for individuals, families, and society at large.

• Work with a holistic counseling approach, helping you increase and maintain your overall physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.

• Help you navigate through illness & disability loss, grief, adjustment, wellness management and goal setting to optimize your quality of life.

• Offer tools to help you navigate the health system, advocate for yourself, and help you to recover hope, purpose, and the recovery of a satisfying life.

• Will help you re-define, re-think, and explore your work and employment, need for accommodations, assistive technology, or re-training & education through knowledge of vocational rehabilitation, disability benefits, and the ADA.

• Are committed to equal justice to equalize your opportunities to participate in all rights and privileges available to all people; and a commitment to supporting you in advocacy activities to achieve this status and empower yourself.

This is an optional category of help I offer. Many clients whom I work with find integrating their spirituality into the counseling process to be meaningful and transformative. I value and am accepting of all forms of spirituality and effectively work with people from diverse beliefs and backgrounds. My goal is to help you work within your beliefs and framework to help you truly love yourself and the life you are living.

For clients who identify with Christian spirituality, I offer the space to learn lament, engage honestly with questions, doubts, anger, etc. I also integrate theologically practical insights into their experience, self-insight through the Enneagram, and helpful spiritual disciplines and soul care for spiritual health & growth into their true self and into the likeness of Christ.