The benefits of therapy are expansive and dependent upon the individual. It is important we work together to determine appropriate therapy goals. From there, we will work in collaboration to meet those goals. The journey towards achieving your goals can include: Receiving unwavering support, feeling connected and validated, gaining insight into your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, learning effective skills and strategies to navigate relationships and cope with emotions, improving communication, expressing your emotions, enhancing your self-esteem, processing past, painful experiences, exploring identity, and more.

I approach my work from a relational perspective, meaning I prioritize the therapeutic relationship, as it is the vessel that allows for growth and change. It is critical to have a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist. So, I will spend the first session working with you to establish a connection in which you feel safe, seen, and understood.

If you are an adult beginning your therapeutic journey, our first session will involve inquiries related to your current symptoms, past and present relationships, developmental history, and other relevant background information. This will allow me to get to know you and help inform our work together.

If you are bringing in your child or adolescent, there are a few options for our first session together.

For younger children, sometimes parents prefer to attend the first session without their child. This can allow us to speak freely about your observations, concerns, and goals for your child. Parents would then bring in their child the following week for the child’s first session. During this time, I will work to connect with your child through conversation, art, or play.

If your older child or adolescent is beginning therapy, both parents and their youth are expected to attend the first session. Typically, we will begin all together. During this time, we will all participate in a discussion around the purpose of therapy, therapy goals, and any related background information. It can feel empowering for youth to participate in these conversations and feel ownership over their treatment.

If you would like to discuss first session expectations further, please let me know.

As a parent, your involvement in your child’s therapy is incredibly important. My meetings with your child are once a week for 45-minutes. You are with your child for the remainder of the time. Your support and encouragement directly supplements the work we do in our therapy sessions. In order to best support you as you support your child, we will meet regularly to discuss your child’s progress, how you can supplement our therapeutic work at home, parenting strategies that may benefit the unique needs of your child, and answer any questions you have.

I highly value my collaborative work with parents. I know a lot about children and teens, and you know a lot about YOUR child or teen. My hope is that we can work together, as a team, to help your child or teen meet their goals and live a life of meaning and fulfillment.

I am not currently on any insurance panels and am an out-of-network provider. I am able to provide you with monthly superbills to submit to your PPO insurance provider for reimbursement. I recommend connecting with your insurance provider to learn more about their reimbursement policies.

If you live within California, I am able to meet virtually! Teletherapy appointments are available for those whose therapy goals are appropriate for this modality. If teletherapy is of interest, we can discuss this during our consultation meeting.