Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ's
A: Once you have made a decision to see a therapist, you still might be apprehensive about the process. Many people feel nervous before their first appointment. Therapy is a shared journey; a shared process. And, although you and I will travel together, it is ultimately your journey and you will make your own decisions. I may not have answers to all your concerns, but I will listen carefully and ask thoughtful questions. Your answers to these questions will help shape the direction of our work. You can expect to be respected. You can expect that I will offer opinions and suggestions from time to time but I will not tell you what to do.
A: Both in-person and online sessions are available at this time. Sessions provided online are done so through a secure HIPPA compliant platform.
A: I pull from a variety of theories and techniques. I find Polyvagal theory, EMDR, Psychodynamic theories, Attachment Style therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, and Mindfulness techniques are often helpful for my clients.
A: No, I do not accept any insurance. I will collect payment in full from you at the time of service. If you have a PPO type plan and want to submit a claim for out-of-network reimbursement, I can give you a receipt or help submit information at your request. Please note that submitting an insurance claim means I will need to give you a mental health diagnosis.
A: I require 24 hours notice of cancellation or you will need to pay for the appointment. An occasional exception may be made in the case of an emergency. It’s important that we meet consistently in order to make progress.
A: I charge $120 per 50-minute session and $170 per 75 min session. Payment will be collected at the time of service.
*Financial hardship should not preclude you from receiving the benefits of therapy. Do not hesitate to mention if you are in this situation. I have many local resources and would love to share other possibilities that could work for you.
A: Ideally, we will meet once a week but ultimately it is up to you. I find it’s important to gain some momentum in the beginning by meeting weekly or progress can stall out. Once some or all of your goals are met, meeting less often will make sense.
A: Most appointments are 50 minutes, this is the standard length of a counseling session. Longer session at 75 minutes are often utilized by couples and sometimes by individuals as well, please contact me regarding availability.
EMDR FAQ's
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is a well-researched psychotherapy technique that helps people address past memories, present triggers, and future concerns. EMDR is a standardized protocol that taps into the brain’s natural healing process to help integrate distressing thoughts, emotions, and body sensations.
What’s unique about EMDR, is that it requires minimal talking about the distressing experience, and many clients reach their therapy goals quicker than with traditional talk therapy. EMDR is effective for helping people resolve symptoms from trauma and other distressing life experiences, PTSD, anxiety, depression, pain, and panic disorders. EMDR is also beneficial for gaining confidence, improving performance anxiety, and future triggering situations.
There have been over thirty studies of EMDR therapy which have had a positive outcome. Under this umbrella of controlled studies over 84% of single event trauma victims reported no post-traumatic stress after three ninety-minute sessions. An HMO study found that 100% of single event trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims were free from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD after six, fifty-minute sessions. In a similar study reports indicated 77% of combat veterans were free from PTSD in twelve sessions.
EMDR follows an eight-phase protocol to enable a natural healing process. Through the use of bilateral stimulation, the brain’s information-processing system becomes activated and assists in the desensitization of targeted disturbing material so that one can learn to integrate it into a more adaptive way of living.
In other words, EMDR positively impacts our brain functioning, allowing for upsetting events to be remembered without the associated distress and disturbing symptoms. A fully processed targeted memory in EMDR will no longer produce nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, negative self-concept or emotional distress when recalled.
In essence EMDR takes a skill our brain uses every night (REM sleep) and helps the brain to connect adaptive information with the maladaptive (trauma) information. Your brain is amazing and wants to heal. Once it sees a path to go from maladaptive to adaptive, it takes it and heals.
During your first couple sessions with your therapist, you will work together to better understand those issues or situations that are most troubling to you. This can be an issue or event that is currently upsetting or one from the past. Some sample targets (or memories we start with) for EMDR might be; a past or recent traumatic event, negative beliefs, relationship problems, multiple relapses, panic attacks, performance anxiety and more.
Once we have pinpointed potential targets for EMDR treatment, we can begin processing using bilateral stimulation. This can be in the form of eye movements or alternating taps or tones. You will select the method you feel most comfortable with before actual processing begins. Throughout EMDR sessions, I will guide you as material connected to the original target is processed. You are completely in control of each EMDR session.
Yes! You do not have to remember every detail to still get help. Many people come to EMDR therapy with missing time periods in their history. We can still help you to heal you past and feel better.
While EMDR is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defenses as an effective, evidence-based practice for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) it has also proven to treat many other conditions (see the next FAQ)
People who have experienced or witnessed violence, disasters, crimes, sexual assault and other traumas, victims of crime and professionals such as police, emergency workers and firefighters; accident victims and anyone who has experienced a serious loss (such as the death of a close friend or family member, divorce, etc.)
EMDR is also very effective treatment for people suffering from phobias– performance anxiety and stage fright, fear of flying, heights, driving, etc. EMDR can also be used to strengthen ones abilities like public speaking and exam taking.
There are a number factors to consider when evaluating the appropriateness of EMDR. The discussions during your initial consultation session will help us both decide on the usefulness of EMDR.
In general though, you would be an excellent candidate for EMDR if you have:
- difficulty trusting people & poor self-image
- anxiety or panic
- frequent feelings of guilt or shame
- poor concentration, memory and lack motivation
- explosive or irrational anger
- trouble sleeping & nightmares
- serious relationship problems & fear of being alone
- stage fright or performance anxiety
- obsessive or compulsive behavior
- chronic feelings of detachment
- extreme, unexplainable fears
- depression or disturbing thoughts
- a history of abuse, or sexual abuse
- been the victim of a crime or serious accident
- witnessed a crime or serious accident
- been through a natural disaster
- ever experienced a traumatic event
Of course! I use a range of different techniques and would never do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I trust that you ultimately know what is best for you and I am here to help you navigate that direction.
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
∼Rumi