What type of therapy do you do?
I see both individuals and couples. I use a combination of Internal Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing. My specialty is helping people heal their inner child wounds so they don’t keep interfering in their adult lives. I may ask you to be more aware of your physical sensations or to practice mindfulness (in and out of session).
I am NOT a passive therapist who just nods and says “How does that make you feel?” over and over. I will take an active role in helping you dig deep, connect dots, and find healing.
With couples, I work to help you both open up to one another in new ways. To get under the bullshit things we all argue about and communicate what you really need. I’ll help you each explore what’s coming UP in you that is then coming OUT in your relationship. I don’t take sides, tell you you’re wrong, or give advice. I use a lot of the same skills I use in individual therapy, but I help you both to be more in tune with yourself and also more in tune with one another. I want to help you create safety and trust in your relationship so you can be on the same team again.
How many sessions will I need to attend?
This depends on what the complexity of your presenting issues, how long you’ve been experiencing certain thought patterns, trauma history, current support system, and more. It is hard to say.
If you’re dealing with situational life stressors, you may find that 8-12 sessions is adequate. If you’ve been struggling for some time or are dealing with deep, inner child wounds, it may take longer.
How often will we meet?
That’s completely up to you, but I generally recommend weekly or biweekly meetings when starting out.
Do you take insurance?
I do not accept insurance. I have several reasons for this, which I will share below:
- I consider myself a specialist. I commit thousands of dollars each year to get high quality, in depth training to help me be the best at serving the specific population I serve and insurance companies don’t account for that level of expertise when determining their reimbursement rates. Not only that, but in the past 4 years, some of these companies have given no increase in pay at all in response to the increased costs of living. Some companies even reduced their reimbursement rates. Many therapists have responded by increasing their caseloads. I don’t want to compromise the quality of care I’m able to provide by seeing 30+ people in a week. I want you to know that when you work with me, you’re not just a number. I intentionally keep a small caseload so that I can be fully present and intentional.
- Insurance companies require diagnoses. I don’t like diagnosing for several reasons:
- I have seen first hand that certain mental health diagnoses can come with unforeseen consequences for people. There are certain jobs that will look down upon certain diagnoses, inferring that a person may not be “mentally stable,” etc. Life insurance is more expensive (or could even get denied) for those with certain mental health diagnoses. There is also the potential that your right to bear arms could be impacted at some point in the future. My first priority when working with a person at their most vulnerable state is do no harm. Not accepting insurance allows me to skip the formal diagnosis, ensuring you full privacy and protecting you from potential discrimination.
- I don’t like placing labels on people due to the ways they adapted or survived in times of stress or trauma.
Are there options to help me pay for therapy?
There are a few options that can help you pay for therapy.
- Use your Health Savings Account or Flex Spending Account.
- Talk to your accountant to see if you can write it off as a medical expense.
- If you have insurance, you can choose to utilize your out-of-network benefits. How that works is that you pay up front for services, and then I provide you with a Superbill, which is a detailed receipt to submit to your insurance company. Keep in mind that if you choose to utilize out-of-network benefits, a diagnosis is required. I recommend finding out the details of your plan first, to see what your deductible is and then how much you can expect to be reimbursed after meeting your deductible. Then, you can make an informed decision about whether it’s worth it to you to go that route.
- If you’re interested in using your benefits, but don’t want to deal with submitting your own claims for reimbursement, there is a company called Mentaya that can help. They charge you a small fee in exchange for being the middle man between you and the insurance company. You can read more about them here.
- If you are financially unable to pay the full fee, I do offer income-based fee reductions to those who qualify. Reach out to me if you would like more information. You can e-mail me here.
Therapy is a financial commitment, but the cost of not healing your inner wounds may be much greater.
Do you see children?
I do not generally work with children. I am open to working with teens 16+ depending on their willingness to engage in therapy and presenting issues. If you would like to see if I’d be a good fit, set up a free 15 minute phone consultation here.
What is telehealth like?
Telehealth is when we meet by video on a platform similar to FaceTime, but it’s HIPAA compliant. I will be present in my office and you may login from anywhere in SC. Telehealth is very convenient for those who are busy, work late, or travel. It’s great for moms because it’s so much easier to step in the room for 50 minutes than to find childcare for 2 hours each week.
At first I wondered if we’d be able to connect in the same way online as we do in person and I really believe that we can. I haven’t had any issues over the past 4 years with telehealth, unless the client is in a very rural area with poor reception. I love that it saves travel time and makes therapy more convenient for those with busy schedules.
How do I login to my telehealth session?
It’s easy. I will email you a link prior to our first session. The link stays the same each week so you can just save it in your phone or write it down somewhere.
Are you a “Christian therapist?”
I do not approach therapy from a religious lens. I am happy for you to discuss your belief system in our work together, as it may play a big role in your life and your values and I respect that. However, that belief system is YOURS and is allowed to be whatever it is. I work with people of all beliefs, including religious, spiritual, agnostic, and atheist.