Scheduling the first appointment with a therapist can feel weird or scary, especially if you’re used to only relying on yourself. You may even be questioning whether you really need help. The truth is that the people who take action outside of their comfort zone are the strongest people I know. I welcome your questions about how the therapy process works. Here is a list of common questions from potential clients and their loved ones to get you started.

  • We all have life challenges, so how does therapy magically make things better? It’s true, I don’t have a magic wand to change what’s happening around you. As a Sacramento therapist specializing in working with people with chronic stress, anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder, I provide guidance, direction, understanding, learning, compassion, support, and growth to help you change what’s happening within you.

    Receiving guidance from a counselor or therapist is a “normal” and healthy response to wanting fewer days of overwhelm and distress, and increased control over your mood and better self-esteem. With greater understanding and a new set of tools, you will be able to manage anxiety, depression, or mania symptoms to reduce stress, improve self-worth, resolve conflict and foster fulfilling relationships, and increase overall functioning in your daily life.

  • By the time most people reach out for support, they have been struggling for quite a while and are ready to get some relief.

    I work with people intensely to provide that relief, which is why I always begin the therapy process with weekly appointments. I believe that a crucial part of therapy is making a commitment to yourself at a set day and time every week to focus on your own needs. Investing in yourself for 50 minutes a week provides you with the consistency to reach your goals faster, and then move on from therapy.

    After consistent progress in weekly therapy, some people may benefit from decreasing the frequency of therapy appointments toward the end of treatment. Meeting less often can help to increase self-confidence as you practice new insights and skills, and serve as a bridge to ending therapy.

    Asking for what you want is also a crucial part of the therapy process, so I wholeheartedly encourage you to bring up questions about your therapy progress including the frequency of appointments at any time during your treatment. This is about you and your journey.

  • Therapy is a highly individualized process that’s dependent on each person’s unique circumstances and needs.

    We will develop your goals at the beginning of the therapy process, which will help determine the length of your treatment. I want to support you in getting your needs met so that you no longer need therapy.

    We will regularly assess your progress so that we can make any needed adjustments to your goals or the approach. I welcome your questions and feedback, as this therapy process is about you. I want to know if I’m not the best fit for you so I can help you find someone who can provide you with the support you deserve.

  • 50-minute Therapy appointment: $200

    75-minute Therapy appointment: $300

    The first appointment is called an “Intake Assessment” where we’ll explore what’s happening with you now and what you envision will be different when you’re done with therapy. I may request you complete questionnaires about your experiences, challenges, and your successes. Together we will identify a clear direction and goals for your treatment.

    My goal at the beginning of the therapy process is to ask a lot of questions and listen deeply to truly understand your therapy needs. It’s really important to me for you to feel heard, seen, validated, and comfortable with me, even if the therapy process itself is uncomfortable.

    Weekly therapy appointments are typically scheduled for 50 minutes. If you would like extended appointment times of 75 minutes or longer, please let me know and we can discuss other options.

    Additional charges may apply for coordination of care outside our regular appointment times.

  • I believe that everyone can benefit from the support and guidance of a therapist at some point in life. Unfortunately, insurance companies operate with a different set of beliefs and goals.

    I do not directly bill insurance companies and am considered an “out-of-network” provider. I will provide you with a form called a “Superbill” that includes all the medical codes and information that insurance companies require to process mental health medical claims.

    To see if your insurance will reimburse you for my services, I recommend you call your insurance provider and ask these questions:

    1) Do I have “out-of-network mental health benefits?”

    2) Do I need a referral from my primary care physician for it to be covered?

    3) Do I have an annual deductible? If so, how much is it, and have I met it yet?

    4) What is the “allowed amount” of reimbursement for psychotherapy services?

    5) Does my plan limit how many sessions I can have per year? If so, how many?

    6) Is telehealth (virtual) therapy a covered service?

    In order for you to seek reimbursement from your insurance provider, I will have to give you what’s been deemed a “medically necessary” mental health diagnosis, which will be included in your medical record.

    I think you should be congratulated and celebrated for reaching out for support in what is probably a really challenging time in your life. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have to help clarify and navigate the insurance process.

  • I provide in-person therapy in Sacramento as well as online therapy for California residents. My Sacramento therapist office is located at 949 University Avenue, Suite 200, 95825, next to the Guy West bridge at CSUS (Sac State) near the American River. My office is up the stairs on the second floor.

    Telehealth video therapy is conducted through a secure electronic medical records source.

    I am available for appointments Monday through Thursday from 10am to 5pm. Contact me to see what appointment days and times I currently have available.

  • Whether you’re looking for anxiety treatment in Sacramento or online therapy in California, you can expect to receive attentive, effective, informative, insightful, and compassionate support with me.

    It begins with your free 15-minute phone or video consultation where you can talk a little about what’s happening for you and what you want out of therapy for anxiety, and I’ll answer any questions you may have to help ensure I’m a good fit to meet your needs. If we move ahead to schedule your initial appointment, I will send you a link to my secure client portal where you can complete the intake paperwork online.

    The first appointment is typically spent exploring more about how and when you experience anxiety symptoms and their impact on your daily functioning, relationships, and self-worth. We will work together to develop treatment goals based on your unique needs. Then we will jump right into working on the skills to increase your knowledge of what happens in your brain and your body when you experience anxiety, and what to do about it.

    I offer holistic treatment approaches to soothe your anxious body and mind, including ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), Brainspotting, Somatic techniques, and expressive arts practices.

    It’s okay if the above list sounds like a bunch of psychobabble. You don’t need to decide on your own what will work best for your anxiety treatment or research each type of therapy for hours or days to get started. Let me help you figure it out by contacting me here.

  • Whether you’re looking for an in-person Sacramento therapist for depression or depression treatment via online therapy California, you can expect to receive attentive, effective, informative, insightful, and compassionate support from me.

    It begins with your free 15-minute phone or video consultation where you can talk a little about what you want from therapy and I’ll tell you more about the approaches I use and answer any other questions to help ensure I’m a good fit to meet your needs. If we move ahead to schedule your initial appointment, I will send you a link to my secure client portal where you can complete the intake paperwork online.

    The first appointment is typically spent exploring more about the details of how you experience depression and its impact on your daily functioning and your self-identity. We will work together to develop your unique treatment goals based on your needs. Then we jump right into working on the skills that will increase understanding of how depression impacts your body and your brain and learn new tools to change how it impacts you.

    I provide a unique combination of mind-body therapy approaches including CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), Brainspotting, Somatic techniques, and expressive arts practices. Depending on your learning style and needs, we’ll work together to figure out which approach(es) may work best for you.

    It’s okay if the above list sounds like a bunch of psychobabble. You don’t need to decide on your own what treatment for depression will work best or research each type of therapy to get started. Let me help you figure it out by contacting me here.

    I will also collaborate with other health providers or support persons at your request.

  • Whether you’re looking for an in-person Sacramento therapist to manage bipolar disorder or via online therapy in California, you can expect to receive attentive, effective, informative, insightful, and compassionate support from me.

    It begins with your free 15-minute video or phone consultation where you can talk a little about what’s going on for you and what you want from therapy, and I’ll answer any questions you have about my services to help ensure I’m a good fit to meet your needs. If we move ahead to schedule your initial appointment, I will send you a link to my secure client portal where you can complete the intake paperwork online.

    The first appointment is typically spent exploring more about your specific experiences with bipolar disorder symptoms and, depending on your specific needs and learning style, we work together to design your unique treatment goals. Then we jump right into working on the skills that will help you increase your understanding of how bipolar disorder impacts your body and your brain and learn new tools to stabilize your mood and increase self-confidence.

    I provide a variety of therapeutic approaches to address therapy for bipolar disorder including IPSRT (Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy), Somatic techniques, and other experiential and expressive arts practices.

    It’s okay if the above list sounds like a bunch of psychobabble. You don’t need to decide on your own what therapy for bipolar disorder will work best for your treatment. Let me help you figure it out by contacting me here.

    At your request, I will collaborate with other health providers including your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist, as well as with support persons for your treatment.

 Have more questions? Click here to schedule your free 15-minute video consultation.