What is your attendance policy?
When we agree on an appointment time, that represents time reserved for you. If you need to cancel or reschedule, you must provide me with 24 hours advance notice or you will be charged the full fee. I usually don’t charge for unforeseen car trouble (not traffic) or illness. Late arrivals will be charged the full fee and sessions end at the scheduled time. Although it is rare, from time to time it may become necessary for me to cancel our appointment time. This could be due to illness, family emergencies or other circumstances I cannot predict. When possible, I will offer you a rescheduled appointment time. If you have any questions about this policy, I will be happy to discuss it with you.
What forms of payment do you accept?
I accept cash, credit and debit cards.
Do you take insurance?
I do not take insurance, however I am happy to provide you with monthly statements you can submit for out of network reimbursement.
What are your fees?
Please contact me for my current fee schedule.
Do I have to be Buddhist, religious, or spiritual to benefit from mindfulness practice?
No. The capacity to notice your experience without judgement or blame is a human capacity and is not owned by any tradition. Mindfulness has deep roots in many of the worlds contemplative traditions and many people do report a deeper connection to their own spirituality because of their practice, however mindfulness can be practiced by anyone, anytime, anywhere.
What is meant by contemplative psychotherapy?
Contemplation means to consider something deeply and thoughtfully. In therapy, this means staying open and curious; continually waking up to your experience as it unfolds. It means learning to turn toward your experience rather than turning away. It means slowing down, taking a breath and allowing things to unfold organically rather than trying to make things happen. It means learning to take thoughtful, skillful, reflective action in your life.
What tools will I gain in therapy?
Most people who come to therapy are interested in relief. For many, that means learning specific tools, developing responses or cultivating specific practices they can apply during times of distress. These can be very helpful, however in my experience, the most transformative tools are those that require time, patience and practice to develop.
For example, applying a new communication tool during a conflict is helpful, and learning to trust in your basic goodness is transformative. Taking a breath and counting to 10 can be very helpful, but being willing to take that breath, slow down, step out of automatic pilot and self-reflect is the kind of resource that transforms our experience. Being able to effectively manage anger is critically important, however being willing to consider multiple perspectives has the power to transform individual lives, relationships, families, communities and nations.
Whether the resource involves something specific like a breathing practice, the cultivation of qualities like acceptance, patience and kindness or holding a different orientation toward life, these resources combine to create a powerful and portable “toolbox” in service of your emotional well-being and the healing of our planet.
What will therapy be like?
Good therapy starts with establishing a strong, emotionally safe container that invites exploration and growth. My day-to-day approach to therapy is improvisational and fluid. This reflects both my personal style and my belief that a flexible approach is most responsive and applicable to real life. People seem to quickly feel at home in my presence and have described my style as warm, authentic, insightful, and humorous (if not slightly irreverent).
I use a variety of approaches to address the problems, concerns or goals you bring forward. For some, therapy can be short term, in which we practice specific tools or skills that might help develop new perspectives, challenge problematic thinking patterns or foster insight . For others, therapy can be long term, addressing trauma, developmental issues or deeper emotional wounds. In my experience, the best therapy happens when we’re willing to slow down, attune to the unfolding of our experience in real time and allow the heart, mind and body to speak fully.
As part of our work together I may teach you specific skills, suggest approaches or offer perspectives related to your concerns. At times, I might ask you to take specific actions, practice certain techniques, or read relevant literature outside the therapy session. Throughout our time together you can expect care, compassion, insight and support from me as we join to help you grow and reach your goals.
I work best with clients who are curious, who come to therapy willingly and are ready to take an active role in the change process.
Ultimately, each therapy session is different, uniquely tailored to your needs and is always informed by the dynamic interaction of our personalities and the particular concerns you bring forward.
Healing can take time and does not always yield immediate results, so I am generally not the best fit for those interested in quick fixes, formulas, or a rigidly structured treatment approach.
Whatever your goals for therapy may be, I am happy to talk to you about them.
- Please be aware I do not provide court mandated treatment, nor do I conduct forensic evaluations, assist with disability claims or related issues. I also do not have the expertise in legal matters related to mental health, including child custody.
How do I begin?
I offer a free phone consultation that lasts about 10-15 minutes. During the conversation I will ask a few questions that will give me a general sense of your concerns and how I might be able to help you. I can also answer questions you might have for me. We will agree on a meeting time and go from there.
Following our phone conversation, I will ask you to download and complete the forms on this website and we will go over them together during our first meeting. I am currently available to see clients on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I also offer weekend appointments.