How do I know if therapy is right for me?

Therapy (when well-tailored to the individual) is a good thing, but not everyone needs therapy all the time. Here are some of the circumstances in which I usually recommend therapy.

• You're experiencing a high level of distress/disconnection and don't know how to address it

• You don't have a lot of community to lean on at this time

• You don't feel comfortable disclosing your current challenges to your community

• You have an issue that requires specialized attention from an expert in order to make good progress (for instance, a personality issue, OCD, etc.)

When in doubt, feel free to contact me for a free 15-minute consultation to discuss the potential fit of therapy for addressing your particular issue.

What will happen after I contact you?

When you contact me feel free to leave some times you're available - our next step will be to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation. This is a chance for us to experience what it is like to talk to each other. No preparation is necessary but you are welcome to think in advance about what questions you want to ask me and what your goals for therapy would be. 

If at the end of our phone call we don't feel there's a fit, I will give you appropriate referrals. 

If we think it could be a fit, we will meet for a one to three 50-minute consultation sessions. At the end of our consultation process I will give my impressions of what may be going on for you and what treatment might be useful. We can decide what frequency makes sense for you, and for how long.

Can I work with you for a short time, or on something very specific?

Yes! I have a background in brief therapy, meaning I can work with more specialized goals for short periods of time. During our phone call and initial sessions, we can assess whether this is a good fit for you and if so, for which amount of time.

So is this just talking?

While we will talk, talking is a means to an end rather than an end goal. You and I will create a space of trust and understanding to work on your stated goals, and the way we do this will depend on what you personally are needing.  For instance, sometimes I help create more moments to pause between  words/actions so that patients can learn how to be less reactive and more aware of their internal states. Or, we may collaboratively explore your assumptions about the world so that you can gain the perspective and agency to try out something new in life. Or,  whatever interpersonal patterns you've developed throughout your life will come up in the therapy session, and together we will create new patterns. I incorporate mindfulness practices, sleep hygiene, CBT-based anxiety and depression techniques, and other strategies as relevant.

How much does therapy with you cost?

My fee is comparable to that of other clinical psychologists in East Bay with similar education, training, and expertise. My base fee is $225 per hour, $250 for couples – if you have out-of-network benefits through your PPO plan. I also take several types of insurance, which you can see in the Rates/Insurance tab above.

Do you work well with trauma?

Yes! My style of therapy is trauma-informed. Trauma often affects how we interact with others and often becomes intertwined with whatever you come to therapy wanting to work on.