Therapy is a collaborative process that provides a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with a trained professional. It’s not just about getting advice; it’s about gaining self-awareness, learning healthy coping skills, and understanding the underlying patterns that influence your life. Therapy can help you manage stress, navigate major life transitions, overcome past trauma, improve your relationships, and ultimately, build a more fulfilling and empowered life.
Finding the right fit often comes down to your comfort and connection with the therapist. The most important factor is the therapeutic alliance – do you feel safe, respected, and understood? During the Intake Meeting, and especially the first few sessions, pay attention to whether you feel the therapist is listening without judgment, asking questions that lead to insight, and explaining their approach in a way that makes sense to you. It’s perfectly fine to interview a few therapists or bring up any hesitations you have; a good therapist will welcome this discussion and respect your need to find someone who aligns with your personality and goals.
An intake meeting is a no-charge phone or video meeting, typically 10-20 minutes long. This meeting is so that you, the client, can decide if you wish to work with me, the therapist, and can determine if I am a proper fit for you and your needs.
This meeting is most productive if the client has skimmed at least my FAQ and Treatment Specialties pages beforehand.
The first session is a low-pressure meeting to review the initial paperwork, get to know each other, and identify initial goals. You won’t have to dive into your deepest issues right away. We’ll begin by reviewing key paperwork, such as confidentiality guidelines and practice policies. Then, you’ll be invited to share what brings you to therapy, what challenges you’re currently facing, and what you hope to achieve. I’ll ask questions about your history, symptoms, and goals to start building a complete picture. The main objective is for us to see if we’re a good fit and to begin shaping a personalized plan for our work together.
Confidentiality is both an ethical and legal obligation of every therapist, and one I take very seriously. Like most therapists, I believe this is an essential element in the therapeutic relationship.
There are exceptions, however, when a therapist must break confidentiality. Generally, these include:
- If the client poses a danger to themselves or others
- If the therapist suspects the abuse of a child or an elderly adult, or an otherwise dependent adult
- If they are legally forced to by court order
Unfortunately, no. However, I do offer superbills if your insurance accepts them. According to SimplePractice, “a superbill for insurance is an invoice or statement that is specifically designed for out-of-network clients or patients who are seeking insurance reimbursement for mental health services, such as therapy sessions. Essentially, the superbill for therapy is an itemized list of all services provided to a client, showing the charges and payments for those services.”
Additionally, for those who need it, I offer sliding scale fees based on income. We can discuss this during an intake meeting (this is usually a phone or video call and is separate from the first meeting.)
Please use the Contact page or leave me a message at 818-527-2743. I generally respond within two business days. Please note that if you have a physical or mental health emergency, immediately call 911.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. The number of therapy sessions you will need is highly individual and depends on several factors. Ultimately, the number of sessions is up to the client. Rather than prescribe a minimum and maximum number of sessions, I prefer to have an understanding with my clients that as long as the client wishes to continue therapy, the client and the therapist both feel progress is being made, and the client identifies and wishes to work on therapeutic goals, I am willing to be of assistance to the client.