Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to reach out if there are any questions you have that are not listed below.

Why should I go to therapy? My problems aren’t that bad and I should be able to figure them out on my own.

One of the things that perpetuates feeling bad is a sense of shame for feeling bad in the first place. There are no problems too big or too small to seek help for. You are a survivor. You’ve made it this far in life and have overcome every obstacle up until this point--otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Yet there are times when our existing coping skills or way we process things just don’t work the way we want them to or the way they used to. Therapy is a great way to refresh those skills and reevaluate what’s needed to move forward.

What happens in a session?

Therapy works best when it feels like a good fit. During the first few sessions we’ll be figuring this out. I’ll ask you some questions about your background, as well as what it is you are looking for in therapy to meet your needs. It’s common for people to feel reticent about starting therapy due to worry it will be opening a Pandora's box and everything will come tumbling out. You get to set the pace, and I’ll be with you to make sure you feel safe and contained.

Why is this better than talking to a friend?

Talking with friends is great! Therapy is different in multiple ways. There is something sacred about carving out a period of time every week to focus on YOU. In therapy you have a neutral, judgement-free place to process your feelings separate from the reciprocity of friendships. It can be hard to talk about difficult feelings, especially shame, with people you also have fun with. Plus therapists are equipped with years of training, both in the classroom and working with clients, to make sure they are providing mental health treatment at rigorous professional standards. 

Why is it so expensive?

I get it. Life in the Bay can make it hard to just get by. My fee is comparable to the industry standard in the area, and reflects the training and expertise I bring. While I do not take insurance, I can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. I also sometimes have sliding-scale slots available, so please contact me even if you cannot afford my full fee.

How long does it take to see changes?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. For some folks, they might find a renewed sense of hope from the first session, or real relief from what’s bothering them after a few months, while others want an ongoing venue to process their lives. There’s no wrong or right way to show up for therapy, and that includes for how long.

Do I have to come to the office? I live far away / I travel a lot.

I offer services in both San Francisco and Oakland, but in addition to office visits I also offer appointments through confidential video conferencing. If you’re traveling for work or get sick and can’t make it to the office but don’t want to cancel, we can switch to video that week. Not all issues are a good fit for video therapy though, at which point I’ll help you get set up with someone in your area.

My schedule is bonkers—how will I fit this in? Do I have to come every week?

Therapy shouldn’t feel like something else on your to do list! I offer appointments at convenient times, including before work and during lunch hours to save the valuable real-estate of your evening hours. In order to establish a relationship, we will start with weekly sessions, and from there we can talk about moving to less frequent.

I’m queer/LGBT/gender non-conforming/poly/kinky. Are you going to judge me or am I going to have to teach you what these things mean?

In a word, no. I have extensive training and experience in working with people with a host of different identities and lifestyles, including sex and sexuality. I also know that just because these are aspects of your life, it doesn’t mean these are things needing to be addressed as issues. For example, problems in a poly relationship doesn’t mean being poly is the problem. While I am familiar with these lifestyles and identities, I want to know what it’s like for YOU living in the world, and how it informs your experience.

If you were not a therapist, what would you be?

Excellent question! I LOVE being a therapist and am plum shocked I get to do what I love for work every day. If I wasn’t doing this, I would be a visual artist.