No Pressure — It all Starts with Just a quick conversation
Therapy works best when you feel comfortable, understood, and clear about the direction you’re heading in.
I typically start with free 15-minute phone consultation. This gives us a chance to talk briefly about what you’re looking for and how I might be able to help.
This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have about what therapy is like or what I’m like.
Therapy has the best chance of succeeding when we decide together if it’s potentially the right fit and if working together feels like the right next step.
If we both agree, we schedule a first session!
first session — Getting to Know Each Other
My first priority is to help you feel at ease in my office.
As you settle in, we’ll talk some about what brings you here — your individual, relationship, or work concerns. We’ll get to know something about how your life has unfolded over the years and where you are at today. We will talk about your hopes and fears about therapy, any previous experiences (good or bad), and about how you want this experience to go.
I’ll help you articulate the real change you want in your life. I’ll give you an idea of what I see and how I think I can help. I’ll help you understand more about how therapy works and how I work. We can talk about how long we might work together and how you’ll know when you’re done.
Of course, initial sessions are a chance for you to assess me too! Feel free to ask anything you want about me, my practice, or about the process of getting started.
By the end of the hour, we decide together if continued sessions feel like a good idea.
What to Bring — the Emotional and the Practical
Please come as you are — I’m a big believer in starting a session with whatever’s on you mind the moment you sit down on the couch. At the same time, if it helps you to have more of an intention about what to talk about that’s also welcome.
Before our first session, you’ll have received access to my secure client portal. There you can access my intake documents: consent forms, questionnaire, insurance info. I’ll send a separate email with office directions, tele-health instructions and some other getting started info.
I ask that you complete all documents the day before we meet so I have a chance to look over them.
some Business Stuff
I see folks both in-person and through tele-health in my office in Bellevue, WA.
My experience has been that in-person is a bit more effective but it’s also nice increasing access to help for those who can’t easily get to my office.
My fee is 190.00 for a 53 minute individual or couples session.
My fee for a clinical case consultation is also 190.00 for a 53 minute hour.
I typically charge for missed appointments with less than 48 hours notice. If we can re-schedule your appointment within the week, I'll waive the charge. I don’t generally charge for last minute cancellations due to illness.
Your insurance may cover a portion of your therapy cost. You are also welcome to pay privately. I encourage potential patients to ask their insurance provider what their coverage is before beginning treatment.
I am in-network with Premera and Lifewise only. All other insurance providers will be billed at their out-of-network rate. You should note that the couples therapy I provide is not generally covered by insurance; private payment is usually required.
I am happy to answer any and all questions you might have about the business of therapy in our initial session.