Where do we meet?

I meet with clients on telehealth, via GoogleMeets, and in person in the historic McNear Building, in downtown Petaluma (7 4th street, Petaluma CA, 94952). Contact me about available time-slots and to discuss if in-person or telehealth is a better fit for your needs.

Do you work with clients outside of CA?

No, I’m only licensed to support clients with therapy inside of CA. If you resonate with my style and approach, you can still reach out and share the state where you’re located. I have colleagues all over the country and I’m happy to refer you to.

Do you work with all ages?

I primarily support Adults in my practice. My approach works best with clients who have the ability to reflect and gain perspective on their past. I do enjoy working with teens 16+ who are a good fit for telehealth and have strong self-reflection skills and seem like they would benefit from my style. Feel free to contact me for more information.

How long does therapy take?

The length of time it takes to complete your treatment goals is very client-specific, however I will work closely with you to develop an initial treatment plan and we will be checking in during session on where you’re noticing improvements and what goals feel stuck. The length of treatment is therapist-informed and client-driven. I will share openly the areas of growth that we can explore in sessions, while respecting whenever you want to end or change the cadence. You pay per session, and can choose for whatever reason to pause therapy, shift to bi-weekly, end therapy or request a referral to a new therapist.

How much does it cost?

Sessions are $225 for a Individual Session and Adjunctive Sessions (50 minutes), and $260 for a Couple’s Session (50 minutes). I have some sliding-scale spots, please reach out to discuss further. I accept credit card payments through IvyPay. I do not accept insurance, however I can provide superbills for clients with PPO insurance.

What is EMDR? And Do I have to do EMDR to work with you?

No, you don’t have to do EMDR or any modality that I suggest in sessions - I will suggest options and follow your lead on what you’re wanting. Also, most people think of EMDR as going straight to trauma reprocessing. In fact, there is a whole menu of options and different phases of EMDR work. We do not start with traumatic memories, we spend the beginning of our work building a therapeutic relationship and creating a sense of safety with guided meditations, and strengthening your internal positive beliefs and resources. Once the foundation is there to explore past memories, we collaborate on an approach that fits with your window of tolerance.

EMDR was first introduced in the 1990s as a modality to treat PTSD and was initially used to support veterans and sexual assault survivors with severe PTSD symptoms. The applications of EMDR has broadened significantly since it started. You don’t have to have PTSD to use EMDR, you simply have to have a negative belief about yourself that seems to be impacting your well-being and that you’re interested in exploring further. EMDR doesn’t erase, replace or change your past memories; it simply supports you to shift your relationship to those memories, which can create space to have a different mindset in the present and future.

What does “Certified Sex Informed Professional” Mean? And What happens in a session?

This certificate means that I’ve completed an in-depth course (35+ hours) with consultation that reviews the current best practices for supporting couples and individuals to work on whatever goals around pleasure and desire that they’re bringing to therapy. Some clients want to include this in their treatment plan, and some clients do not - it’s always their choice what we explore. Additionally, during sessions clients are able to share as little or as much detail as they choose around their sex lives.

In a session, clients engage in communication exercises with their partner to deepen each person’s understanding of what is blocking pleasure and intimacy, and then I will suggest homework they can explore at-home by themselves or with a partner.