Therapy FAQ

Therapy comes in so many forms! In my practice, I provide virtual therapy using a secure online platform.

Most clients seek therapy in the first place because at least part of them knows something has to change. This may be their own behaviors or reactions, their emotional experiences, or relationships with others.

Therapy provides a dedicated time, place, and supportive person with whom to explore these areas of life.

Throughout the therapy hour, you can expect to discuss your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, physical reactions, and history, as well as goals for acceptance or change.

If you’re here because you’re interested in therapy with me, check out the Therapy Services page for more information or Contact Me to get started!

If I’m not the right fit for any reason, read on for some helpful resources.

First I’ll provide a few general resources that apply to everyone in the US. Below that you’ll find Houston-specific resources.

I also have a quick video on finding what you want from therapy!(Note: this was created when I was in a previous role).

Keep in mind, if you do virtual therapy you can meet with anyone licensed in your state, so if therapists in your city are limited, you can expand your search!

Psychology Today
This is one of the largest databases of verified licensed therapists. You can filter by areas of expertise that are important to you, in-person or virtual sessions, types of therapy, insurance, and more!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/

Open Path Collective
This is a network of verified licensed therapists offering sessions at a sliding scale price range from $30-60 per session (very low for self-pay). You can filter and search by factors that are important to you. There is a 1-time fee of $60 I believe to access the database.
https://openpathcollective.org/

Loveland Foundation
With the barriers affecting access to treatment by members of diverse ethnic and racial groups, the Loveland Therapy Fund provides financial assistance to Black women and nonbinary individuals seeking therapy. Loveland Therapy Fund recipients will have access to comprehensive lists of mental health professionals across the country providing high quality, culturally competent services to Black women and girls.

Also if you can donate to them, you should!

https://thelovelandfoundation.org

GREATER HOUSTON AREA

As I am located in Houston, Texas, the rest of these resources are targeted for that area.

Community Health Network
This resource offers virtual and in-person therapy and other medical services at many locations in the Greater Houston Area. They work with most insurance as well as provide lower cost therapy for those without coverage. They offer groups as well!
https://mychn.org/services/bh/

The Montrose Center
The Montrose Center has one of the most comprehensive array of counseling services among LGBTQ centers in the nation. Their licensed master level therapists know what it means to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or a sexual minority, and can guide you through life’s hurdles while linking you with other important and useful resources throughout the community to help you achieve greater health and fulfillment.  
https://montrosecenter.org/services/behavioral-health/

Jewish Family Services
Jewish Family Service offers effective trauma-informed therapy for children, teens, adults, seniors, couples and families.  You do not have to be affiliated with Judaism to receive services.
https://www.alexanderjfs.org/services/behavioral-mental-health-services

Legacy Community Health
This is a community health agency with many locations across Houston providing low-cost care to those without insurance. There is likely a wait list. More information on their mental health services is available here.
https://www.legacycommunityhealth.org/services/behavioral-health/

The Harris Center
This is the local mental health authority (LMHA) for Harris County. If you live in another county, use this website to locate your LMHA.
This is a low-cost provider of mental health and other necessary health care needs. If you are someone who believes you will need a variety of mental health resources beyond therapy in the future, I recommend getting in contact with them. 
https://www.theharriscenter.org/services/adult-behavioral-health-services

The Hope and Healing Center
This agency provides free therapy in the galleria area. They may have a wait list as well. Sign up for their services list here:
https://hopeandhealingcenter.org/services/cbt-based-mental-health-coaching/

There are just a few steps to getting to the actual therapy itself!

1. Free 15-minute consult call - This call helps us see if we’re a good fit! You get to ask me questions and hear a bit about my approach.
   
   You can book your free consultation with me here.
   

2. Onboarding paperwork - I have an online platform that allows you to conveniently submit all paperwork prior to starting our work together. This helps guide our initial intake session and lays out what we can expect from each other in the therapy relationship.

3. Intake session - During this full session, I learn so much about your therapy needs and what you hope to achieve. We decide together if we want to move forward with ongoing sessions. I also use this time to go over any nitty-gritty details about our work together.

4. Ongoing sessions - Depending on your therapy goals, sometimes it is very time-limited, other times it can be ongoing. This depends on so many factors, most importantly your needs! As a range, I’ve done therapy with some folks for 6-12 sessions, whereas others have chosen to see me for years.

Length

Therapy sessions with me generally last 50 or so minutes. There may be sessions that end sooner either for logistical reasons, client fatigue, or more. Sometimes they last a bit longer.

Frequency

I recommend starting therapy on a weekly basis if possible. In the get-to-know-you phase of initial sessions, it’s really helpful to meet weekly to start working toward the goals that matter most to you!

With that said, I trust you to know what’s best for you. If you find that biweekly sessions meet your needs, great!

Duration

While some clients want to tackle specific issues as quickly as possible, others appreciate an ongoing space to tend to their needs. I work well with both!

I offer CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD) which is ~12 sessions, and have seen clients recover and exit treatment in that timeframe. In addition, I am trained in the UP (Unified Protocol of CBT) for adolescents and TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT) which can take 12 to ~20 sessions give or take. I’m also comfortable working with clients on an ongoing basis and have seen clients for years when they find that most helpful.

These are general guidelines based on my experience, and I am open to discussing a therapy plan that works well for you!

I’m so grateful to be able to provide flexible, high quality therapy to my clients to best meet their needs.

In order to maintain this practice, I do not currently accept insurance.

My rate for therapy is $175 per session.

I also offer a limited number of sliding-scale slots. Please contact me for more information or to book a consultation!

I work outside of insurance so I can provide specialized, consistent care without the limitations that insurance often imposes. If you are looking for in-network options, I recommend using the resources listed above under “How Do I Find a Therapist?”

Superbills
While I don’t accept insurance, I am able to create a superbill for your services. Some insurance companies allow you to submit a superbill from an out-of-network provider and will reimburse a percentage of the claim. I provide the superbill, then clients can contact their insurance to obtain these benefits.

I see clients ages 15 and up. Although I don’t have a cap, the eldest client I’ve seen is in their 80s. At Baylor we have a geriatric psychiatry clinic meaning I have worked with many clients over 60. I love working with older teens and adults of all ages!

I’ve been lucky to work with a diverse array of clients by practicing in community mental health settings for years. I support my clients’ rights to self-expression of their identities and enjoy working with LGBTQ clients.

The work I do best centers on trauma, stress, self-compassion, communication struggles, and perfectionism. I use attachment research, an understanding of family systems, the therapeutic relationship, and mindfulness to help empower clients make informed, connected decisions that align with their values. I also identify as an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and find work with other HSPs incredibly rewarding!

You may want to work with me if you seek to increase self-acceptance, to better understand and deal with overwhelming feelings, and to communicate openly and directly — even when it’s really tough. When you learn to manage difficult emotions and strained relationships, things seem to fall into place much easier. This frees you up to focus on living your best life possible.

One aspect of being an ethical therapist is called practicing “within your scope.” My scope includes working with trauma and PTSD, anxiety, perfectionism, and more!

When I don’t have the expertise to provide ethical therapy, I refer to other providers to make sure you receive the best possible care. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of the types of struggles and situations that may lead me to refer out:

• Substance Use & Addiction

• Court-Mandated Therapy

• Mania & Hypomania

• Audio & Visual Hallucinations

• Eating Disorders

• Body Dysmorphia

• Children under 14

• Dissociative Identity Disorder

• Neurocognitive Disorder & Dementia

• Active Suicidality

• Active Crisis

• Couples

• Hoarding

• Testing & Evaluation

• Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Designation Requests

• Pre-Operative Therapy for Gender-Affirming Care or other Major Surgery
  (I fully support my clients’ right to gender-affirming healthcare! However I have had no training in this area and it is therefore out of my scope to offer services that may influence approval or denial of their access to necessary care.)

Therapy, like any worthwhile endeavor, involves a certain level of risk. Namely, therapy can stir up difficult memories and emotions.

While this is not always the case, it’s not uncommon for clients to report things get a little worse before they get better. This may be because they’re exploring difficult thoughts and emotions and haven’t yet developed the skills to cope.

The good news is that many forms of therapy are well-researched and demonstrated to be effective. I offer several of these evidence-based practices.*

Feeling on the Fence
Honoring your own needs and changing the status quo of your life has pros and cons. It is really normal to question if it’s worth it and go back and forth! If you experience this, I hope you are comfortable bringing it up. It’s an important part of the therapy process.

Lastly, no one can guarantee that therapy will provide the exact results you are hoping for. We can cite research and experience and talk about what typically happens, but those are not guarantees. That said, anyone who comes to therapy with some level of openness to the experience (with a qualified provider) is likely to experience positive change, insight, and growth toward the life they hope to live.

*Note: just because a therapeutic modality hasn’t been researched in a fashion centering the medical model and scientific method doesn’t mean it’s ineffective! There are lots of biases in therapy research, and it does not center all voices and cultures equally. This is important to keep in mind when discussing evidence-based practice.

There are several reasons why therapy may end. Here are some common scenarios:

• You feel better! This is the ideal situation. You achieved at least some of the goals you were aiming for and feel ready to move on.

• You take a break. Sometimes it’s not the right time logistically, financially, or otherwise. It’s okay to leave and come back when you’re ready. Knowing you’re ready is half the battle!

• You don’t like it. If you start therapy with a provider and something feels off, the fit isn’t right, or the services aren’t meeting your needs, you have every right to stop attending.

  If you are working with me and this is the case, I hope you feel comfortable to share that information so I can provide you with a referral to someone who may be a better match for your needs!
  
  Note:
  Therapists are used to this and should receive the news with grace, understanding, and helpfulness. We are also people too, and it’s natural for uncomfortable feelings to arise based on our own experiences and interpretations. And, it’s our job to manage any feelings that arise when a client decides to leave.

  Also - If you want to end therapy but have a session scheduled, let your therapist know if you are not attending in order to avoid any late cancellation and no-show fees!