Beginning Therapy
Beginning therapy often brings questions. Some are practical. Others are deeply personal. The questions below are the ones women most often ask before we begin our work together. If your question isn't here, I hope you'll ask it during our consultation.
How do we begin?
We begin with a complimentary 20-minute telephone consultation to clarify whether working together feels right for both of us. You can ask questions about how I work, and we can discuss whether this approach is appropriate for your needs and goals.
What happens during the first session?
Our first session is an opportunity to begin getting to know one another. You will have time to get a sense of me and what it is like to work with me. I want to understand what brings you to therapy, what concerns you most, what you hope for, and what questions you may have.
There is no expectation that you tell your entire life story. We begin where you are, at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
What is the relationship between therapist and client like?
Psychotherapy is a professional relationship, but it is also a deeply human one. Over time, we come to know one another within the particular boundaries and purpose of therapy.
I bring my attention, experience, curiosity, and respect to our work. You bring your experience as honestly as you are able. Trust develops over time. The relationship itself can become part of the work as we notice how you experience being heard, understood, disagreed with, challenged, or cared about.
How often do we meet?
My practice centers on women in midlife and beyond. If you are outside that range and feel drawn to this work, we can discuss whether this is an appropriate fit.
How long do people usually remain in therapy?
Most clients meet with me once or twice each week. At times, more frequent sessions may be appropriate. We decide together what schedule best supports the work.
How long do people usually remain in therapy?
There is no single answer. Some women seek help with a specific life transition or challenge. Others discover that therapy becomes an important part of a longer journey of personal growth.
We discuss your goals regularly and make decisions together about the pace and length of our work.
What if I need to cancel or change an appointment?
You are financially responsible for your scheduled appointments. If you need to make a change, I will do my best to find another day and time within the same week. If we are able to reschedule within that week, there is no additional charge.
Do you accept insurance?
I’m a private-pay provider and can provide a superbill for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Please check your plan's benefits.
Where do I need to be located for our sessions?
I am licensed in California, Arizona, Florida, and Oregon. Because psychotherapy is regulated by the state in which you are physically located at the time of your session, you need to be in one of these states when we meet.
Is therapy confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is one of the foundations of psychotherapy. There are a few legal exceptions designed to protect safety, and I will explain these fully before we begin our work together so you understand both the protections and the limits of confidentiality.
Questions about Growth and Change
How do I know if depth psychotherapy is right for me?
You may be functioning well in many areas of your life while sensing that something remains unresolved or undiscovered. Perhaps old patterns continue despite your best efforts, or you find yourself asking new questions about identity, purpose, relationships, creativity, or what the next chapter of your life might hold.
If you are curious about understanding yourself more deeply, depth psychotherapy may be worth exploring. Our consultation gives us an opportunity to consider whether this approach—and working with me—feels right for you.
How fast will I feel better?
There is no timetable for feeling better. Sometimes relief begins early, simply because you are no longer carrying an experience alone or because something that has confused you begins to make sense. Other changes take longer.
Depth psychotherapy gives us time to understand the patterns beneath what is troubling you so that change can develop from greater awareness rather than willpower alone.
Do I have to talk about my childhood?
Only if it becomes relevant. The focus is always on your life as you are living it today. At times, early experiences help us understand patterns that continue to influence your present. When they do, we explore them thoughtfully and only to the extent they are helpful to your growth.
What if I don't remember my dreams?
Dreams often enrich depth psychotherapy, but they are never required. Some women remember dreams frequently. Others rarely do. We work with whatever naturally emerges, including thoughts, emotions, relationships, memories, imagination, and the experiences of everyday life.
What if I'm afraid to look deeper?
Many women share that concern when they first begin therapy. The pace of our work is collaborative and respects your readiness. Depth psychotherapy does not force disclosure or emotional intensity.
As trust develops, you may find that you are able to explore experiences that once felt too difficult to approach, knowing that we can slow down, stop, or change direction when necessary.
Can depth psychotherapy help even if I'm functioning well?
Yes. Many women who seek me out are highly capable and successful. They have built meaningful lives, careers, and relationships, yet sense that something within them is asking for attention.
They are not simply trying to solve problems. They may be seeking greater authenticity, freedom, creativity, purpose, or a deeper relationship with themselves. Depth psychotherapy offers a place for that exploration.
Do you work only with women in midlife and beyond?
You are financially responsible for your scheduled appointments. If you need to make a change, I will do my best to find another day and time within the same week. If we are able to reschedule within that week, there is no additional charge.
Do you work only with women in midlife and beyond?
Yes. My practice is devoted to women in midlife and beyond.
Do you work with eating disorders?
Yes. Eating disorder recovery has been a central part of my professional life for more than four decades. I work with adult women struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, emotional eating, body image concerns, and the deeper emotional issues that often accompany them.
I am also the author of Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder.
Is it ever too late to change?
No.
One of the great privileges of my work has been watching women continue to grow throughout adulthood. I have seen women in their forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond discover new confidence, deeper relationships, renewed creativity, and greater freedom.
The second half of life can bring losses, limitations, and changes we did not choose. It can also reveal possibilities that could only become available because of the life we have already lived.
More living lies ahead.
Does contacting you establish a psychotherapy relationship?
No. Sending an email, requesting a consultation, or communicating with me through this website does not establish a therapist-client relationship. A psychotherapy relationship begins only after we have agreed to work together and the appropriate consent and practice documents have been completed.
Is the information on this website psychotherapy or medical advice?
No. The information on this website is provided for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized psychotherapy, medical care, or other professional advice.
If this speaks to something you have been longing to understand or explore, I invite you to request a complimentary 20-minute telephone consultation. We can talk about what brings you to psychotherapy, answer your questions, and consider whether working together feels right for both of us.
