People seek therapy because symptoms of anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, trauma etc are interfering with daily life. They may affect relationships with friends and family, self esteem, ability to focus or concentrate, decision making, sleep, eating, success at work or school, and other aspects of life. Therapy can help you be able to navigate life with more ease, understand emotions, communicate effectively, shift unhelpful patterns, and feel less overwhelmed by upsetting memories.

It’s very hard to tell if a therapist is a good fit for you without meeting them. This is why I request all potential clients meet with me for free consultation before deciding to begin therapy with me. During a consultation we’ll discuss why you’re seeking therapy, past therapy experiences, your interests, strengths and resources, my approach to therapy and any other questions you might have. Most importantly, you’ll gain a sense of who I am and how I can support you. If you feel safe, comfortable, seen and heard by a therapist, and they are experienced in addressing your needs in a way that makes sense to you, that provider is likely a good fit. Other factors such as proximity and availability should also be considered when deciding on a provider. I encourage you to consult with at least one other therapist to support an informed, confident decision.

Mental health and healthcare professionals agree the answer is typically YES! Your child’s mental and emotional well-being affects everything else in their lives including school performance. Untreated mental health symptoms can directly impact concentration, attention, motivation, self-esteem and friendships. Though of course your child’s education is very important, if they are already struggling at school due to mental health, missing school to treat symptoms can reduce sick days, tardies, power struggles or arguments about going to school, and overall absences down the line. Additionally, therapy can support improved grades, self-esteem and peer relationships, contributing to a more successful school experience.
As a parent, I very much understand the challenges with balancing everything – school, hobbies, friendships, sports-with mental health and medical care. I encourage parents to remember that mental health care is a temporary service, and that though it may be challenging to fit this into an already busy schedule, the benefits of a child’s improved mood and functioning contribute to long-term, overall increased ease in day-to-day life. If you have additional questions or concerns about your child missing school, we can discuss these during an initial consultation.

For more information:

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2021/03/missing-school-for-mental-health-treatment

Unfortunately there isn’t a straightforward answer to this question. There are a variety of reasons why someone doesn’t want to do therapy or wishes to end before goals are reached. Whether your child has been coming to therapy for a while or is a potential new client, I encourage a discussion about their unwillingness to participate in therapy either in a scheduled session or a consultation.

In my experience people participate in therapy anywhere from a few months to a few years. There are a lot of factors contributing to how long you may be in therapy including your goals, how often we meet, and your life circumstances and resources. We can discuss your hopes for length of therapy during an initial consultation.

Regardless of your child’s age, I strongly encourage parent engagement in their child’s mental health services. Depending on your child’s age, their symptoms, challenges, their agreement and your openness, we may meet for parent meetings as often as every other week or as infrequently as once every 3 months. Your engagement can increase understanding about mental health symptoms in children/teens, learn ways to support your child’s therapy process, and develop strategies to effectively address challenging or unsafe behaviors. I DO NOT share information your child shares with me in sessions with parents/caregivers. Youth over 12 must consent to any release of information about their counseling, including to parents/caregivers. This can affect the frequency and depth of parent/caregiver engagement. Regardless of age, I believe in transparency with youth when I am meeting with their parents, caregivers, or other outside resource. They will typically know I am speaking with you, the purpose of speaking with you, and given the opportunity to provide input about what they want and don’t want shared.

I’m sorry your last experience was negative, and recognize it can be hard to return after a bad experience. I admire your courage and openness to give therapy another try. Unfortunately there is no way to know for certain that this experience will be different other than to get to know the provider. Even if you decide to work with a new therapist, it can take a session or two to begin building trust. When interviewing therapists, I encourage you to share with them about your past experiences and ask how they will address concerns to prevent a repeat bad experience. If a therapist’s responses resonate with you, it is an indication they are a provider worth building trust with. I invite all clients to share feedback and concerns with me throughout our time together.

Yes! I am experienced in coordinating care with both other professionals and natural supports. In my observations, clients experience higher rates of progress and success when treatment is coordinated, particularly when there are several other professionals supporting one’s mental health. It is always my client’s decision who I coordinate services with, and to what extent. Only relevant information that my client has consented to being disclosed will be shared when coordinating care. Billing will be coordinated with clients individually.

Most people seek therapy with the hope of making changes in their life, and expect to explore and examine difficult, painful emotions and experiences. Therefore I would rather frame this question as “what unexpected outcomes might I experience in therapy/as a result of therapy?” You may be surprised at the intensity of emotions and discomfort experienced during therapy. Therapy may also reveal new concerns and bring up past trauma not identified before, or that you believed was resolved. People may experience unanticipated changes in relationships and other life areas. If your child is participating in therapy, you may notice an increase in challenging behaviors, particularly if you are shifting expectations and boundaries. It’s not uncommon for things to “get worse before they get better”. I strongly encourage potential and current clients to share concerns and questions about risks vs. benefits of therapy. Throughout our time together, I will support you in processing and exploring unexpected challenges and experiences in therapy.

I’m an LMFT, which means Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. My license lets me work with children/teens, famllies, individuals, and couples as well as facilitate group therapy. I have a Masters in Psychology, and met state requirements for this license. I’m allowed to diagnose and treat mental health disorders within my scope of competence. I may not do psychological ,developmental or neuro-psych assessments such as for Autism. I also may not prescribe medication.

LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. They have a similar scope of practice as LMFT’s, and also have additional training and experience in case management. LCSW’s work in different settings such as social services and hospitals.

Psychologists have a Ph.D or Psy.D, and have met state requirements to be a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. In addition to what an LMFT can do, their license allows them to conduct psychological, developmental and neuro-psych assessments.

Psychiatrist: Psychiatrists are Medical Doctors (MD’s). They might provide some therapy, though typically medication evaluation, recommendations, treatment and supervision of medication. Some psychiatrists also offer assessment for some specific diagnosis, such as ADHD in adults.

Yes, insurance will pay for mental health services though coverage for in-network vs. out-of-network may vary. Because I don’t accept insurance I am considered an out-of-network provider. I offer superbills for clients interested in reimbursement from their insurance carrier for mental health services. If you wish for insurance to cover your therapy services with me, I encourage you to contact your insurance carrier and ask if your plan will accept a superbill from an out of network provider. If you are interested in learning more, we can discuss a superbill option during our consultation.

My license is issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS). Thanks to telehealth I can work with anyone within state lines, regardless of distance. Unfortunately once you’re out of state, I typically can’t meet with you since most states require providers hold a license issued by the state the client is in, even if it’s a temporary visit. If you plan to be out of town for a length of time or moving and wish to receive mental health support, we can discuss options within the area you will be staying or living.

EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences (Maxfield, 2019).

www.emdria.org

IFS is a is much more than a non-pathologizing evidence-based psychotherapy often used to address various challenges and mental health symptoms that people seek treatment for. It is a transformative tool that conceives every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts lead by a core Self.

IFS is frequently used as an evidence-based psychotherapy, helping people heal by accessing and healing their protective and wounded inner parts. IFS creates inner and outer connectedness by helping people first access their Self and, from that core, come to understand and heal their parts.
For more information: https://ifs-institute.com/