How do I know if you’re the right therapist for me? I believe in the idea of fit, and I know that I won’t be the right therapist for everyone. I encourage you to make an appointment to talk with me in depth and to meet with other therapists before making your decision.

Do you charge for an initial consultation? To ensure that you have an opportunity to make an informed choice, I charge for our first session only if you and I decide to work together. I don’t charge for the first session if we don’t continue meeting, and I’m happy to work with you to find the right person.

My former therapist said so little, and it made me uncomfortable! Some analysts say little in the hopes of intensifying the “transference” of emotions one had for early caregivers onto the therapist, with the idea that those emotions can then be explored in the resulting dynamic. I believe these feelings are important for us to examine, but they are present regardless of the therapist’s approach. I don’t leave you alone in the conversation because a trusting, engaged relationship is necessary for therapy to be productive and to feel safe.

My former therapist said so much, and I felt like I paid to listen to her talk! The work we do together is for your benefit, and I try to find the right balance between making you comfortable and focusing on the issues that you bring to our sessions. I want to make it easy for you to express your needs not only at the beginning but throughout the treatment.

How long are your sessions? How frequently do you meet? I typically meet weekly with individuals for 45 minutes and couples for 60 minutes. If you want to meet more frequently or for longer sessions, we can discuss what makes sense for you. I find it’s most productive to meet at least weekly, because understanding and change require consistency.

Do you take insurance? I am not on insurance panels, but I will give you an invoice to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Your insurance company can tell you whether your plan covers out-of-network therapy, how many sessions they cover, at what rate, and what they require for reimbursement.

I am familiar with psychotherapy theories and modalities. What approach do you use in your work? I integrate useful ideas from a variety of theoretical approaches, and the process of discovering ideas and techniques from a variety of psychotherapeutic disciplines is a life-long endeavor for me. I study broadly and adopt what works for a particular person. I believe a necessary first step is to to consider the social, cultural, economic, and political forces that influence a person’s life. I like the way that contemporary relational psychoanalysis conceives of the therapeutic relationship. My clinical work has been influenced by the writing of Nancy McWilliams, Donald Winnicott, Thomas Ogden, Philip Bromberg, and Mark Epstein. I integrate themes of acceptance and change, using ideas from contemporary mindfulness approaches and empirically tested approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and compassion-focused therapy.

Can you see my child, my teen, or our family? I’m not a child, adolescent, or family therapist, but if you’re looking for one of those specialties, I’d be happy to refer you to a colleague I trust.