Let me answer those questions

Whether you have questions that you want more clarification on, or you’re ready to jump into the wonderful work that is counseling, the process begins the same. Fill out the contact form on my website, or reach out to me via the contact information listed on this site, and we will set up a 15 -- 30 minute new client consultation call, where I can answer your questions and tell you more about getting started with me.

If we decide after our phone call that we would be a good working fit, we will schedule you for an intake appointment, which is 90 minutes long. This allows me to get to know you and what brings you to therapy, and lets me begin to learn your story in an un-rushed manner. 

Before the intake appointment can take place, you will be sent a number of documents and questionnaires to complete - it is very important that these are completed at least 24 hours before your intake appointment, as I need time to review the information provided to best prepare for our session.

If the intake paperwork is not completed, we will have to reschedule the intake appointment to another date, when the paperwork can be completed in time for our session. 

After the intake session, sessions will typically be 55 minutes moving forward. 

Therapy can be as intimidating as it is exciting, especially if you’ve never spoken to a therapist before. I strive to make my clients feel comfortable in the therapeutic space, and I take a self-paced approach in our appointments - you’re in the driver’s seat, I am riding passenger holding the map. We go as fast or as slow as you need. 

The first appointment will be our intake session, which is 90 minutes long. There, I will be asking a lot of background questions, such as what brings you into therapy, what do you want to work on in our sessions, what results are you hoping to see, and more. After that, the sessions are a collaboration between me and you - we figure out where you need to go that day, and I’ll help us get there. 

I offer in-person services based out of Jacksonville, NC, or I can give Teleheath appointments on my HIPAA-compliant Telehealth platform. I can see any client living in the state of North Carolina remotely via Telehealth.

Please note that I do not do phone--based therapy sessions. The new client consultation call is the only phone--based work that I do. Too much information is missed during phone calls for a fully vested psychotherapy session, and it is easy for both parties to get distracted, and not commit to the therapeutic processes during a phone call. 

EMDR therapy, or Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a highly specialized type of therapy that is used to primarily treat trauma disorders. However, I have used EMDR to treat other mental health issues, including anxiety, panic and phobic disorders, persistent depression, OCD, and more. 

In EMDR therapy, you can expect to experience bi-lateral stimulation of the brain, which can be done by having your eyes follow a moving point (a light across a lightbar), alternating sounds in a pair of headphones, or alternating sensations from buzzers you hold in your hands.

I can also provide EMDR therapy via Telehealth for clients who are remote, as long as the client is using a laptop or desktop computer for their therapy session with me. 

EMDR is an in-depth therapy modality to explain, and I recommend that you do further research if you are considering EMDR as a treatment option for you. The Cleveland Clinic has an online article on EMDR that summarizes the main points of EMDR therapy well. 

No - I use a number of different therapeutic approaches to treat trauma in my clients. I create a custom--tailored therapeutic experience for each client according to what you bring to the session, your goals in processing and integrating your trauma, and what you are willing to try in the pursuit of a more stable present and a more hopeful future.

Other approaches I use to work with trauma include psychodynamic therapy, narrative-therapy based techniques, and other interventions that are tailored to the client sitting with me. 

I also use EMDR to treat a number of different mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, panic and phobia disorders, OCD, and more. While EMDR might not be the best fit for every client, I am happy to discuss treatment options with you. 

Therapists appreciate how valuable your time is, and we appreciate you reciprocating that consideration for our time as well. I require a 48 hour cancellation/reschedule notification window. If you have to cancel, or reschedule your appointment to another week, within 48 hours of our scheduled meeting time, you will be charged for the full session fee. This is not meant to be punitive - the work we do together is valuable, and the investment of each other's time and willingness to attend treatment consistently is important. This is also outlined in my client intake paperwork, which we will review together during your intake appointment should you wish to become a client of mine. 

Yes - I currently accept Cigna, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.  

I also accept private-pay clients. I understand that not everyone can afford private pay rates, so I hold a limited number of sliding-scale fee slots in my caseload. If you are interested in starting therapy with me, call my offices and we can discuss options for you, including being added to a sliding-scale wait list depending on availability.  

I can also supply you with a document called a Superbill, which you as the insurance holder provide to your health insurance company, requesting reimbursement for out-of-network services. A Superbill does not guarantee reimbursement, so I recommend each client discuss with their health insurance representative what out of network services will be reimbursed, and how much will be reimbursed to you. 

Currently, I am available for in-person appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday, and I have limited Saturday availability. I am also able to offer Telehealth sessions any day of the workweek. 

If there is a consistent time and day that works for you, please let me know, and I can hold a recurring appointment time for you.

Please be advised that three consecutively missed sessions is considered abandonment of treatment by the client (you), at which point I will reach out to you to let you know that I can no longer hold your appointment in my schedule. I will supply you with referrals to other therapists, and/or let you know that you are welcome back with me when your schedule becomes more predictable again.