FAQ

I work from a home office. Although some people feel weird the first time they come, they enjoy the quiet setting and don’t notice any difference once they are in my office.

I also offer virtual sessions through a HIPAA-compliant platform, allowing me to work with people throughout North Carolina.

You can park in the driveway or front of the house, and I will meet you at the door at your appointment time.

If I am in the network with your insurance company, I will file with them and/or use a third party to do so. I also use a third party named Mentaya that will file for out-of-network clients so you can receive partial reimbursement.

It is always best to double-check with your insurance that services will be covered.

I work with teenagers (13+), adults, and seniors, male and female alike.

I have extensive multi-cultural experience, having lived and worked in 12 countries, and I enjoy working with a wide range of people from various backgrounds.

I consider myself a “human ally,” which means that I will gladly work with you regardless of your ethnic, religious, and/or sexual orientation.

I live my life based on Judeo-Christian values, and I am happy to integrate those elements in therapy for those who want it, but I will not force it onto you.

Yes, I like to say (jokingly) that my superpower is to make people cry! I know many people are self-conscious about crying in front of others. However, it is therapy, and if you don’t cry here, where?

Don’t worry, I can handle it and have plenty of tissues available! We will also have moments of laughter and celebration!

There are many different types of therapists and therapies. A therapist will offer counseling services, whether individual, couple, family, or group. We all have our specialties and tools we favor.

Therapists do not prescribe or monitor medication.

EMDR is a therapeutic modality that allows us to address traumatic memories, triggers, and more. It is highly effective because it enables us to access traumas in the part of the brain where they are stored. Bilateral stimulation (eye movement, sound, or tactile) helps your brain get unstuck, process, and desensitize the troubling memory.

Brainspotting is EMDR’s “little sister.” It uses the connection between our eyes and brain to pinpoint where a trauma is stored in the brain. We then use bilateral sound to help your brain process and desensitize it. Overall, it is less emotionally taxing than EMDR.

The Flash method falls under the same umbrella of therapies. We give your brain a dual focus to help it get unstuck from the “trauma loop” it is in. This, in turn, allows your brain to work through the traumatic event successfully. It is a very gentle approach.

So when I say everything you need to heal is already inside you, I mean it.

It is a complex question to answer because a lot of it will depend on what you seek therapy for and where you are emotionally. Generally, we can say that therapy is disruptive because of the simple fact that we are working on painful memories, distressing emotions, and/or unhelpful behaviors. As with any disruption and/or changes in life, you may feel temporarily more vulnerable and/or reactive. This may affect many areas of your life, including your relationships.

On the other hand, the benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort. You experience relief from symptoms that may have been debilitating, gain insight into who you are and what you value, gain confidence, and set healthy boundaries with people in your life.

Overall, therapy is safe, and if there were to be exceptions, we would have a plan to keep you safe and/or get you to safety.

It is a skill-based group where participants learn how to manage unbearable, upsetting, and/or unwanted emotions effectively.

Yes, but with a few exceptions!

Generally speaking, what we talk about in therapy stays in therapy. There are state laws defining limitations of confidentiality. These laws are related to safety issues and include the risk of self-harm, the risk of harming others, and disclosing the abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. In those instances, counselors are mandated by law to seek outside assistance for the public’s safety (including yours).

Lesser-known are situations where you may be involved in a court case, whether family, injury, or criminal court. A therapist may be subpoenaed to either appear in court to testify or release your file.

Finally, since using insurance for services is helpful and convenient for most, it also means that they can require access to your confidential information at any time.

There are two main things I enjoy about being a therapist. The first is seeing people I work with find hope, heal, and become their true selves. The second one, which is longer-term and I don’t get to witness, is my ultimate desire to make the world a better place, to repair the world.

As people heal and become healthier and whole, I want to believe it will impact their personal and family life and their community.

It may not be much in the great sea of humanity and human experience, but it is the little corner of the world I feel responsible for and hope to impact positively.

Sometimes I use frenglish words or stumble on pronunciation, but it has never affected my ability to provide effective services to my clients. Also, you will most likely butcher my last name, which makes us even!

I am a big animal lover. My partner in crime is a dog named Adah. She is a Catahoula mix. You will not get to meet her because she was abused before I got her, and she needs a slow introduction and a lot of treats to be comfortable around new people.