frequently asked questions

You can expect to set aside 50ish minutes for each session unless we decide on a different length ahead of time. From there, what sessions look like will vary depending on your needs.

Your first session, called an intake session, is focused on getting a general understanding of your story. We may not go as deep right away, and I might take a few notes so I can keep track of what you share. I may ask about things like your relationships, work, medical and substance use history, and other background information.

Intake sessions often feel a little different from future sessions. As we continue working together, we’ll follow whatever threads feel most important or helpful to you. The pace is up to you.

Some sessions will feel heavier than others. I aim to help you feel grounded enough to return to your day, even after a tough session.

One of the biggest indicators of whether we’re a good fit is simply whether it feels like a good fit. It might sound unscientific, but research consistently shows that the quality of the relationship between a client and therapist is one of the strongest predictors of meaningful change.

That being said, it’s not always obvious right away. Many people use the free consultation to get a sense of what it’s like to talk with me and to ask questions. You might notice whether you feel comfortable, understood, or able to be yourself.

If you’re unsure, it’s completely okay to take your time. Finding the right therapist can take a few tries, and you’re allowed to trust your sense of what feels right for you.

You can also read more about my approach to therapy if that’s helpful.

Supporting clients as they heal from trauma is an area of speciality for me. I work with many different forms of trauma including:

• Complex trauma / CPTSD

• Childhood and developmental trauma

• PTSD from acutely traumatic incidents

• Religious trauma

Being trauma-informed means that I take your past into account when I try to understand your life as it is now. It also means I know the importance of moving slowly and working at a pace that helps you feel safe enough to explore what you’ve been through.

I use a somatic, experiential approach to working with trauma, and I also often incorporate parts work.

• Somatic means we’re paying attention to what happens in your body (or your “soma”), rather than just your thoughts.

• Experiential means some of the work is actively happening while we’re in the room together. For example, I might ask how something feels right now as you bring it to mind, rather than only asking how it felt at the time.

Parts work (similar to Internal Family Systems, or IFS) is one of the ways we can take an experiential approach. It involves connecting with different “parts” of yourself — especially the ones that are hurting or carrying something difficult — with curiosity and care.

One of the effects of trauma is that our nervous system can react as though something from the past is happening to us again in the present. For that reason, trauma often can’t be resolved through talking alone.

Somatic and experiential approaches help us work with trauma in a different way — gently and in a controlled environment — while your nervous system begins to recognize safety again, or maybe for the first time.