Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect during the first session?

The first session is an opportunity for us to meet in order to talk about therapy goals, review intake questionnaire and paperwork, go over fees and policies, legal limitations/boundaries, and answer any questions you may have about therapy and the therapeutic process.

How long is an appointment?

A standard individual session is 45 minutes long. Appointments are typically at the same day and time each week.

Do you offer video or phone sessions?

Telehealth (remote and online) sessions are available for all potential clients.

How do you approach therapy during COVID-19?

Child and teen therapy is ideally an in-person experience. In a world without a pandemic, your child would be able to move, regulate, play, identify emotions, problem solve, and overall work through emotional and behavioral struggles they are experiencing in the safe, healing presence of a therapy room and therapist. Unfortunately, that level of safety is not guaranteed at this time and your family's health and wellbeing is my highest priority. In order to accommodate our current circumstances, I will be offering teletherapy. Play, art, movement, and talk therapy can still occur online even if it may look and feel a little different.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

I do have a few sliding scale spots for families financially unable to pay the full fee for services. I can also provide temporary sliding scale fees for families that are going through a temporary financial change.

Do you take insurance?

I am in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield (HMO, PPO, Medicaid, CHIP). Also, most insurance plans do provide “out of network coverage” in which you can choose a preferred provider. If you decide to file a claim with your insurance, please notify me so I can help provide the necessary information for that claim. While you wait for your reimbursement, the full amount of payment for therapy services is required.

What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is...

developmentally appropriate. Children's brains are constantly growing and learning about the world around them. Since their language and complex thinking skills haven't fully developed to an adult level, they often act out their emotions and experiences through play, movement, dance, and art.
child-centered and an invitation into the child's world. Children are able to imagine and recreate with their experience and feelings and a trained play therapist is able to attune to the child's play and support them in their emotional journeys.
the language of children. While children are still developing language and self-reflection skills, they still have big feelings and complex thoughts which are often acted out and explored through play.
the opposite of worry. When a child experience joy, playfulness, dance, and creativity, their nervous system feels safe and at ease to express and explore their thoughts and emotions.
a space for self-soothing and physical regulation to the body. Play naturally invokes movement in the body. When the body moves in a playful and fun way, it becomes regulated and that regulation makes it easier for the mind to process emotions.
a safe space to teach social skills like creating and following rules, taking turns, problem solving, self-confidence, fairness, and empathy for others.

To find out more, check out the Association for Play Therapy.

What does therapy look like for tweens and teens?

My approach is to meet the tween and teen where they are in the present moment. During the therapeutic sessions, the tween/teen has the opportunity to explore their thoughts/emotions/behaviors; as well as, build healthy thinking strategies, self-compassion, and empathy for self and others. Mindfulness is incorporated as a self-regulation tool to help them ride the waves of emotions and recenter to the present moment. Expressive art techniques and narrative therapy is interwoven for those clients who respond to creative storytelling and art around their emotions and experiences.