Frequently Asked Questions

No. Most clients come to me because things feel overwhelming, confusing, or hard to articulate. You don't need a perfect story or diagnosis.

We go slowly. I'll ask what brings you in and what you're hoping for, but there's no pressure to have a polished answer. You don't have to dive into trauma right away. Most people leave the first session surprised by how much space there was, and how little they were pushed.

When I'm accepting new clients, a brief consultation is how we determine fit. Current availability and referral options are on my availability page.

You don't need a problem statement. "I'm not sure where to start" is a workable first sentence — it's most people's first sentence. We work out the rest from there.

I integrate existential–phenomenological therapy, EMDR, Brainspotting, Flash Technique, trauma-informed relational work, somatic awareness, and KAP preparation/integration. Clients tend to say the sessions are slower and more direct than they expected — less protocol being administered, more attention to what's actually there. How I think about this work →

Traditional talk therapy focuses on insight and understanding. I combine that with body-based processing through EMDR, Brainspotting, and somatic awareness — attending to how trauma lives in your nervous system, not only to what you understand about it.

EMDR has decades of controlled research behind it for trauma. Ketamine’s strongest evidence for depression comes from intravenous ketamine and intranasal esketamine; that doesn’t establish the same results for sublingual ketamine in KAP, and research on ketamine combined with psychotherapy is still developing. Brainspotting's research base is younger — I use it for what it does clinically, alongside the better-studied tools, not instead of them. The existential-phenomenological framework is what holds these methods together so the work stays coherent.

Weekly sessions are most common, especially at the beginning. As you stabilize and feel more grounded, we may shift to biweekly or, when clinically appropriate, occasional 90-minute sessions.

There's no universal timeline — it depends on what you're working on and what your nervous system can use. Some people work with me for a few months through a crisis or transition. Others stay a year or more as trauma, identity, and relationship work unfolds. Some do extended sessions and then drop to monthly.

Age cuts both ways: patterns that haven't had decades to solidify often move faster, and the context that comes with being older helps in other ways. What matters more than any of that is readiness, support outside the room, the complexity of what you're carrying, and what you're hoping to build.

Very rarely. Most of the work happens in session through presence, emotional attunement, processing, and understanding patterns in real time.

Yes. Many of my clients are men who feel shut down, don't know how to access their emotions, fear being judged, are successful at work but struggling at home, or want to be better partners, fathers, or humans. You don't need to know how to express feelings to begin therapy. We build that capacity together. More on how I work with men →

Yes—and not as an add-on. I work with gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, trans, and gender-expansive adults on identity, minority stress, shame and belonging, non-traditional relationships, and trauma connected to family, culture, or religion. More on LGBTQ+ affirming therapy →

No. A meaningful portion of my work is with people in their 20s and early 30s — trauma, family-of-origin material, relationship patterns, identity questions. Some younger clients have told me they wish they'd started this work earlier; that's a real consideration, since patterns that are still forming are usually more workable than patterns that have been organizing the system for twenty years. The modalities (EMDR, Brainspotting, existential-phenomenological work) function the same way at 25 as at 45. What's different at 25 is more often the obstacle than the issue, and the obstacle is usually some version of "is this allowed yet" rather than anything clinical.

Yes — in collaboration with the licensed medical prescribers named on my KAP page: they handle evaluation, prescribing, and dosing decisions; I provide preparation, dosing-session support, and integration. I do not prescribe or dispense ketamine. How KAP works →

I provide integration therapy for adults who've had experiences with psilocybin, MDMA, ayahuasca, or other psychedelics—whether legal, clinical, or self-guided. I focus on processing trauma that surfaced and on what to do with the insights. Learn more about psychedelic integration →

Sometimes. Most therapy sessions are 55 minutes. When a specific piece of work needs more room, we may schedule a 90-minute session, prorated from the standard session rate.

We work slowly and set the pace together. Flash Technique, Brainspotting, relational pacing, and grounding are ways to keep the work within what you can tolerate. If it starts to be too much, tell me, and we slow down or change course.

Many of my clients have. We check in regularly about how our work together is going.

I've sat with people navigating rage blackouts, compulsive sexual behavior, suicidal ideation, dissociation, complex religious trauma, combat PTSD, and shame so deep they can't look people in the eye. Nothing you bring will shock me or make me think less of you.

Yes — in-network with Premera, LifeWise, Anthem, most Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) plans, Kaiser Permanente PPO (via First Choice Health Network), and First Choice Health. If you're seeing me by telehealth from Colorado or Florida, most Blue Cross Blue Shield plans (including Anthem in Colorado and Florida Blue) can be billed in network through Premera; other plans in those states are private pay. Out-of-network options, superbills, and Thrizer are covered on my rates page. Complete rates →

Individual sessions are $200. Session types, KAP pricing, and payment methods are on my rates page. See complete pricing →

Yes. I see clients in person at my Capitol Hill office in Seattle and by telehealth throughout Washington State. I also hold a Colorado license (LPC) and a Florida license (LMHC), so I can see clients located in either state by telehealth; for Colorado and Florida sessions, most Blue Cross Blue Shield plans can be billed in network through Premera, and other plans are private pay. Ketamine-assisted work is available in Washington and Colorado, not Florida; my KAP page has the details.

No. At this time, I work with individual adults only. I can offer referrals if needed.

No. My practice is focused on adult clients (18+).

Start with my availability page. When I have openings, it explains how to request a consultation; while my practice is full, it lists directories and referral options.