Frequently Asked Questions:

I ask more questions than what you’ve completed on the intake during our first session.  This allows me to learn about you, your meaning, your way of interacting, and of course, how your past is affecting where you are today.   During our time together I am planning ideas of what will help you most, give you relief and guide you to more satisfying relationships…but those goals are what we come up with together.  

Due to technology, you don’t need a printer to submit your paperwork electronically. Before your intake session, I will email you a confidential link to online paperwork to complete. This paperwork is stored in a HIPAA compliant, totally confidential “EHR” or electronic health record portal accessed only by me (and you). Once you’ve submitted everything, SimplePractice will store everything securely.

During your first therapy session, we’ll review this paperwork to discuss topics such as informed consent and confidentiality, and prioritize together your goals for therapy.

Change is difficult, meaning our brains adjust to what is familiar, even if it isn’t the best for us.  So, I’ve found that weekly appts are the most effective for results you are looking for, and together we’ll find a recurring time for your weekly appointment.  Research shows coming to counseling weekly, working together on the goals, is much more effective than every two weeks.   

Counseling is a personal timeline… I recommend 10-12 weeks for you to reinforce the change and growth we are working on together.  But trauma is different for each person, especially if the relationship has trauma –like the TRIPLE A’s, affair, addiction and abuse—so it can go longer.   I will check in with you on your progress, what needs are being addressed, so together we can make the best decision on your treatment plan and length of treatment.  Your relief in caring about your life and experiencing connection and care again in relationships will be important to this decision.   We will work together to determine the anxiety or depression sessions timeline, and base it on how you are feeling and what relief is consistent. 

Individual and couple’s sessions both cost $175, for a 60 minute session that actually is about 50-53 minutes (the rest is for notes, and clinical preparation for next session). You will be required to put a charge card on file with my HIPAA compliant, and secure, medical records portal, but it will only be billed after our sessions. However if you miss a session or give less than 48 hour business hours for notice of a cancellation, you could be charged for the session due to my cancellation requirements (which are clearly spelled out in the intake paperwork).

Currently, I am in network for individuals with Aenta’s and United Healthcare’s PPO only (not HMO or other BCBS or Medicaid/Medicare plans), however only accept insurance for individual sessions (not couples work, as input from insurance has been that they dont pay for, or they severely limit the time that couples work can occur as long as their is a dual diagnosis impacting the couple). Nonetheless a credit card is still required online for the portal processing of your insurance, in case deductible or copays still need to be met. If you are enrolled in other network plans, I can provide you with a superbill so that you may submit it for reimbursement, based your actual insurance plan.  If I am out of network with your plan, it is best for you to contact your insurance company directly and ask them what they will cover and what documentation they might need.

I do work until 7pm on Tues and Thurs, and until 6pm on Monday, Wednesdays and some Fridays, however those appointments are called “the golden hours” because many clients want them. If not available, I will do my best to work with you and your schedule, and move you to a more preferred time once it opens up (when a prior client meets their goals) or keep you on a wait list. I do not work weekends, and I also encourage telehealth virtual appts which allow many clients to take a break at work/or home, step into their car or an empty conference room, and have sessions that work for them (and telehealth allows for your partner to be in a different location if necessary).

I am taking face to face sessions at this time, at my 1701 Gateway Blvd, #301, Richardson TX office (University Centre, just off Campbell and W of the 75) or counsel many clients currently by telehealth. Also I have many years of experience doing both individual or couples work via telehealth (often working with active military or other traveling spouses). However if I determine your trauma need is requiring face to face sessions, or the conflict is intense, I may recommend onsite sessions for best clinical outcome and relief.   

I have offered telehealth since 2008, since I found that family therapy was most successful when I was included in seeing everyone in their familiar settings. Although I no longer do family therapy, I have found you’ll usually feel very comfortable and often more at ease when interacting online from your personal surroundings. My secure, confidential portal allows or easy access through an easy link that you just click and join (for clients anywhere in TX, or Calif — and soon MN where licensing is pending). Plus, the appointments have proven to be just as effective, unless reactive trauma is reoccurring. I then may recommend office visits early on in the therapy, or until you learn to lessen the triggers and are able to share thoughts, meaning and generally converse more effectively, during the session.

I enjoy working with adults 18 and over, either in individual sessions or within a couple’s appointment.  Many individuals who work with me have experienced some type of trauma, and that’s so common in today’s world, so trauma processing through EMDR, A.R.T (accelerated resulution therapy) and ETT is what may help clients reduce those effects on their personal or couple’s relationships.  Both EMDR and A.R.T are scientific, evidenced based treatments, and I will share more detail with you about each process, to determine if it is right for you.

As a couples counselor, I work with typical couples as well as neurodiverse partnerships...even those diagnosed later in life. Many of my client’s traumas involve affairs, abuse or even addictions---substance abuse addictions or even porn addictions.  Porn addictions are affecting many adults according to recent research, but porn also can become a trap that doesn’t allow you to have the relationship you want.  I have experience assessing partners for such addictions and providing guidance and resources… because addiction is a symptom, not a life sentence.

Through counseling you can move from understanding your past, your addictions, your wounds, and stopping painful patterns, so that you can feel healthier, and lovingly care for yourself or, if in couples therapy, for your partner and relationship.

Trauma affects people differently.  Media reports on trauma with flashbacks, with loud noises and memories of war for samples of military trauma.  But most of us experience a deeply distressing event or time period in our lives, and parts of that experience stay with us, leaving us feeling wary, worried, or scared pretty consistently when we remember or have any exposure to that type of scenario.  When we experience crisis or trauma, we often shut down and turn inward, thinking that there’s something wrong with us.  Yet as human beings, we have a remarkable and unlimited potential. Sometimes we just need a little support to uncover our value, positive self-worth and reason to trust and reconnect again. 

Together we will work to decide if anxiety or depression treatment is what is needed for your situation. If I perceive that trauma is present, I will clearly describe my concerns and the actual EMDR and ETT treatments. Both are scientific methods proven to achieve relief to people with trauma.  I am trained in both and will talk with you about your experience to collaboratively determine what works best with you.  Trauma relief IS possible, so that you can put the experience in your past and move forward to a healthier future.  Let me help guide you.