Frequently asked questions:
What form of payment do you accept?
I accept all major credit cards via Ivy Pay. At the end of your first session I will send you a text that will provide a link for you to input your credit card information. Future sessions will be automatically charged through this App.
I do not accept health insurance currently, but I am happy assist at attempts to get reimbursement with written receipts for service or Super Bills. The Ivy Pay Receipt qualifies as a Superbill that can be used to submit to your insurance.
If you would like to some help with reimbursement you might want to consider using the App below.
What do you charge per session?
Individual sessions: $200
Couples Counseling: $210
Do you have a sliding scale?
I have a limited number of sliding scale slots for qualified candidates. Please inquire about this over the phone to determine if you meet the criteria for sliding scale: 925 532-7906.
How many sessions of EMDR are needed for me to notice real change?
For some individuals who are highly motivated to make a change, have a single incident or primary issue they would like to process, are able to self-reflect openly and honestly about their internal world, and are embodied (meaning they have a felt sense of how their body feels most of the time in the present moment) I have seen significant shifts in two to three sessions of EMDR. Typically, I meet with clients for 50 minutes once per week, but 90-minute sessions for the specific purpose of processing a disturbing memory is typically more efficient because the person can stay connected to the memory and complete more of the protocol in one session. I always leave enough time before ending a session to engage in grounding exercises so that each individual feels present for returning to daily life.
What does therapy look like with you?
For the vast majority of clients identifying with trauma symptoms we spend the majority of the work preparing for trauma processing and working through obstacles to feeling or acknowledging the memory. Obstacles and defenses are a normal and natural response, our goal is to understand, feel, be curious, and bring forward our adult self in order to choose a new truth based on what occurred.
What is Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM)?
After doing EMDR for a number of years I noticed that preparation, resourcing, and the obstacles to "turning toward the trauma memory" is the bulk of the work for healing. Many of the skills I teach are rooted in Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM) by Lisa Schwartz M. Ed. The model guides us to create a scaffolding of resources that supports individuals to truly experience the felt impact of a traumatic memory and guides them through the healing process. The model is supported with neurobiological research authored by Frank Corrigan who describes "Transformational Change" in one's neural networks when a trauma memory has been processed. CRM is difficult to summarize in its entirety, but education about how change occurs happens concurrently with the therapy.
How do we know where to start?
Having both EMDR and CRM as well as other therapeutic modalities, I assess each person’s unique presentation to determine where to begin and depending on the conceptualization, that determines how long it will take for us to create transformational change. Your role as the client is show up as fully as yourself as you can.
Do you assign homework between sessions?
I assign homework in the form of experiential practices to support the new neural pathway associated with the processed memory along with an eye position and symbol for individuals to recall, particularly within 5 to 6 hours after a memory processing session.