A counselor listens with empathy and without judgment in a confidential relationship. Through years of training, a counselor learns methods and techniques to help you understand yourself and your world, and change behaviors. A counselor works with you through the process of change, within a relationship that is solely focused on helping you.

We talk and we listen.  Whatever you bring up in session, I believe is important.  And you have the freedom to bring up anything on your mind.  We will explore what's important to you and try to understand it together.  I may ask questions, or encourage you to go deeper.  We will work at making connections between the problems you face and the ability you have to change them with greater insight and understanding.  

When we meet together the first time, we will look at your struggles and try to understand what might be helpful.  If we seem a good fit, and counseling is a possible help for your unique circumstances, I will make a recommendation for treatment.  If there is another method of treatment that would be more helpful (e.g. couples' counseling, a group), I will recommend those options.  

Teenagers can count on occasional sessions with parents in the room to talk about family issues and progress. Confidentiality is maintained within the limits established in first session.

Sometimes it is helpful for a family member or other support person to attend session occasionally. If a problem seems best suited to couples' or family therapy, a referral to an expert in those areas will be provided.

I am not trained to work with children in therapy, and I ask that children not be brought into session or left in the waiting room for their emotional and physical safety.

Sessions are 45 minutes long.

My practice is to schedule recurrent, weekly sessions.  We will find a time that works and it will be reserved for you.

In some cases, more frequent sessions may be useful, either because of acute situations or to take on deeper issues in a more intense therapy.

When the time is right, we will talk about working toward termination.  We will talk about your goals and progress regularly.  You always have choices about starting, frequency, ending, or returning to therapy, I only ask that we talk about those plans together.