Do you only offer Telehealth?
Nope! I have an office located in West Seattle (Saturday's only).
I hold virtual sessions Wednesday-Friday.
I value the safety of you, our community at large, and myself. COVID protocols are in place at my office, and may change at any given time, at which point I will be sure to update you.
While Telehealth therapy is not my preference, it is a valuable and accessible resource. I am happy to navigate your preferences and needs with you.
This hurts. I thought therapy was supposed to help me feel better?
It is common for unfavorable feelings to arise before one begins to experience the benefits of therapy. Engaging in self-reflection, navigating your past/present, and working to change patterns takes a great deal of courage & strength. This path is not easy by any means. My hope is that over time you begin to feel empowered by the considerable work you have done, and that the path home to yourself becomes more clear.
You mention food & body, but you're not a dietitian or doctor - are you?
I am not dietitian, nor a doctor. However, I work closely & consult with them in the Fat Positive/Weight Inclusive community regularly. I hold a great deal of experience working with everything from severe eating disorders, to helping folks navigate body image and acceptance in an outpatient therapy setting. Working in this field requires me to educate myself on various subjects, like nutrition, while remaining within my scope of practice (mental health). The truth is - food + body + mind, etc - they're all related and intertwined. This means, for example, that sometimes a therapist may reaffirm certain nutrition and/or health facts (example: sugar is not addictive/fat is not bad), and a dietitian may help folks navigate how their emotions impact what & how they eat.
Because there are limitations to the type(s) of support I can offer, I make it a habit to refer folks to dietitians and/or doctors if it feels that they need dietary/medical guidance. There are times I may make referrals to higher levels of care (intensive programs). It is not uncommon for folks to simultaneously have a therapist, dietitian, doctor, etc.
Do I have to struggle with body image and disordered eating to see you?
Nope! Again, while I believe everyone has "body image" and food & body issues are undoubtedly intertwined with all parts that make us human, I also have experience providing therapy around a multitude of issues. Check out my Services page for an incomplete list.
Do you provide family therapy if you work with youth?
At this time, I do not offer family therapy. I have experience utilizing FBT (Family Based Treatment), and have worked extensively within various settings with families in the past. I often help folks explore family dynamics, attachment, generational patterns, & more, within therapy sessions. I am more than happy to refer you to a Family Therapist upon request. That being said, there are times when a supplemental "support session" may be warranted to improve communication at home or increase education around eating disorders.
What happens if I miss my session?
It depends. Please see my cancellation policy here. I provide additional details in my on-boarding forms, which we review within the first session.
I want a better relationship with my body, AND I want to lose weight - what do I do?
It is lovely that you desire an improved relationship with your body, and it is incredibly normal & ok to also want to lose weight. This is a subject that I love to help folks navigate within therapy. Due to my personal & professional ethics, I do not support intentional weight loss. There is a difference between wanting and pursuing here. The reasons (and there are many) for wanting to lose weight are completely valid, and you should not feel shameful for this. I can absolutely offer support around these desires and struggles, but one of our goals will be to move away from acting on urges, impulses, and the desire to shrink yourself. PLEASE, please, please inquire anyway if you are still unsure where you land on this - after all, our healing & growth is not linear. I want to help you preserve your autonomy and navigate what is best for you, regardless of my stance.
Why don't you take insurance?
Great question! If you ask around, you may find that different clinicians will have varying opinions on this. Having taken insurance before, had experience doing insurance reviews, and dealing with my own personal coverage nightmares - I actually find this country's health insurance to be oppressive, inaccessible, and predatory. My goal is to be transparent about this in an effort to inform & empower you to make the right decision for you.
Some benefits to not using insurance are:
No need to track or submit a diagnosis (unless utilizing a SuperBill): Insurance companies require a diagnosis, and documented evidence/necessity for therapy based on said diagnosis.
Continued telehealth: Insurance companies may begin denying telehealth sessions in the near future, which would reduce accessibility.
No 3rd party hassle or stress around reimbursements/charges: Saves all parties time & energy. No one likes to call insurance.
Higher level of privacy: Having to have a diagnosis means it can stay within your medical chart/insurance, and potentially impact future treatments and access to medication or care. Insurance can also request to see your session notes.
I get to spend less time on tracking information for insurance notes, and more time attuned to you (though I will still take some notes).
We don't have to worry about limited session coverage: Some insurance companies limit the amount of outpatient therapy sessions you can have in a year, depending on plan and your acuity.
Many insurance plans aren’t all that accessible or equitable: Being that most people have larger deductibles (because this is most "affordable" in the end), they won't actually see the in-network benefits take effect with just weekly therapy alone. Meaning you would still pay the full out-of-pocket rate for therapy until meeting your deductible.
No "clawbacks": Insurance can and does take money back from therapists if they don't agree with a diagnosis, there’s an error, or they think a note lacks evidence for therapy services, even months (sometimes years) later.
You can use an FSA/HSA card!
However, if you've already met most/all of your deductible through medical bills or you have a copay for therapy, using insurance may be the best option for you after all. I am happy to help you find someone who takes your insurance in that case.
Please feel free to ask any further questions you may have!