Am I the right therapist for you? Well…maybe. I work with motivated professionals, college and graduate students, and people navigating significant life changes who are ready to do more than just manage their symptoms to try and make it through the week.
I work with people who want to make positive changes in their lives.
People who come to work with me are often dealing with some combination of the following:
Anxiety and/or worry that just won’t quiet or quit.
Depression
The feeling that something somet imes, the unidentified, but still having a sense that you’ve lost something.
Life changes and transitions. Career changes, relationship shifts, “who am I now” questions.
Adjustment issues, stages of life issues, and just trying to make sense of your life issues.
Trauma and it’s long reach into daily life and relationships.
My practice is focused on adults who are ready to look honestly at their lives and do something about what they find. If you’re motivated to make change but not sure where to direct that energy, we’ll probably work well together.
If you’re going to give therapy a try, you probably want the best therapist in the world. (I would, at least) But there is no such thing as “best therapist in the world.” (and if there was, it wouldn’t be me. I’ve met and learned from too many other amazing therapists to think I’m anywhere near the best.) But the important question to ask yourself isn’t “is this the best therapist in the world?” The question is “is this the right therapist for me?”
If we get started working together and you don’t feel comfortable talking with me after the second session, it’s probably time to find a new therapist. And that’s okay! Every therapist in the world knows what that’s like. Just let me know and I’ll help you find a different therapist. Life is too short to spend your time working on this stuff with someone you aren’t sure is right for you.
Oh, I also tell my clients that the first session usually feels kind of weird and isn’t the best reflection on what therapy is like because it’s usually the therapist reviewing forms with you, talking about therapy stuff, and asking you a lot of questions as they try to get a feel for your history and struggles. It’s can feel more like an information exchange than actual therapy. That’s why I say give it two sessions with any therapist…unless they do or say something that makes it clear they aren’t right for you, or if you feel REALLY uncomfortable with them for any reason. (Note that there’s a difference between feeling uncomfortable with a therapist and feeling uncomfortable with therapy. Therapy can feel weird at first. But if you get weird vibes from your therapist…listen to those vibes and keep looking, my friends.)
As a final note: I have years of experience working with children, adolescents, couples, and families, but I’m not taking those clients at this time. My current practice is focused exclusively on individual adults.
Am I the right therapist for you?
What Therapy Looks Like with Me
My approach has evolved over 25 years of practice. I work from an insight-oriented, strengths-based, pattern-seeking perspective. This means I’m curious about what works for you as well as what you’re struggling with. We’ll explore your personal strengths and find ways to draw on those parts of you to help you gain a greater understanding of the patterns in your life well enough to actually change them.
Most of what we'll do is talk. That sounds simple, but underneath it is a process of exploring how your history, your thinking, and your relationships have shaped you, and what you want to do differently going forward. And if you don’t know what you want to do differently? That’s okay. That’s therapy.
Keep in mind that the hard part of therapy…that part where you grow the most? That doesn’t happen while you’re sitting there in the office with me. It happens in between sessions, when you’re taking what we’ve talked about and what you’ve learned, and then practice putting it into place in your day-to-day life. I will give you some things to think about, and I may give you some things to work on. But I’m not a “directive” therapist. If you are looking for someone who will tell you what to do, or will tell you “what’s wrong with you"…well, that’s not me.
Sessions are usually a little over 50 minutes. Most clients start weekly and adjust frequency from there based on their goals and progress. Therapy isn't a quick fix. But if you're willing to do the work, the changes tend to be real and lasting.
Our Process
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Free Consult
We’ll set up a free 15 minute consult to see if I’m qualified to address your needs. (No therapist is qualified to treat every single possible presenting issue!)
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Initial Intake
I’ll set up a portal account for you. After you fill out some forms, we’ll meet for an initial intake session. Here we will get a sense of if I’m the right therapist for you. We’ll talk about your history, what’s going on right now, and what your goals will look like.
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Ongoing Therapy
We’ll meet, usually once per week, and work on your treatment goals. We’ll review your goals regularly to assess if treatment is going the way you want it to.
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Review Progress
We will periodically review your progress to make sure treatment is being effective. When you feel your goals are met, we’ll talk about when you are ready to discontinue services.
Getting Started:
Ready to take the next step?
I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation. It's a chance for you to ask questions, get a feel for whether we're a good fit, and decide if you'd like to schedule a first session. There’s no pressure, and there’s no obligation. If I don’t think I’m the right therapist for you, I’ll try to help you find someone else.
Fee: $150 per session Insurance: Most major insurances accepted. Location: In-person in East Lansing | Telehealth available throughout Michigan.