HOLDING THE HOPE THERAPY
COMMON QUESTIONS
Some the Answers You Seek, In One Place
Have a question you’d like to ask? I’m committed to giving patients the best care and experience I can. There’s no such thing as a bad question when it comes to mental health. Check out the answers to the FAQs below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any additional questions.
Do you offer sliding scale rates?
I offer a flat rate of $100 for cash paying clients, due at each session. BIPOC populations offered limited $50 cash sessions, due at each session.
How often will we meet?
Regular weekly meetings are encouraged at the beginning of counseling to help create a strong foundation and to see consistent progress. When you meet less than weekly in the beginning the appointments become more about “checking-in” and updating rather than working towards your goals and unravelling outdated coping skills and styles of relating.
What's the difference between talking to a friend and talking to a counselor?
One of the biggest differences between talking to a counselor versus a friend is there to be a confidential space for you to talk about, perhaps for the first time, some of your life experiences and the way they are impacting you. Counseling is a great space to risk the more vulnerable parts of you with a third party There is also the safety of knowing what you say in counseling is not going anywhere (There are some exceptions (harm of self or others, abuse of elderly and children) that are required by law to breach confidentiality).
Friendships are great! I highly encourage building community to walk with you through all seasons of life. Frankly, there are some things that are too heavy or too hard to bring into friendships without first having them held by an educated professional who has earned your trust and can help to be a guide.
How long does each therapy session take?
Each session is a 50 minute clinical hour. It may take 5 more sessions until we feel sessions to determine whether there is a good “fit” for therapy.
What is the best way to contact you for scheduling?
The most convenient way for us to begin is by you sending me an email. Please include your name, number, who referred you, and what issues you would like to work on, and general good times for a consultation. Please note, email is not a secure form of communication. If you would prefer you may leave a voicemail with the same information. My voicemail is secure and only heard by me.
When we set up a time I will give you a call and we can have a phone conversation about your needs and how I might be able to help, if I am accepting new clients.
No assessment or clinical services will be done on this chat. This is just an opportunity for us both to figure out if we should set up an initial appointment. We will talk about the issues you are seeking help with, you can ask me questions about my approach, and we will determine whether we might work well together.
If our phone conversation indicates that I feel I can be helpful to you, and you also feel comfortable meeting with me, we may also schedule a first session which will be between Monday – Thursday, via Telehealth. This session will provide us both with more information about whether we want to schedule future sessions. If, after this meeting, you or I feel we cannot work together, I will help you to connect with another therapist who might work well with your needs.
What is the first appointment like?
At the first appointment we will go over all of the paperwork, that was sent via my patient portal. Please have it filled out at least 24 hours beforehand to avoid a cancellation, and bring any questions with you. This is your opportunity to share what has brought you into counseling, any goals you have for your time together and share about your background and personal history. This first meeting is about getting to know a little bit about one another to start the foundation of our therapeutic relationship.
Where can I find a BIPOC therapist or healer?
I'm happy to work with BIPOC populations & I understand there is an inherent experience as a white person that I'll never be able to experience or truly understand. If you're looking for a BIPOC therapist or healer I recommend visiting, Deconstructing the Mental Health System, Inc.