Frequently Asked Questions

I am both a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) and Licensed Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (LAMFT) in the State of Arizona. I am beholden to the Arizona Statutes & Rules of Practice as well as both the ACA and AAMFT Codes of Ethics. As an Associate Licensee, this also means I have a supervisor who I meet with regularly to review and discuss the many pieces of my practice: clinical work, record keeping, and more.

I conduct private therapy sessions (for individuals, couples, and families) as well as group therapy and workshops at my Northeast Phoenix office – near Scottsdale – on Tatum just south of Bell.

16421 N Tatum Blvd Suite 122
Phoenix, AZ 85032

(There are two buildings at this address. My office is in the North building.)

For individual, family, and couples therapy, sessions are priced at $180 and typically last 50 minutes – longer 80 minute sessions are $270 – and intensives are available as well (please inquire). Group therapy is accessibly priced at $80 a session, with a commitment to all sessions in the group series. If you miss a group, I am always available before the next group meeting to explain what we did or talked about when you were gone, and to offer any resources presented at the prior group session.

If finances are a challenge, please connect with me to discuss hardship accommodations here at Recourse Counseling or other options in the community.

There are a number of reasons I choose not to contract with insurance. However, I am happy to provide you with a super bill or accept your flex spending or HSA account. If you need to use your insurance benefits with an in-network provider, I’d be happy to share some names of available colleagues with you, who I highly recommend.

If you are in Arizona and we aren’t friends or family, it is likely that I can provide therapy to you. If you’ve looked around this website and what you’ve read feels like a good fit, it might give you a good idea of whether you could benefit from working with me. Please don’t hesitate to call me – we can have a free consultation phone call so I can learn more about what’s going on for you and we can decide whether I’m the right fit or if I can point you in the direction of someone who would be an even better fit!

Yes! I offer online counseling sessions. We may have started providing teletherapy out of need due to the pandemic, but I love it for many reasons. With online therapy, you get all the benefits of therapy in my office but with your dog or cat, your favorite herbal tea and comfiest chair, and you can even wear your fuzzy slippers! You will need a private space and a solid internet connection.

Yes. I’m vaccinated against COVID-19 and practicing effective ways to minimize chances for clients (and myself) to catch a virus, though nothing is risk free. When we chat and talk about what your therapy goals and hopes are, we’ll discuss options. Depending on the weather, schedules, and what we’re working on, I may also offer outdoor and walk/talk sessions for established clients.

The therapy groups I run are either through secure telehealth or in person with safety measures in place to best support you. Group members commit to confidentiality and attendance expectations, and are also encouraged not to participate if they feel under the weather.

There are a variety of things that differ between support groups and group therapy. While both kinds of group experiences are grounded in the belief that people find it valuable to navigate various life experiences alongside others with similar experiences, these two structures are very different. Click here to view a detailed comparison of the key points.

We’ll start off with 50-minute weekly sessions so we can get established and begin to move through your goals. As time goes on, we might spread sessions to every other week and/or increase the session length to 80-minutes. If you have a stressful period or are tackling a big piece of growth, we can move to twice weekly for the short-term. Couples’ sessions are always 80-minutes.

This really has a lot to do with what kind of work we’re doing together. Meaningful growth does require time and effort, so I would suggest planning for six months, though we might meet our goals in less time or decide to keep moving forward together longer. You can always come to therapy for a while, move forward on your own, and come for check-ins down the line. What matters is that, if I do my job, you won’t need me forever. This isn’t Hotel California, after all!

Well, I treat whole people, not disorders. But I think I know what you’re asking… I love to support individuals through experiences relationship and career challenges, overall growth, acceptance, managing transitions, and finding genuine happiness and satisfaction! You can check out the pages under the “Specialties” tab to read more about some more specifics.

I offer therapy to clients from 12 to 120 years old. If you need a referral for a younger child or tween, I would be happy to offer recommendations.

Cancellations within 48 hours are billed at the regular rate while any other cancellation is not billed. If I am able to reschedule within a 7-day period, then I may choose to waive the cancellation charge.

I primarily see clients during weekdays but have some flexibility for individuals, like teachers, who truly cannot get away during the day. However, groups are generally Sundays and evenings.

You have taken a very positive step by deciding to seek counseling. The purposes of treatment include helping you identify and solve personal problems, improving communication skills, and becoming aware of and better managing emotional states and stress.  Your individual goals and the purposes of you seeking counseling are personal to you, and part of the process will be to work with me to set goals and develop a framework in which you can meet those goals.

The outcome of your treatment depends largely on your willingness to engage in this process, which may, at times, result in considerable discomfort. Remembering unpleasant events and becoming aware of feelings attached to those events can bring on strong feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, etc. There are no miracle cures. I cannot promise that your behavior or circumstance will change. I can promise to support you and do my very best to understand you and repeating patterns, as well as to help you clarify what it is that you want for yourself.

Yes, absolutely! It’s a HUGE passion of mine to spread the message that therapy is not all pain and waterworks. Sometimes it’s hard we venture into tender emotions and it’s important to hold space for that. But in order to move toward deeper joy and acceptance, we need to incorporate it. Laughter comes when we are gentle with ourselves, when we release shame, when we become more limber around what life throws us, and when we find safe spaces where we can relax and breathe. In many situations, laughter is the language of relief. What a beautiful sound!

I recommend you contact 911 for general emergencies or the Magellan Crisis Hotline at 1-800-327-7451. If a crisis situation leaves you feeling that you might like to see me sooner than your next appointment, and you’ve handled the immediate situation, reach out and I’ll try to schedule you as soon as I have space. Note that sending me an email or leaving me a voicemail are not suitable methods of contact in times of crisis – please reach out to a live hotline.

No! Getting therapy means you can envision a better life and have the hope, bravery, and confidence to endeavor to get there! And I’m glad to help.

Nope! The kind of psychotherapy you’re thinking of does have some cool pieces that I do incorporate but my style isn’t about picking apart your childhood and taking a distant stance while you pour everything out. The past is important, but so is planting your feet fully in the present and moving toward the future you want. That said, you are always welcome to talk about mom if that’s where you’re moved to go and you’re welcome to get comfy in session!

I’ve got news for you: you’re not alone! Lots of people, including other therapists, have had bad experiences in therapy before. Don’t believe me? Check out the Very Bad Therapy Podcast. I’ve also written a letter just for you, because I promise I get it, and I believe you. I can’t promise rainbows and unicorns but I promise that you’ll be treated with dignity and respect, that I always have an open door for feedback, that I am comfortable owning my own fallibility, and that there’s no pressure on you to move through this faster than feels safe.

We’ll go slowly. As your therapist, I don’t feel entitled to your trust. I know I have to earn it. I understand if/when you need to check in about where we’re at, and I don’t think that means anything is wrong with you. On the contrary, I see your bravery and how hard you’re working.

A lot of things can get in the way of a teen feeling safe and leaning into therapy. Teens need honesty and directness about what confidentiality means for them. They need to be able to have a say in their goals. They need to know that they are WHOLE individuals and deserve as much respect as an adult. And they need to know that it is their choice to move forward in therapy or not. I can offer your family, and your teen, an experience that honors all of this (especially their trust) and provide ways to support them in living their best life.

Come anyway! You can grow as a parent, partner, son, or daughter even if you’re taking these steps toward growth and healing on your own. If they start seeing things change, and seeing the incredible changes within you, they might want to try therapy as well. If this happens, you can continue working one-on-one with me and I would be happy to help you find a trusted colleague to begin couple or family work with. (We want to avoid feeling like there are alliances or anything getting confused, so I generally don’t take on a couple or family if I’m already working with one partner or family member for individual therapy.)

A lot of therapists throw the word “collaborative” or say they “collaborate” with clients but don’t fully live it. “You have questions and I have answers” is not collaborative. I do bring professional training and insight to this work. But you bring so much wisdom and lived experience. It’s my job to help you see the wisdom in yourself and bring it to life, not treat you like you have only problems and I’m the solution-giver. Collaboration means a transparent process, direct communication, and celebrating/centering what you bring to this experience.

So glad you asked! Taking care of ourselves so that we can honor your trust and hold space for the courageousness you bring to our time together is of utmost importance. I don’t just believe in it, but I think it’s crucial for therapists to care for ourselves so we can show up for you as clients. As a therapist, it is my responsibility to be sure I’m taking care of me so my “stuff” doesn’t spill into your experience. This is why I rely on a combination of personal self-care and professional supervision and consultation to be at my best for you.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, which is the study of how humanity came to be. I also have a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling. I’m currently a PhD candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision. Outside of that, I have taken extensive training in Narrative Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy, I am actively engaged in the Somatic Experiencing Practitioner training program, I’ve had formal training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, I completed a post-internship placement focused on Experiential Arts and Gender Care, I presented about Eastern counseling modalities in the West at a juried conference, and I completed extended training on Diabetes Distress through the Behavioral Diabetes Institute. It’s not a complete list–I love training and very much believe that it’s my job to keep learning and advancing my clinical skillset!

Feel free to call me at 480-878-2582 or send a message from the contact page. I look forward to hearing from you!