Frequently asked questions
How do I know if trauma therapy is right for me?
Trauma therapy can be helpful if you’ve experienced overwhelming events, ongoing stress, or patterns from your past that continue to affect your emotions, relationships, or sense of self. If you feel stuck, anxious, depressed, or struggle to regulate your emotions, trauma therapy can provide a safe, supportive space to process those experiences and rebuild self-trust, resilience, and emotional balance.
Do you accept insurance?
Yes! I am in network with Kaiser Permanente.
What is Private Pay like?
My current rate is $190 per regular therapy session (approximately 60 mins). The first session is an Intake Session which is $270 (approximately 90 mins).
I keep some spots open for a sliding scale rate, so please contact me if you have further questions about this.
Do you work with neurodivergent clients or clients with ADHD?
Yes! I specialize in supporting sensitive and neurodivergent adults, including those navigating ADHD or other ways of processing the world. Many clients who are successful in various areas of life still struggle with emotional regulation, focus, or feeling understood. Together, we create strategies and approaches tailored to your unique needs while also exploring deeper healing, helping you feel more balanced, supported, and empowered in your daily life.
How do I know if therapy is working?
You’ll know therapy is working when you start to feel more connected to yourself and your emotions, even in small ways. You might notice you can handle difficult moments with more calm, feel less stuck in self-doubt or shame, or respond to past triggers with curiosity instead of overwhelm.
Progress can also show up as clearer boundaries, more confidence in your choices, or a deeper sense of self-trust. We’ll check in together along the way, celebrating shifts and adjusting our approach so your work in therapy truly supports your healing journey.
How long does it take to see results?
The pace of healing varies for each person and depends on your goals, the depth of past experiences, and your readiness. Some clients notice relief or shifts in just a few sessions, while deeper, lasting transformation often takes months. Therapy is about creating sustainable change, and I’ll support you every step of the way—celebrating progress, helping you navigate challenges, and equipping you with tools to feel more balanced, resilient, and empowered.
What does it mean to work from a nervous system perspective?
Working from a nervous system approach means paying close attention to how your body and mind respond to stress, relationships, and past experiences. Trauma, anxiety, or ongoing challenges don’t just live in our thoughts—they also live in the body, often showing up as tension, overwhelm, shutdown, or reactivity. Together, we explore these patterns with curiosity and compassion, helping you learn how to notice what’s happening inside and respond in ways that create more balance and safety.
Instead of trying to “think your way out” of what you’re experiencing, we gently work with your body’s natural rhythms. You’ll learn practical tools to regulate your nervous system—things like grounding, breath-work, or simple somatic practices that help you feel more present and steady in the moment. Over time, this allows you to move through difficult feelings without being overtaken by them and to expand your capacity for calm, connection, and joy.
This approach is about more than just managing symptoms—it helps address the root of what you’re going through. By listening to your nervous system and teaching it new patterns of safety and regulation, you can experience deeper healing, greater resilience, and a stronger sense of trust in yourself.
What is EMDR and how is it different than regular talk therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful, evidence-based therapy that helps your brain and body process painful or overwhelming experiences. It doesn’t require you to retell or relive every detail of what happened. Instead, we use gentle, guided forms of bilateral stimulation to help your nervous system release stuck memories and emotional pain.
Bilateral stimulation is a key part of EMDR therapy that helps your brain reprocess difficult memories in a more balanced and adaptive way. It simply means activating both sides of the brain in a rhythmic, alternating pattern. In my practice, I use gentle handheld buzzers that pulse back and forth from one hand to the other. This soothing, physical rhythm helps your nervous system stay grounded and present while processing experiences that once felt overwhelming. Most people find it calming and often notice a sense of relief or emotional release as we work.
I use EMDR to help clients heal from experiences such as childhood trauma, anxiety, loss, and relationship wounds. Over time, memories that once felt charged or distressing begin to lose their emotional intensity and feel more resolved, allowing you to feel calmer, clearer, and more present in your life. I only use EMDR with my clients in person.
What is Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) and how does it work for trauma?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a gentle, empowering approach that helps you understand and heal the different “parts” within you—like the parts that protect, criticize, worry, or carry pain. Instead of trying to get rid of these parts, we get curious about them and discover how they’ve been trying to help. As you develop more compassion and connection with yourself, those inner parts can begin to relax, and you can access a calmer, wiser inner core—what IFS calls the Self. From this place, real healing and emotional balance become possible.
IFS (Internal Family Systems) helps you heal from trauma by allowing your mind and body to process difficult experiences safely. Trauma often creates “parts” of ourselves that carry fear, shame, or pain. In IFS, we gently get to know these parts, understand what they’ve been trying to protect, and help them release their burdens. By connecting with your inner Self—the calm, compassionate core—you can reduce the intensity of past trauma, feel more emotionally balanced, and regain a sense of safety and self-trust in your daily life.
What is Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and how does Leasel help?
Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a type of therapy that incorporates animals to support emotional healing and connection. In my practice, my therapy dog, Leasel, joins sessions to help create a calm, safe, and grounding environment.
Interacting with Leasel can help reduce anxiety, provide comfort, and make it easier to access emotions or explore difficult experiences. AAT is a gentle, supportive tool that complements EMDR, IFS, and other trauma-focused therapies, helping clients feel more relaxed, present, and understood.
To read more about this, please check out the About Me & Leasel section.
How do I schedule a session?
If you’re interested in working with me, please reach out to me via text, phone, or email and we can set up a FREE consultation call to see if we’d be a good fit to work together.