Frequently Asked Questions
Show up prepared; this is about you and for you. Be an engaged participant in your own healing journey. Do your best to create the conditions that support your trauma therapy. Take good care of yourself as best you can because it matters and will support our work. Your intentionality is crucial. Here are some suggestions for online therapy from the EMDRIA site.
I’m not the right therapist for everyone, and that’s okay. Compatibility matters in this work, and when it’s there, it can tremendously help the process. I recommend you review my site, and your first call is a chance to see if we’re a fit, with no pressure.
I love the analogy my first EMDR trainer used: “I am like a sports coach, and sometimes I may tell you what you need to hear and not necessarily what you want to hear.” I will be your biggest cheerleader, but I’ll also hold you accountable on your journey. I will also evaluate to make sure I can help you and that I am the right person for what you need and are looking for.
Lastly, remember that you are the “placebo factor” in your own journey. What you bring to the table is paramount in your own journey.
According to NASW (National Association of Social Workers), it is unethical to solicit testimonials from clients. Some of the clients I have served found me through word of mouth. I have included some comments from esteemed colleagues on my site instead.
I am an out-of-network (OON) provider, and I will provide a detailed monthly receipt (called a “superbill”) for you to submit to your insurance company.
If you have OON coverage you’d like to use, I use a service called Reimbursify, where you can verify your OON benefits, get relevant cost information, and file claims with your insurance provider for free. Please check with your insurance on your out-of-network (OON) benefits and eligibility for reimbursement. You can also use your HSA funds to pay for your sessions.
I am in-network with Tricare West and the VA Community Care Network. If you are with Tricare East and live in NC, you’ll need a referral from your current provider’s office to work with me.
Lastly, I will say this: Investing in extended sessions (intensive format) can be a cost-effective way to get more in a shorter time.
Everyone’s therapeutic journey is unique and depends on your goals, the depth and complexity of past pain, your current life circumstances, and how you process experiences. So there’s no single answer, and it varies a lot from person to person.
Much of it comes down to how strongly your protective patterns are running the show. In IFS, we call these “protectors.” “Letting go,” or in IFS, we call it “un-burdening” can’t begin until they feel safe enough to step aside and let us reach the parts that hold the heavy emotions and beliefs. For some people, that shift happens fast. Others need more time to build trust in the process, and that’s completely fine. Also, if all variables or “parts” needs and concerns are addressed, and you have “one memory or incident” you’d like to process and clear in EMDR, it will take much less time than addressing multiple life experiences, negative beliefs, etc.
People have spent anywhere from a few months to a year. Some folks have also returned to work on experiences they didn’t tackle the first time around and successfully graduated. Review information on EMDR, IFS, Exposure, and other models I use, and when we consult, I can guide you on what to expect. Remember, healing happens in a continuum.
No. Spirituality is never a requirement for working together. Many of my clients never bring it up, and their therapy goes deeply and well without it. I follow your lead: if spirituality is an area you want to address, we can make room for it, and if it isn’t, it doesn’t need to be part of our work.
I believe each of us is on our own “know thyself” journey, finding our own meaning and purpose in life, and you get to decide what that looks like for you.