Common questions

Use the contact form on the request page to send a brief message. Include what's prompting you to reach out — a sentence is plenty (e.g., 'anxiety,' 'couples,' 'problematic gaming') — and your contact preferences. The message comes directly to me by email; please don't include diagnoses, medication lists, or detailed health information on the form. I respond as availability allows, currently accepting new clients with limited openings. If we're not the right fit, I'll do my best to suggest appropriate next resources. For supervision inquiries, select 'Clinical supervision (RMHCI)' so I can route the request appropriately. Once we're working together, full intake, scheduling, secure messaging, and billing move to SimplePractice (under a signed HIPAA Business Associate Agreement).

Your first session is an intake, typically 60 minutes. We clarify three things: what's prompting you to reach out and what you've already tried; relevant history (symptoms, treatment, life context); and what would make therapy useful right now. By the end of the intake, we have a working understanding of goals and a tentative plan for the first few sessions. We also handle practical pieces — consent forms, confidentiality, fee agreement, and safety planning — so subsequent sessions can focus on the work itself. If during intake we discover we're not the right fit, we'll talk about it directly and I'll help with referral options.

I currently work with Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UnitedHealthcare behavioral health, Ascension SmartHealth, Quest Behavioral Health, Carelon Behavioral Health, and Original Medicare. I do not accept Medicare Advantage plans unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing. Coverage varies by plan — copays, deductibles, authorization requirements, and telehealth coverage all differ. Verifying benefits with your insurer before starting care is strongly recommended. ADHD, bariatric, and disability evaluations are self-pay only. If you don't use insurance, you have the right to a written Good Faith Estimate of expected charges under the No Surprises Act. See the fees and insurance page for full pricing and the Good Faith Estimate notice.

Integrative. The work blends three things in deliberate proportion: insight (understanding the pattern that keeps the problem going), skills (tools that hold up outside the session), and integration (a working plan that fits the actual life you're returning to between visits). I draw on psychodynamic / insight-oriented work for pattern and meaning, CBT-informed skills for behavioral and cognitive change, and — for couples — EFT-informed strategies, behavioral/integrative couples-therapy principles, and Gottman-informed tools. I do not promise transformation. I do offer a structured way to understand what's keeping the pattern going, and a working plan that re-evaluates as you do. The pace and approach match your goals, not a one-size-fits-all manual.

There is no fixed length. Some clients come for focused, time-limited work on a specific issue and conclude in 12–20 sessions. Others work longer on long-standing patterns, personality dynamics, or trust repair in couples work. Frequency is usually weekly, especially in early stabilization or active repair work; biweekly becomes appropriate as the work consolidates. We re-evaluate progress periodically and adjust the plan as needed. You're free to end at any time. The honest answer to 'how long' is that it depends on what you came for — focused skill-building moves faster than pattern work, which moves faster than repair after a serious rupture.

Yes, when clinically appropriate for outpatient telehealth. The work is paced, pattern-focused, and emphasizes both insight and concrete skills. Personality disorder presentations — borderline, narcissistic, avoidant, and others — often present alongside anxiety, depression, or relational stress; we'll work with what's most pressing while also looking at the longer-running patterns. Some presentations need a higher level of care than outpatient telehealth can hold safely (active suicidality requiring crisis stabilization, severe self-harm, ongoing court-ordered treatment). In those cases I'll discuss appropriate options with you. The deciding factor is whether outpatient telehealth can hold what you're carrying — not the diagnostic label.

Three reasons. Geographic reach — clients across Florida can access care without commute or relocation. Continuity through life transitions — work travel within Florida, a temporary move, or a busy schedule doesn't have to interrupt care. Lower friction — the energy you'd spend getting to a session goes into the session itself. Telehealth is delivered on encrypted, HIPAA-compliant video; no app required. State licensure rules require you to be physically located in Florida at the time of each session. We'll confirm your location and emergency contact as part of starting care. For most adults and couples, telehealth works comparably to in-person therapy — the research supporting telehealth outcomes is now extensive, particularly for anxiety, depression, and relationship work.

This practice is not appropriate for emergencies or imminent-risk care, and this website is not monitored for crisis communication. If you need immediate help, call or text 988 (the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline). If you are in immediate danger, call 911. As part of starting care, we clarify together how to handle emergencies and confirm an appropriate emergency contact. If you're an existing client experiencing a crisis between sessions and the situation is not an immediate danger, you can also message me through the SimplePractice client portal — but it is not a 24/7 channel and should not be your only safety plan. For ongoing high-risk presentations, a higher level of care than outpatient telehealth may be the right fit.