This is an important question not just because you want to have the right person for the job, but also because recent studies have shown that the relationship or “fit” between the client and therapist is the most important factor in determining successful outcomes. While some people tout X or Y type of therapy as a “cure all” it is really the commitment of the therapist and client that determines how therapy “works”. Your comfort and ability to tell me your experiences, emotions and responses in a genuine way is fundamental to our work being the most benefit to you. I provide a brief consult to see if we are a good fit prior to our first meeting.

I know this is information important to many people. I feel that education is there to help make sense of lived experiences. I draw from many experiences, including but not limited to, my formal education when working with clients.

I hold a BA, a JD and an MA. I studied for my BA at the Claremont Colleges, got my Juris Doctorate (JD) Law Degree from the University of California Berkeley (Boalt Hall) and my Master of Counseling Psychology at the Wright Institute in Berkeley.

I also enjoy ongoing education and blend all new knowledge with my formal education to assist my clients. I hold a Certificate in Conflict Mediation from UC Berkeley School of Law and have taken classes in Eastern Medicine/Philosophy, Herbalism/Nutrition, Self-Awareness and Intuition, Mindfulness, Reiki, as well as regular Medical/Surgical updates regarding Trans* and Intersex populations.

For me Narrative therapy is the way our brain makes stories (and truths) out of our life experiences. Joan Didion said “we all tell ourselves stories so that we may live.”

Narratives are the means by which we formulate understanding about ourselves and our world. They are expressed in how we talk to ourselves. Harmonious narratives communicate well and feel right. Those which are out of tune create stress, confusion, fear and distrust. If the world tells us something about itself (or about us) that is in conflict with our own experience, we feel out of place and out of touch. That is why some people, places, things resonate with our beings and others really don’t feel right. Those instincts tell us about ourselves and they are the most important thing to which we can focus our attention.

To survive in this world, we also must also be aware of the tales of our culture and how others take us in. I’m a Narrative Conductor, making harmonious my clients’ understandings of the world and their internal understandings of themselves.

This type of functional narrative (or understanding of reality), be it legal, personal or cultural, is at the root of my professional life. This craft has taken various forms. I’ve created progressive narratives for a national magazine, evaluated the personal narratives of countless students seeking admission to academic institutions, aligned the narratives of warring families and couples, analyzed the narratives constructed about trials and public policy, and challenged narratives by assisting individuals in considering the effects of their own personal/cultural understandings on their day to day lives.

Together we will explore: What do your narratives say about you, what they keep you from seeing clearly, and how can they work for and not against you.

I am an out of network provider and do not bill insurance companies directly. Insurance companies only cover for psychotherapy and not other services I could provide (ex coaching, mediation). Upon request, I can provide you with a superbill and you can submit that to your insurance company for reimbursement.

To confirm that you have mental health benefits and see if out of network services are covered, please call your insurance provider. You may also want to ask the following questions:

• What forms do I need to fill out to be reimbursed?
• Do you cover Telehealth benefits or “modifier 95 benefits”?
• What percentage of psychotherapy fees would be covered?
• Do I have an annual deductible I first have to meet before my benefits kick in?
• Do i require pre-approval or a referral from my primary care provider?
• How many mental health sessions are covered per year and is it per calendar year (January through December) or over a 12 month period?
• What is my deductible for mental health services per session?
• Ask which of the following CPT or billing codes are covered: 90791, 90832, 90834 and/or 90837 (modifier 95 for Telehealth)? For family therapy ask about 90846, 90847?

The typical session is a standard “therapeutic hour” which is 50 mins. I will let you know when we need to end. If we are in the middle of something I may allow for us to go over, but I can not always accommodate this time-wise.

Standard frequency of therapy/coaching is 1x a week or more. There are some exceptions to this and we can discuss a different frequency if you prefer. This may affect your fee and scheduling flexibility.

Coaching and Therapy/Counseling have different focuses, requirements and flexibilities. One or the other might be more appropriate for your needs. We can discuss this further when we talk, but to get a general idea:

	Coaching		Therapy/Counseling
Can it be Covered by Insurance/HSA	No		Sometimes
Perspective	Mostly forward looking		forward and past looking (global)
Confidentiality	Contractual, fewer notes required		Contractual with Legal protections, more notes may be required
Diagnosis	No		sometimes required
Can I switch to the other?	Rarely		Once
Tele-health options (internet/phone)	yes		some limitations
Short or long term?	either,  decide together		either, we decide together
is therapy required?	maybe		n/a
Limitations on where/how we meet?	no		maybe/some
Do I have to come once a week?	flexible		requires regularity
Do I have to be in california	no		yes

With this type of work, I bring my office to you. Online work is effective because as we can share non-verbal communications during our session. If we have worked together before, phone may also be an option for us.

Telemedicine may also be a good fit if there are no therapists in your area who have my specializations. For example there may not be services available or with which you are comfortable in your area if you are transgender, intersex or genderqueer. I also welcome lesbian, bisexual, gay men, queer folks and people questioning their sexual orientation.

In addition, lawyers and law students also often seek therapy or coaching via telemedicine because of a busy schedule. If this is a factor, we can discuss if this alternative to meeting in person might be right for you.

This type of work is not appropriate if you:

• Are under age 18
• Seek a therapeutic model and reside outside of the state of California
• Are frequently in a mental health crisis
• Suicidal or severely depressed
• Want to work on complex trauma issues
• Are addicted to internet porn or online activities

This is an important question not just because you want to have the right person for the job, but also because recent studies have shown that the relationship or “fit” between the client and therapist is the most important factor in determining successful outcomes. While some people tout X or Y type of therapy as a “cure all” it is really the commitment of the therapist and client that determines how therapy “works”. Your comfort and ability to tell me your experiences, emotions and responses in a genuine way is fundamental to our work being the most benefit to you. I provide a brief consult to see if we are a good fit prior to our first meeting.

I know this is information important to many people. I feel that education is there to help make sense of lived experiences. I draw from many experiences, including but not limited to, my formal education when working with clients.

I hold a BA, a JD and an MA. I studied for my BA at the Claremont Colleges, got my Juris Doctorate (JD) Law Degree from the University of California Berkeley (Boalt Hall) and my Master of Counseling Psychology at the Wright Institute in Berkeley.

I also enjoy ongoing education and blend all new knowledge with my formal education to assist my clients. I hold a Certificate in Conflict Mediation from UC Berkeley School of Law and have taken classes in Eastern Medicine/Philosophy, Herbalism/Nutrition, Self-Awareness and Intuition, Mindfulness, Reiki, as well as regular Medical/Surgical updates regarding Trans* and Intersex populations.

For me Narrative therapy is the way our brain makes stories (and truths) out of our life experiences. Joan Didion said “we all tell ourselves stories so that we may live.”

Narratives are the means by which we formulate understanding about ourselves and our world. They are expressed in how we talk to ourselves. Harmonious narratives communicate well and feel right. Those which are out of tune create stress, confusion, fear and distrust. If the world tells us something about itself (or about us) that is in conflict with our own experience, we feel out of place and out of touch. That is why some people, places, things resonate with our beings and others really don’t feel right. Those instincts tell us about ourselves and they are the most important thing to which we can focus our attention.

To survive in this world, we also must also be aware of the tales of our culture and how others take us in. I’m a Narrative Conductor, making harmonious my clients’ understandings of the world and their internal understandings of themselves.

This type of functional narrative (or understanding of reality), be it legal, personal or cultural, is at the root of my professional life. This craft has taken various forms. I’ve created progressive narratives for a national magazine, evaluated the personal narratives of countless students seeking admission to academic institutions, aligned the narratives of warring families and couples, analyzed the narratives constructed about trials and public policy, and challenged narratives by assisting individuals in considering the effects of their own personal/cultural understandings on their day to day lives.

Together we will explore: What do your narratives say about you, what they keep you from seeing clearly, and how can they work for and not against you.

The typical session is a standard “therapeutic hour” which is 50 mins. I will let you know when we need to end. If we are in the middle of something I may allow for us to go over, but I can not always accommodate this time-wise.

Standard frequency of therapy/coaching is 1x a week or more. There are some exceptions to this and we can discuss a different frequency if you prefer. This may affect your fee and scheduling flexibility.

Coaching and Therapy/Counseling have different focuses, requirements and flexibilities. One or the other might be more appropriate for your needs. We can discuss this further when we talk, but to get a general idea:

	Coaching		Therapy/Counseling
Can it be Covered by Insurance/HSA	No		Sometimes
Perspective	Mostly forward looking		forward and past looking (global)
Confidentiality	Contractual, fewer notes required		Contractual with Legal protections, more notes may be required
Diagnosis	No		sometimes required
Can I switch to the other?	Rarely		Once
Tele-health options (internet/phone)	yes		some limitations
Short or long term?	either,  decide together		either, we decide together
is therapy required?	maybe		n/a
Limitations on where/how we meet?	no		maybe/some
Do I have to come once a week?	flexible		requires regularity
Do I have to be in california	no		yes

With this type of work, I bring my office to you. Online work is effective because as we can share non-verbal communications during our session. If we have worked together before, phone may also be an option for us.

Telemedicine may also be a good fit if there are no therapists in your area who have my specializations. For example there may not be services available or with which you are comfortable in your area if you are transgender, intersex or genderqueer. I also welcome lesbian, bisexual, gay men, queer folks and people questioning their sexual orientation.

In addition, lawyers and law students also often seek therapy or coaching via telemedicine because of a busy schedule. If this is a factor, we can discuss if this alternative to meeting in person might be right for you.

This type of work is not appropriate if you:

• Are under age 18
• Seek a therapeutic model and reside outside of the state of California
• Are frequently in a mental health crisis
• Suicidal or severely depressed
• Want to work on complex trauma issues
• Are addicted to internet porn or online activities