Frequently Asked Questions

I provide individual therapy to adults via video telehealth. Telehealth is an effective venue for receiving care from the comfort of your home – or wherever you may be in the state of California.

I am an early bird, so my office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Thursday.

The best way to reach me is through my Psychology Today listing for security reasons and most importantly to leave a confidential message.

You are also welcome to contact me directly by email at Lcphd@hushmail.com, which is a secure, encrypted platform.

Sessions are 55 minutes.

I ask for 24 hours’ notice when possible. I understand that emergencies and illness happen, and I make exceptions in those circumstances.

That depends on what you are hoping to address. Most clients find that somewhere between 10 and 20 sessions allows meaningful progress, though the right pace is always shaped by your individual goals and history.

I have been in practice for 30 years.

Early in my career, I focused on addictive disorders. Over time, I began to observe that many of the people I worked with carried histories of trauma – exposure to violence, emotional and physical abuse, neglect, and chronic experiences of not belonging or not being accepted. These histories often shaped the patterns people found themselves repeating in adult relationships.

In 2019, I completed a research study on first responder trauma. What emerged from that work was striking: virtually all participants had experienced trauma during childhood, and all had been exposed to environmental trauma in their professional lives – including violent attacks, stalking, and profound losses that left them asking, “Who am I now?”

Yes, we can recover. Yes, we can improve our life.

And yes, life can be better.

Yes. Private-pay sessions are completely private and protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

There are a few important exceptions to confidentiality worth knowing. If you introduce your therapy or mental health records into a court proceeding, or request insurance reimbursement, the protected status of that information may change. Outside of circumstances like these, your privacy is protected under the Health Information Privacy Act (HIPAA).