Policies and Agreements

Client & Therapist Agreements

1. Authenticity & Honesty. The therapeutic process relies heavily on authentic connection and honest communication. If we are not sharing complete information or not presenting your true self in sessions, then I cannot help you with the issues you are facing or I might be missing key information to help you in the best ways possible. I understand that honesty and authenticity are difficult for clients and often why you are in therapy in the first place. I encourage clients to communicate with me where there are at and I am here to hold the space for you to take that leap.

2. Openness to the process and feedback. Therapy takes time to work. Like a broken bone, we need time to heal and engage in sustained change behavior. That can often be frustrating, and that is completely understandable. I am open to hearing that frustration! Though, I will bring us back to acknowledging that this process takes time. Additionally, the therapeutic process requires me providing feedback at times that is uncomfortable. While I strive to deliver it in a palatable way, I also believe that it is necessary to receive uncomfortable feedback in order to make the progress you are hoping for. Conversely, I am open to feedback and having difficult conversations about the care I am providing to you. I value honesty and that is what propels us forward. Oftentimes, when clients are honest about how the process is working or not working for them, it allows us to grow in therapy together.

3. Engagement & Collaboration. Therapy requires you to be fully engaged and collaborative. Being engaged means completely silencing phones, smart watches, or any other devices that might interrupt our work together (unless we have a different agreement otherwise). This also means that you are an active participant in therapy and bring things to work on. I can offer suggestions at times about directions that can be helpful or needed, and this is not my therapy, this is your therapy. Similarly, the process works when we collaborate on the issues you are facing together. I am here to be your co-pilot as you navigate life circumstances. I also agree to be fully engaged and collaborative with you.

4. My role as your therapist. Clients always have different ideas about what therapy is and about what therapist's roles are. Here is my philosophy on my role as your therapist and commit to upholding myself to these roles:

   • Brave space: I am here to create a brave space for you to take risks, be honest, and fully express in. I strive to hold a space that is safe for you to explore in.

   • Guide: My role is also to be your guide through the issues you bring to therapy. Clients often struggle on where to start. I am here to help you find that place to start and create the path with you.

   • Educator: I provide you with skills and information about whatever it is that you are facing.

   • Cheerleader: I am going to cheer you on, empower you, and encourage you to do the brave things that you want (or need) to do!

   • Meet you where you are at: I am not here to force you to do things you aren't ready for or don't want to do. I will provide gently nudges, but I am going to meet you wherever you are at. I will get in the trenches with you. Explore what is creating you to be where you are at now and sit with you until you are ready for something to be different. This also means that we can use therapy for whatever you want, which could be for venting and a listening ear, a space to practice skills, or a place to get the work done.

   • Healing relationship. I deeply value the power of relationships, and the healing aspect of our therapeutic relationship. I am always honored to be this for clients. What this means is that I can provide the safe and brave space you might not have, I can see and hear you for your authentic self, I can respond in healthy ways to your emotions and what you are going through, and I can tell you things you might not have heard before.

Appointments and Cancellations

Appointments are scheduled in advance, at a cadence we agree on, based on your goals, treatment needs, and our mutual availability. Payments for each appointment will be made through Headway by debit or credit card or ACH transfer.

You may cancel appointments in advance without charge, as long as I receive notice at least 24 hours in advance. Of course, emergencies and illness are taken into consideration for not being charged. For appointment no-shows or last-minute cancellations, you may be charged a fee of $100. If late cancellations and/or no show appointments become a consistent occurrence, then I am open to chatting about an agreement that feels good for both of us, though it may mean that I need to charge the $100 fee regardless of the reason. Please reach out to me directly for my latest policy on the cancellation cutoff period and fees.

Lateness to Appointments

If you are running late to an appointment, please let me know as soon as possible by phone, text or email. Please know that if you are late to an appointment, you will only be allotted the remaining time we have in the 50 minutes for our appointment and will still be charged for the full session.

Availability and After-Hours Emergencies

I check for voice mail and text messages during normal business hours. Messages left outside of normal hours of operation will be picked up the next business day. You are always welcome to contact me to see if I am available for support, but understand that I may not be available to help.

If you are experiencing suicidal or homicidal thoughts, are in crisis, or need immediate help, please call 911/988 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Contacting Me

I am often not immediately available by telephone. I do not answer my phone when I am with clients or otherwise unavailable. At these times, you may leave a message on my confidential voicemail or text message me and I will return your call or text when I am available next, but it may take a day or two for non-urgent matters. I will make every attempt to inform you in advance of planned absences. If I need to cancel an appointment at the last-minute, I will reach out as soon as possible and reschedule, or have a member of my staff connect with you.

Discharge Process

There are several reasons why we may eventually end our professional relationship. You may decide you would prefer to work with a different provider. I may reach the conclusion you would be better served working with someone else. Regardless of the case, I will first discuss with you the reasons for discharging, and if you request, provide you with a list of other qualified providers. I will also extend the discharge process length if necessary based on your treatment needs, including continuing to provide emergency support for a time-limited period after you have been notified of the end of our treatment relationship.

Please note that ongoing failure to pay for treatment, attend sessions, or communicate with me in a respectful and timely manner can also result in discharge from my practice. In these instances, to ensure you have continued access to care, I will still make every reasonable effort to get in touch with you and provide referrals to a new provider before I consider our relationship ended.