Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy & Mindfulness

This is a very personal question that is unique to you! In a broad sense, large bodies of studies suggest that people who utilize therapy demonstrate increased levels of happiness, meaning, and connection. I believe fit between you and your therapist is the most crucial part of whether or not therapy is for you, which is why I make sure not to pressure you to schedule appointments above your needs, wants, or financial capabilities.

Individual sessions run 50-minutes (or 80-minutes) long. The duration of therapy depends on your needs, financial situation, and goals. This is something that we will address during our first session.

Something tells me that you took a very courageous step by scheduling your first session. I get really excited about meeting that person! We typically start with a FREE 15-minute phone consultation where we can ask some questions of each other. From there, we may decide to schedule a session together. I will send you intake paperwork to complete online before our first session so that we can hit the ground running. Our first session is our chance to get to know one another. We will discuss what brings you in, learn some background information about you, and answer any questions you may have. At the end of the session, we will discuss ideas and how therapy may be helpful for your specific needs. The first sessions are 50-minutes long. Welcome, and I so look forward to meeting you!

As the two terms are frequently used interchangeably, you would be forgiven for thinking they are indiscernible from one another! By definition, mental health counseling tends to focus on specific problems, like addiction or stress, and developing skills to help manage that problem. Therapy (short for “psychotherapy”) focuses on a broader range and works to resolve not only symptoms but the source of problems. Therapy is designed to help people understand patterns in their thinking, behavior, and relationships that may interfere with reaching personal goals, having satisfying relationships, and being able to cope with stress and emotions.

Again, that is a personal question that only you can answer! I know that often it is when we are feeling all right about our lives that is the best time to do therapy. Imagine you have to seal punctures in your bicycle tubes every 6-months; the bicycle may ride fine for a short time, but you haven’t taken care of the sharp rock imbedded between the rim and the tube that caused the punctures in the first place!

“Treatment without prevention is simply unsustainable.” – Bill Gate

Not at all! Here are two definitions of mindfulness:

• Simple definition: bare-bones attention

• Extended definition: the opportunity to contact the texture of our experiences directly, to be able to perceive our environment without putting demands on it to be different, to experience our current emotional state without attempting to change it, and to observe one’s own thoughts and action patterns without attempting to stop or control them

So as you can see, mindfulness is learning to be in control of our attention process: what we choose to pay attention to and for how long we decide to pay attention to it. This is a skill that I find to be vastly crucial for anyone who is trying to better regulate their thinking and emotional responses to stress situations, including communication in relationships.

Only when you are ready, and I promise we won’t stay in the past forever! Your past serves as a bridge to see into the root causes of problems. The past is helpful as a teacher, but not as a home in which to live.

I believe many of our problems are caused by habitually living in the past or the future. For example, people experiencing chronic depression may believe that things will not get any better no matter what they do. Or someone who struggles in romance may doubt that their partner will still love them if they are genuinely themselves. These types of self-defeating beliefs can be combated through mindfulness-based, somatic, and experiential therapies. By challenging people to be themselves even when their habit is to hide or get bigger than they actually are during difficult, stressful, or shameful times, you start to discover that it really is okay to be you. And it is.

For in-person appointments, my office is located in Frisco, Texas at 5300 Town and Country Blvd Suite 240, Frisco, TX 75034. Please note that all sessions are by appointment only.

Yes! I offer remote or online therapy through secure video conference for those who are looking to experience therapy in the comfort of their own home.

No, but I can produce for you an itemized form (i.e., Superbill) with which you can submit to your insurance company to create an out-of-network claim. Available upon request only.

My rates for individuals start at $200 for a 60-minute session and my rates for couples start at $250 for a 60-minute session. You can learn more about my rates on my investment page.