Counseling Therapy
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist # 93693
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor # 5844
a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Marriage & Family Therapist. I provide compassionate, collaborative counseling on an income based sliding scale. I provide in person appointments in downtown Sebastopol, Ca and continue to provide telehealth services for those in the East Bay.
navigating identity formation, new responsibilities, and new relationships during the college and post-college years.
having difficulty prioritizing self care and seeking relief from stress and burnout.
and looking for guidance in challenging self-defeating thoughts and actions and developing healthy skills, habits, and thought patterns to thrive in life.
and seeking to move towards wellness, recovery, and active engagement in life.
wanting to increase constructive communication and work through conflict with compassion.
and seeking relief.
My main approach to counseling is establishing a collaborative, strength-based, and goal-focused relationship. I believe we all have the capacity within ourselves to address roadblocks in our lives, heal from emotional wounds, and move towards growth and contentment. We also all feel stuck at times along the way and can use a little help. I work alongside my clients on identifying clear goals to strive for and by which to measure success. I highlight my clients’ strengths and areas of progress during this work, as a large part of that feeling stuck is the harsh perceptions we tend to have about ourselves. While I may challenge my client to shift certain perceptions of self or of what is achievable, I focus on providing the empathy that all deserve when struggling with life’s challenges, and also work to dispel the guilt and self-criticism we tend to give ourselves for not meeting our unreasonable expectations. I find self-acceptance and self-compassion critical to self-growth.
I have spent the bulk of my time as a mental health professional working in community mental health for adults with severe mental illness and addiction. I have provided outpatient counseling services within a community wellness center, and intensive mental health and substance abuse treatment in a residential setting for those with dual diagnosis. In addition I have served children and adolescents suffering from anxiety, depression, conduct problems, and complex trauma as a school counselor and in the home as a behavioral specialist. Within my private practice I have predominantly worked with twenty somethings feeling lost and defeated, adults with longterm mental illness who do not wish to slip back into crisis, and caregivers who need help prioritizing their own self-care. In all settings I have found three main factors critical in my work; challenging problem-centered narratives, establishing concrete, positive goals and expectations for my clients, and connecting them to the powerful healing that healthy family and community relationships provide.
Mindfulness practices are invaluable for managing pain and anxiety, self-growth, fostering relationships, and increasing contentment. I work with my clients to find the mindfulness tools that work best for them, whether it is breathing exercises, establishing a daily sitting process, or going for mindful walks in nature.
We are relational creatures at our core. I work with my clients on repairing or deepening existing important relationships (family, friends, lovers, co-workers,…), developing effective communication, and expanding one’s support network and community.
Just as someone’s personality is unique, so is their suffering. I do not assume the role of medical professional primarily treating a disorder. With all of my clients I focus on their strengths, formulating and following personal goals, and increasing their level of supports and sense of community. I may recommend and assist in finding additional professional help or a higher level of care if I determine that those needs are not being met.
I do not see addiction as a ‘moral failing’ or as a medical ‘disease’, but rather as the result of an interweaving of behavioral, emotional, physical, and relationship factors. Addiction is when we turn to things that give us short term relief when life needs for connection and purpose are not met. Thus I have found that effective treatment is not focusing solely on abstinence as much as focusing on action plans to fulfill those primary needs. For an excellent short summary on the nature of addiction, I highly recommend this Ted Talk Video.
I try to practice what I preach. To this end I have my own reward system for the daily self care activities and hobbies that I want to engage in. These include meditation, practicing accordion, running or swimming, eating healthy, less than one hour per day of unfocused screentime, and hiking in nature.
I am an in-network provider for: Sonoma County Medi-Cal/Partnership, Cigna, MHN , and UC SHIP Tang Center Referrals. Please let me know in your first contact which insurance you have to ensure that I am still in network. Please confirm with your insurance that it is still current and determine any copays that you may have. If I am not on your network and your insurance reimburses for out-of-network services, I can provide you a billing statement for you to be reimbursed.
My full fee is $160/session, however I offer a sliding scale based on income for those whose insurance will not cover out-of-network counseling. The session fee is based on .2 % of your gross annual income. I hold a limited number of sliding scale spaces in which I will accept below $100 for those making less than $50,000. The following table provides a guideline:
| Annual Income | Fee |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | $100 |
| $55,000 | $110 |
| $60,000 | $120 |
| $65,000 | $130 |
| $70,000 | $140 |
| $75,000 | $150 |
| $80,000 | $160 |
The fee for couples living together or family services is based on joint income, however may be adjusted down to accommodate circumstances.
My in-person office is located in Sebastopol, Ca. I continue to offer telehealth (online video) for UCB Students or other California residents.
You can reach me at 707 861 0658. Please call me for a free phone consultation. Leave me a detailed message with your name and number and I will return your call as soon as possible.
If you are in crisis and need someone to talk to right now, please call the Sonoma County Suicide Hotline at 1-855-587-6373 or Alameda Crisis Hotline at 1-800-309-2131. They are trained volunteers ready to listen to whatever you are going through.