I think everyone can benefit from therapy. Life is hard and complicated. We all have things, either about ourselves or that have happened in our lives, that we could use some help navigating. Being in therapy doesn’t make you "crazy,” and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. We all just need some extra support sometimes. For what it’s worth, I myself have been a client in therapy on and off for over a decade because I genuinely believe in the power of therapy to help us live our best lives.

What we talk about largely depends on what your personal goals for therapy are. Those goals will dictate the topics of our conversations and where we go. “How have things been going?” is a question that will start most sessions so we can address anything that’s happened since our last session. From there, we will move on to the work we’ve been doing to help you meet your goals. 

I will not give you advice and I won’t tell you what to do. What I will do, though, is help you figure out what is contributing to the situation and help you figure out what you really want to do in any given situation. Sometimes, doing those things can be very hard, and I will be here to support you throughout the process. 

Yes. I will not talk about what you tell me with anyone, but there are a few exceptions to confidentiality you should know about. First, if you are actively suicidal and I am concerned that you are an immediate risk to yourself, I will take the steps necessary to ensure your safety and that can involve contacting mobile crisis services or authorities.

Second, if you say something that is a direct threat to someone else or you are planning on committing a crime, tell me, and if you have a plan to act on that, I have a duty to warn that person or report that a crime is going to be committed. Please note that’s very different from statements like “Oh man, I could/want to kill him sometimes.” Third, if a vulnerable adult or a minor is being abused, I am mandated to report that. Finally, if I am subpoenaed, I will release what is legally necessary after consulting with an attorney.

I completely understand. Therapy is scary. People have told me things they’ve never told anyone else, and talking about some of the things we don’t like about ourselves is incredibly hard and vulnerable. 

I will not judge you. If your gut reaction to that is “Yeah, but I’ve done/thought some pretty horrible things/things nobody understands,” I get it. It’s shame that tells you those things, and shame is fucking terrible. Shame prevents us from doing so many things in life. The best way to work through shame is to bring it into the light. It loses its power when we tell people the things we don’t think we can ever tell anyone and realize we’re still okay.

 I have worked with people from many different walks of life and spent a chunk of my career working in prisons. Yes, that means I’ve worked with murderers. You will get no judgment here. What you will get is empathy, concern for your well-being, and a genuine desire to help you live your best life, regardless of what your best life looks like for you. 

I completely understand that fear—what if your therapist thinks you’re crazy? Suicidal thoughts are actually much more common than people realize. Most people just don’t talk about them. I will not send you to the hospital, nor will I contact authorities or your emergency contact, unless I believe you are an active and immediate threat to yourself. That would mean you had a plan, the intent to act on that plan, and the means to do so. This is not the same thing as thinking you’d be better off dead. 

You’re the only one who can answer that, and I encourage you to schedule a consultation with me here so we can chat. You are never stuck with a counselor. You are welcome to terminate services at any time; there is no contractual obligation. 

One session is approximately 50 minutes. How many sessions you will need is largely dependent on the issues we’re working on. Some people go to therapy every week for a month and feel better and stop; some people start weekly, then go biweekly, then monthly; some people continue therapy on and off for years. It’s entirely up to you, and you can stop or take a break at any time.

No. Licensed Counselors have completed a Master’s degree. Psychiatrists and doctors both complete medical school in order to prescribe medications. We can talk about why you think you need medications, what you’re hoping to get from them, and the best avenues to find someone who can prescribe them (a PCP, psychiatrist, or nurse practitioner.) Studies have found that medication often works best when paired with talk therapy. 

Yes. Having been down that road myself, I know how difficult it can be to find a counselor who is both comfortable and competent treating other therapists, and to try to decide if and when to disclose your profession for fear it might change the therapeutic relationship. I have seen many counselors and social workers for individual therapy and understand the burdens and complications the profession can, at times, bring into other aspects of your life. 

No. I do not consider myself competent enough in these areas to give you the high level of care I both expect from myself and you deserve. While I have worked with many clients on relationship concerns, and have brought partners into an individual session with a specific reason in mind, I do not treat couples, polycules, or families.

Yes. I don’t work with children, couples, polycules, people who want substance use treatment, and people struggling with eating disorders. I do not consider myself competent enough in these areas to provide the high-quality treatment that I both expect from myself and that you deserve. If you feel like you’re right on the edge of these categories, particularly if you are looking for a therapist for a preteen, please contact me and we can discuss whether or not I would be an appropriate fit. 

No. In order to serve clients in all of Idaho, including very rural locations, I run my practice entirely as telehealth. Studies have shown that telehealth is as effective as in-person therapy, and it allows much more flexibility. All you need to come to a session is a private, quiet place. Please note that you are expected to be fully clothed and not under the influence of substances during the session, just like if we were meeting in person.

While I have seen people sitting in their parked cars, I will not engage in sessions with people who are driving. It’s just not safe. You must be physically in Idaho for sessions due to licensing requirements. All sessions take place on a HIPAA-compliant, confidential platform and are not recorded.

No. Generally speaking, I’ve found that most people who seek therapy haven’t met their deductible, which is usually very high, and end up paying out of pocket despite being insured. Additionally, insurance requires a diagnosis to be on file, and some people have reasons not to want a mental health diagnosis on record. I am happy to provide you with a superbill, which you can submit to your insurance for out-of-network reimbursement.

You can schedule sessions here, and at the end of every session we have together, I can schedule your next appointment for you. If you need to cancel, I ask for 24 hours of notice. If you do not show up to a scheduled appointment and have not communicated with me, you will be charged a full session fee. Late cancellations may be subject to a fee equal to 50% of the cost of an individual session. 

My rates are $150 for an approximately 50-minute session. Your card (credit card or FSA/HSA) will be automatically charged after your session through your client portal.

On the surface, this is true. But there are some things worth looking at. At the time of this writing, both cost approximately $400 a month for plans that include video sessions. However, the average session length on both platforms is 30 minutes, and the average session length for therapists you’d see on those platforms is 50 minutes. Both services argue that you are able to message your counselor and that makes up for the extra time.

In my experience, it’s really hard to do any meaningful work through text, and 30 minutes just isn’t long enough to really get into the nitty-gritty of what’s going on with you. It’s also worth thinking about how many clients therapists on those platforms have to see in a day or a week to be full-time and make a living. Spoiler: It’s a lot.

It is worth noting, though, that BetterHelp does offer financial assistance, and that can be a good option to get help if you would be otherwise unable to afford. Any help is better than no help at all. (See what I did there?)

You can email me at EMAIL or call me at 208-274-9373. Please note that both are monitored during normal business hours, and I strive to respond within 24 business hours. You can also directly book a consultation or first appointment here.