FAQ's

What will my first appointment be like?

Usually the first appointment is dedicated to getting a lot of background information on your health, circumstances, personality, and goals. When you arrive, I welcome you back to my office and we visit for an hour about these topics. Of course, if there is something pressing that needs immediate attention, we focus on that first. From there, we decide together how often you'll want to come in after that.

Do you offer telehealth?

Yes! Generally I do in-person visits, but there are situations where telehealth can be preferable. Sometimes transportation time with work or family obligations can prevent someone from being able to access therapy. Sometimes an existing client moves to a neighboring town and can't drive out to see me but needs to continue treatment. Or a client goes to college and still needs to check in. And in general, I find telehealth very effective.

How do I get started with you?

Just contact me email or text (435-668-6675) and I'll answer you back. I'll ask you what you are wanting to work on in therapy to make sure I'll be able to help, and I'll verify that you are using insurance that I take. We'll get you scheduled, and I'll send you an email with a few registration questions.

How long is each session

Sessions are "one hour" but that includes a couple of minutesof transition time on either end so they are actually 55 minutes of face-to-face visiting.

What if you don’t take my insurance?

You have several options in this case:
1. Go see someone who DOES take your insurance.
2. See me anyway and pay cash. You can try to get reimbursed from your insurance in some cases, but they'll want you to do some paperwork.
3. Ask me if I can still bill insurance even though I'm not in their network. There are a few cases where this works too.

What if I’m suicidal or self harming?

In many cases, you can do out-patient therapy. If you are just getting out of a hospital, your discharge doctor will recommend what level of care you should seek. I do outpatient therapy, and typically can see clients once per week, but if they will require more frequent visits, they'll need to find someone who works with more acute cases. I will want a copy of the hospital records where possible. If you are unsure if your case is appropriate for me, contact me and I can advise you. If you are "actively suicidal" I don't work in that level of care, but I refer the client to the Access Center or ED.

Do you bill insurance?

Yes. And I do it personally in my free time and I'm pretty good at it. All claims are tracked by me. Generally things go really smooth, but there are times I may ask you to call your insurance if there is a problem with payment. If insurance doesn't pay, then payment is the client's responsibility. I always advise clients to get clarity from their insurance company on how the pay for "Outpatient Mental Health Office Visits" before coming to see me.

Can I bring my kids with me?

Well...I used to allow it when I had a waiting room with toys that was handy. But since I work out of my home office, and kids generally distract us and we end up just getting a bunch of toys out and it soaks up session time...., I ask that you leave kids at home. Infants are an exception.

What ages do you see?

I used to see 12 and up, but my after-school slots are so hard to come by that I generally keep it at 16 and up. Although younger teens *can* benefit fine from talk therapy, and I've worked with plenty of them to good effect, I find that older teens benefit most from my style of therapy, which is more verbal and less experiential. I offer lots of philosophical engagement. Older teens dig this!

What if I can’t afford therapy?

There are agencies that can help. Contact Southwest Utah Public Health Department for a list of providers who do free emergency or sliding scale services. Family Healthcare and Doctor's Free Clinic are also useful resources. Asking family members to pitch in is sometimes an option as well. I've had plenty of grandmas, fathers, bishops, etc. pay for clients care when they were unable to on their own.

How long will therapy last?

Statistics show the average length of therapy is around 20 sessions. But it totally depends. I've had clients come three times and be totally satisfied that their issue was addressed. I've also had clients who worked hard for a year or two and still needed more support. It all depends on how realistic and how big your goals are. Also it depends on how "functional" you have been in the past. If you have a long history of struggling, you're on a longer trajectory than if you have just recently experienced a road block.

How do I know if therapy is working?

Therapy is "working" if you are getting closer to your goals. Having clearly defined goals is the secret ingredient. Talk with me specifically about what you want to get out of our work so that we can be accountable and focused. Sometimes, however, I do have a client who is not sure what they want, and often our work goes in the direction of troubleshooting what they are even looking for. This can be extremely interesting work. But I don't have patience for just "shooting the breeze" for the sake of filling time. I always circle back to what our intention is in our work, and I have a high satisfaction rate with this method.

What can I expect to get out of therapy?

First off, you should accomplish your goal! This might look like better relationships, more self-understanding, and assertiveness training. This might look like understanding a pattern you've been perpetuating and finding your way out of the pattern. Or maybe understanding what to do with emotions that you've just pushed away in the past. Sometimes it is processing events that have been disturbing and finding the nuggets of wisdom that allow you to move on. Therapy is an individual process, but it absolutely should feel like a valuable experience that leaves you better equipped to function in your life.

What are the risks of therapy?

Therapy is not always helpful. Sometimes bringing up issues makes a person feel more upset and they don't find answers in the process. Sometimes the personality or techniques of the therapist are ineffective or annoying. Sometimes a client is honestly not wanting to dig deep because they don't see the need to change and are only there to please someone. It's fine to not want to be in therapy. The only time a person should be in therapy "against their will" is if they are hurting other people recklessley and need to forced into come accountability. But I don't do anger-management or court-ordered therapy, so that's not what I work with. In general, I find that my clients are well aware that therapy can sometimes bring up hard things, but I'm not one to push someone faster than they are ready, so there are rarely negative reactions.

How can I make the most of therapy?

Research shows that the three ingredients in therapy ensuire success:
1. Your relationship with the therapist.
2. Your HONESTY in sessions.
3. Your own hard work outside of sessions.
I have found this to be true. If you don't like me, let's fix things, or find another therapist. And in sessions, if you are totally honest, even it is embarrassing, I will have the information I need to help you! And of course, using your own creativity, thought, imagination, and efforts every day are indispensable ingredients because at the end of the day, this is your own personal journey and I am only here to help.

How long will it take for you to get to know me?

We get to work right away in therapy, but I feel like it takes me about 3 visits before I really "get" a person. Everyone's first impressions are flawed. That's just a given. Seeing you multiple times, talking about multiple issues over time gives me a real strong sense of who you are and what you want and how I can help. And, of course, when I work with a client over months, or even on and off over a period of years, I see even more deeply into their circumstances and what drives them. That is always especially rewarding when I'm allowed to be involved over a longer-term, and sometimes with other family members who are referred.

Can you see my family members?

Usually I can. There are times that a client is really wanting to have their "own therapist" without the risk of a family member competing for my attention, but many family members are fine with having the same therapist. I usually find it helpful to see multiple members in a family. It helps me understand everyone better. I try to see things from each person's point of view without being "overly swayed" by one or the other. Some clients wonder about this, but its something many therapists are comfortable with. Some circumstances I won't accept family members. That is if their case is something I wouldn't treat anyway, or if they are abusive to my client because that would be a conflict for me.

What ethical principals do you adhere to?

No one ever asks this, but since I'm writing this, I get to pick the questions!

1. Trustworthiness - maintain confidentiality, communicate accurately, etc.

2. Autonomy - Honoring a client's need to direct their own life and choices.

3. Beneficence - A commitment to work for the GOOD of my clients.

4. Non-maleficence - A commitment not doing anything that could harm a client.

5. Justice - Treating clients fairly and impartially.

6. Self-respect - Personally seeking support and taking care of myself.

What kinds of therapy do you do?

My approach is eclectic, but I've been trained in many techniques. My favorites include Cognitive Behavioral, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Rogerian person-centered approaches. I've been trained in John Gottman and Sue Johnson's work along with many others. Mostly I look for patterns and themes, and try to orient them around the client's goals, and do that work in a validating environment, teaching skills as needed. I try to make it feel like a normal conversation, though, because if someone feels like they're being looked at as a "sick patient" I don't think that works for anyone, myself included!

What if I don’t like your techniques?

By all means, speak up! I have TONS of different approaches available, and of course, I have my favorites, but I always ask for feedback. I can adjust direction if needed. When I went to therapy the first couple of times as a young adult (and hated it), I thought it was a discreet process and didn't know I could speak up. That's not the case. Please know that therapy is a collaborative, co-constructed experience. Some clients like more structure while some like less. Some clients like assignments, some hate them. I will only know if you give me feedback. And of course, switch therapists if I'm not working for you!

Do you consider yourself a confrontational therapist?

It depends! I don't want to get bored, so if a client avoids talking about anything important, I'll push them. But that rarely happens. Most people who take the time to drive out to my office really want to be there. So I generally find that taking a validating and patient approach is most mutually rewarding. Besides, I believe that people change for the best when they are feeling safe and have the tools to explore the situation honestly. Nonetheless, I have called a few clients on the carpet.... only when necessary though.

What if you see a friend of mine - will that be awkward? Or an ex-boy/girlfriend/spouse?

Trust me, this is rarely a problem. I've had neighbors, ex's, and best friends who never knew that I was seeing both of them. I don't mention anything (obviously). And therapists have to develop the ability to segment their thinking and be fully present for the client they are with. But if you are hesitant, either talk it out with me or get a different therapist. And if the situation was one where, in my clinical judgment, I shouldn't see the other person, I would say something. But it is often OK.

Are therapists magical mind-reading unicorns?

No one has ever asked me this, but I think some have assumed it to be true. Most clients seem to have a firm grip on the importance of using words to convey what they want. Most, also, understand that therapy is a collaborative process of learning (I bring my education and experience to the table, but its still trial-and-error learning). However, occasionally I meet the client that is shocked when I can't read their mind, don't have the "perfect" tools that immediately work, and are even more surprised when they find I have my own problems as all normal humans do. Anyway, now you know this too!

FAQ: FAQ