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If you are still deciding

Many people who reach out have been thinking about it for a while. They notice patterns like overthinking, difficulty trusting their own reactions, or relationships that take up too much space in their mind, and they wonder whether therapy would actually change anything.

That question is worth taking seriously. Therapy is a place to understand what keeps repeating and whether you want something different, at a pace that respects your own timing.

A free 15-minute consultation is available if you want to ask a practical question before scheduling, such as how virtual sessions work, what openings look like, or whether the fit feels possible.

What the first few sessions usually look like

• Before the first session. You can text with a question or request a brief consultation. Intake and insurance verification happen through Stonebridge Counseling, separate from the therapy conversation itself.
• Session one. The first session is mostly orientation. We talk about what brought you in, what you hope might be different, and any practical questions. You do not need your whole history in one sitting, and you are also deciding whether this feels like a place where you can think out loud.
• Sessions two and three. Patterns often start to take shape: what you tolerate, what you leave out, what your reactions are responding to. The pace stays yours. Some weeks are quiet; some go somewhere unexpected.
• After that. Most people begin weekly. Over time, some move to every other week. Progress is often subtle at first: a boundary said sooner, less time replaying a conversation, a clearer sense of what you need.

How I work with people

In session, we pay attention to the patterns that keep showing up. I ask direct questions, share what I notice, and help you look at what you have learned to tolerate, including the places where your own needs keep getting left out.

I work with adults throughout California through secure video. Many of the people I see are thoughtful, perceptive, and harder on themselves than they would ever be on someone they care about. The work is often about using that intelligence for yourself instead of turning it inward as criticism.

For more on what sessions feel like, read how I work.

Common questions

More answers in the full FAQ.

Writing worth reading first

These pieces describe ordinary moments that often bring people to therapy, written as recognizable patterns rather than diagnoses.

• What to expect in therapyA plain-language guide to first sessions, pacing, virtual appointments, and how therapy works here.
• 8:19The message still says delivered. You open it again anyway.
• The drivewayGroceries in the back, porch light on. You stay in the car a little longer.
• The longer versionYou rewrite a simple no until it sounds acceptable, before anyone has answered.

Browse all reflections and guides.