510 49th Street, Suite #208, Oakland, CA

Located in the neighborhood of Temescal, the office is conveniently reachable by car, bike, bus (AC Transit #6, 800, and 12), and BART (closest station Macarthur). I currently see clients both in person at my office and virtually throughout the state of California via secure video conferencing.

An initial consultation is a brief (15-25 minute) phone call where we can begin to get to know each other, and see if we might be a good fit to work together. Often, we’ll start by sorting out logistics – scheduling, fees, in person or virtual. I’ll invite you to share a little bit about what’s bringing you to therapy right now, and what you’re looking for. I want to know what’s important to you – what would guide our work together. You can also use this consultation time to ask me questions you might have about me, my process, or therapy in general. Making a decision after the consultation call might be carefully reasoned or a gut feeling; there is no wrong way to get started in therapy.

My approach to therapy is tailored to you: you set the pace, I guide, and we find our direction together. As we get to know each other, we’re noticing where you feel comfortable, and where your edges are. I believe in your innate capacity to bring us where we need to go, with the support of a close listener; there is no wrong place to begin. Together, we’re building trust and preparing for the hard work of expanding into discomfort – the discomfort that drives us toward emotional truth and change.

Our very first task is to understand what it is that’s brought you to therapy now, and what shifts or changes you are hoping to bring out. What do you say that feels unsayable? What do you need to do that you just can’t do now? What inner dialogue or shame holds you back from your fullest life? I often find it’s helpful to root your change work in your core values – your sense of justice, the things that make you you, the pieces of your life where you find connection, joy, purpose. Engaging with our values can open up our capacity to notice deeper feelings: joy, curiosity, pleasure, sorrow for what is sad, anger when you rightfully should be angry. In our work, we seek to build the skill of congruence – where our outward, conscious experience is attuned to and reflective of our internal, emotional lives. Change comes naturally when reconnection with these vital feelings.

I’ll invite you to begin to tell your story – your sense of who you are, and how you got here. I will gently check in with you as we go, and adjust my course to make sure the pace and direction feel right to you. As you tell your story, I will listen closely for small signs of your core emotions, a shift in the tension in your face, a word choice, a pause, a sharp inhale. These bits of information often occur outside of our awareness, but the body can’t quite help expressing them. They are often markers for the path back to your lost feelings and yourself. This process of acknowledging and understanding your deeper emotions is often the first step toward real healing.

Throughout our work together, I will ask for your feedback. I want our process to feel truly centered on your needs. Pausing to reflect on our process allows us to practice the relational skill of slowing down, of checking in with ourselves and others. This is a collaboration – and your input is key to our success.

It’s definitely hard to figure out if someone is a good fit for you based just on a website, or a Psychology Today profile. Maybe it feels overwhelming considering the range of potential specialties or modalities. Maybe you’ve had less than great experiences with therapy in the past. In some ways, reaching out to take those first steps is a leap of faith– an affirmation of your capacity and deservingness through the vulnerable act of asking for help from a stranger. The initial consultation is a great place to start. It's an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves and for you to share a little more about what you're searching for and how I can support you. You can get a sense of how I hold and address what you’re looking to bring to therapy, and how it feels to just talk to each other. Trust your gut!

I accept Zelle and Venmo for direct payment. I also use a HIPAA-secure payment platform called IvyPay that allows me to conveniently remote bill a credit card you place on file. You’ll receive a text message confirmation each week letting you know that the billing has gone through. Payment for services is due at the end of each session.

I accept third party payers (e.g. parents), and am happy to provide you with a superbill (similar to a receipt or invoice) so that you can seek reimbursement from your insurance provider.

For clients paying for therapy through their insurance (Aetna, United, Oxford, Oscar only), I use the billin service Headway. Before our first appointment, we will verify your insurance elgibility and check your co-pay using Headway, and your payments will run through a credit card on the platform.

I accept Aetna, United Healthcare, Oscar Health, and Oxford through the billing service Headway. If you have another kind of insurance, I’m happy to support you in seeking reimbursement for out-of-network care using superbills.

I kindly request 48-hour notice for cancellations. If you need to reschedule, I will make my best effort to provide you with alternative available times during the same week. Of course, I understand that unexpected life events and emergencies happen. If the notice falls inside the 48-hour window, let me know as soon as possible about extenuating circumstances. Otherwise, the full fee will apply.

My fee for the 50 minute therapeutic hour is $200 for individuals, and $220 for families. I offer limited sliding scale reduced fees for people who would not otherwise be able to afford therapy services. I believe in economic justice and I trust my clients to transparently assess their needs and to access therapy in a financially sustainable way. To that end, I do accept some forms of insurance (Aetna, United, Oscar, Oxford) to support people in using their care plans to help make therapy affordable. If finances are a barrier for you, and you are not on one of the included plans, reach out to me and we can discuss sliding scale options and availability.

My office is a shared space between you and me (and there are other businesses and visitors in the building) so there is alway some risk for exposure to Covid and other contagious illnesses. If you would like to meet in person, I have KN95 masks available, and my office is equipped with a HEPA air purifier as well as functional windows that can open to allow additional air circulation. If either of us is sick, we will cancel or switch our planned in-person session to Telehealth. Also, I am happy to meet with clients entirely (or part-time) by secure, remote video conference. If you have concerns about Covid or other factors, let’s talk about it, and make a plan together that feels best for you.