Common Questions

Have a question you’d like to ask? I’m committed to giving patients the best care and experience I can. There’s no such thing as a bad question when it comes to mental health. Check out the answers to the FAQs below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any additional questions.

What is therapy? What is counseling?

Most simply, psychotherapy is a relationship between therapist and client that creates conditions that invite healing and the discovery of new approaches and tools to overcoming problems in life.

In its original sense, the word “psychotherapy” means the “healing of the soul,” coming from the Greek psyche or “soul” and therapeia or “healing.” Although the mainstream understanding and practice of psychotherapy has been influenced by contemporary science and medical models of care, therapy’s history is rooted in ancient healing traditions of cultures across time and place.

The words "therapy" and "counseling" are often used to refer the same thing. However, counseling tends to focus on a specific issue for a limited amount of time, whereas therapy can be more long-term and focuses on you as a whole individual.

Why do people see a psychotherapist?

Everyone goes through challenging and complex situations in life and relationships and feels anxiety, grief, confusion, and pain. Although you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties, therapy is an effective way to deal with life’s challenges of life when unable to do so alone. People often seek out a therapist when the problems and patterns interfere with day-to-day relationships, when things feel too overwhelming, or when one seeks a deeper sense of self, connection, meaning, and purpose. People come to therapy with hopes for their personal and relational growth, and although there are no guarantees that this work will bring immediate returns, over time people report many benefits. Sometimes, a little bit of support on our journey is what we need to face our fears, find the courage to step into our depths, and begin a process of ripening to our most alive self.

What is therapy like?

Therapy is unlike anything else in life. It offers a dedicated time to tend to the dynamics and depths of your soul, address unhelpful behavior or emotional patterns, and hold space for old wounds. It can feel scary, intense, and bewildering, and yet it can be the most rewarding, enlightening, and joyous work you can do in this lifetime.

The best therapeutic outcomes occur when there is a sense of trust, connection, and openness within the therapeutic relationship. My goal is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental, and confidential space and to approach you with warmth and curiosity about the distinctive challenges you are facing. This quality of container will provide a space for us to explore together what is coming up for you in each moment and what you want and hope for your future.

In most sessions, we will talk about your current challenges as well as your history, and we will work together in an active, collaborative process of dialogue and reflection. Depending on your goals of therapy, unique situation, and needs, we could use a variety of strategies, interventions, and approaches. The more one is an active, collaborative participant in the work, the more likely one will see results of therapy.

Individual therapy sessions last 60 minutes, and couples and family therapy sessions last 60-90 minutes depending on your needs. Frequency of sessions will depend on what we agree will be most beneficial to you, but usually it is weekly. Therapy involves you meeting with me at my office or potentially virtually through videoconferencing.

In your background, you have degrees and work experience in pastoral ministry, spirituality, and community outreach work. In what ways, if any, does this background show up in your work as a psychotherapist?

Yes, I have a background in the areas of pastoral ministry, spirituality, literature, teaching, community organizing, as well as further training in psychology and clinical psychotherapy. What all of these subjects share in common is a deep reverence for the challenges and questions of being human and the seemingly incessant call that people have had across time and place to make meaning, seek community, practice rituals, tell stories, and grow towards health and justice. All of this has long been a fascination of mine and characterized my life’s work.

Given my background, if you so desire, I’m open to exploring questions of faith and doubt, spirituality, religious experiences, vocation, ritual, soul, religious trauma, and meaning-making as they affect your healing process and as they arise in our therapeutic relationship.

That being said, I do not approach therapy with a preconceived notion of what values and beliefs you should hold. I do not proselytize, which would be against my professional code of ethics and considered malpractice. I am comfortable working with clients from a range of religious and non-religious backgrounds. I follow your lead and have no agenda of my own other than meeting you where you are and being a fellow traveler on the journey. Wherever you are is holy ground.

It is also good to know that psychotherapists can come from a variety of backgrounds: medicine (psychiatry), nursing, social work, psychology, and ministry. It is likely the case that this background has formed the therapist in how he or she understands the nature of the human person, suffering and death, and healing. Regardless of this, in each case, the therapist has additionally secured specialized training and received a state-certified license to practice as a psychotherapist. I am committed to uphold the Code of Ethics of the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.

How do I schedule an appointment?

To inquire about any questions you have or to schedule an appointment, you can use the Contact Form or call my main line at (919) 229-9246‬. This initial contact is a good opportunity to answer any preliminary questions you have and assure us that we will be a good fit for each other. After we agree to a first appointment, I will send you paperwork to get our process started.

What should I expect in the initial appointments?

During the first few sessions, we will typically proceed in the following way:

Review and discuss paperwork completed prior to the session to clarify any questions
Discuss presenting concerns, initial relevant background history, and goals for therapy
Devise an initial treatment plan and collaborate to determine session frequency going forward

Do you see people virtually?

I prefer to see clients in-person at the office. However, I acknowledge that life is likely very full for you. Depending on your work schedule, lifestyle, and personal needs, telehealth or virtual therapy can be a convenient option to get the help and support you need at a time that is convenient for you. There is some research to suggest that online therapy can be just as effective as traditional face-to-face sessions at the office. If we choose to do our work online, I use a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform and will discuss with you about how best to keep the integrity of our container in a virtual context. I am open to discussing what would work best for you and what might further our work together over the course of therapy.

How long will therapy last?

There are a number of factors that make it challenging to provide an estimate on how long it will take a client to complete therapeutic treatment, and much depends on the individual client and his or her goals in seeking therapy. Like any other relationship, it takes time to develop a therapeutic relationship and identify your treatment goals, establish a plan of action, and work towards accomplishing them.

When we begin therapy, I have you accept a time slot where we meet regularly (usually, weekly) until you feel your goals have been met and we terminate the relationship. Regularity is part of therapy and keeps our container strong for this work. Some clients are satisfied with therapy after there is a reduction in symptoms while others continue longer because it feels beneficial to do so. Others, after a time, begin to schedule less frequently, and may continue to come in for “tune ups” or when issues arise. Ultimately, as the client, it is your decision when to stop therapy. I will work together with you to meet your psychotherapeutic needs.

Again, although there is much uncertainty built into the therapeutic process, by committing yourself to this therapeutic work, you open yourself up to the possibility of recognizing and cultivating a deeper grounding and sense of meaning in your day to day life, facing rather than running from old wounds and unhelpful patterns, creating new narratives and rituals, learning helpful tools to navigate your life, and deepening your connection and intimacy with self and others. Therapy has a large, enduring effect that is comparable or greater than many medical interventions.

It is helpful to know upfront that according to the American Psychological Association, “on average 15 to 20 sessions are required for 50 percent of patients to recover as indicated by self-reported symptom measures.” Additionally, they state that through the working relationship between the client and therapist sometimes the preference is for “longer periods (e.g., 20 to 30 sessions over six months), to achieve more complete symptom remission and to feel confident in the skills needed to maintain treatment gains.”

Thus, typically therapy is considered “brief” when it lasts about 8-12 sessions which usually takes 2-3 months. Longer therapy can provide greater insights into one’s own processes and can last for six months or years. There are benefits to both types of therapeutic relationships, and I maintain the therapeutic relationship as long as it’s still helpful. My goal is to have clients feel well and have some sense of self-sufficiency in termination.