Frequently Asked Questions

Why Therapy?

People seek therapy for all kinds of different reasons, among them issues with anxiety, perfectionism, low self-esteem, negative body image, disordered eating and binge eating, trauma and post-traumatic stress, relationship issues and life transitions. I believe we reach out for help when our distress is overwhelming our ability to cope with that distress, and we are looking for relief and support.

Therapy can be many things—it can be a way to teach valuable coping and self-care skills; a medium through which to process difficult emotions and learn more about ourselves and others; a means by which we can take away some of the power negative thought and behavior patterns can hold over us. At its core, therapy involves a unique type of relationship between therapist and client—one that is supportive, collaborative, affirming and healing.

What can I expect from therapy?

This is such a great question, albeit a tough one to answer! I probably can’t list all of the things you can expect, but I’ll try to give you a general idea, knowing that the answer to this question depends on a lot of things—including you. 

If you’re struggling with disordered eating and body image, I hope to help you turn down the noise in your head around food and exercise, and help you reduce reactionary eating and restricting so you can learn to eat more intuitively—the way I believe we are meant to eat (and all ate at one point!) with more joy and satiation and less guilt. I also hope you feel more neutral and accepting of (if not more positive about) your body as it currently is. The goal isn’t always to love how we look, but to cultivate our abilities to lead full, fulfilling, juicy lives regardless of how we look. Interestingly, honing in on and expressing your needs and desires in relation to food usually translates to an increased ability to express your needs and desire in other areas of your life, too.

If we’re working on anxiety and perfectionism, you’ll end up with more tools and skills to help you manage your anxiety and challenge the black-and-white thinking so common to perfectionistic tendencies. I hope you’ll also find greater self-compassion and an increased capacity for flexibility in everyday life.

If we’re working on adoption and identity-related concerns, I hope you find new ways to understand your story, and how you’ve come to be the way you are. You may also find a greater understanding of yourself in relationship to others, and if your relationships haven’t looked the way you’d like them to—I hope you find an increased ability to seek and create the kinds of relationships you want in your life.

While some of the therapeutic process may be uncomfortable at times—feeling our feelings isn’t always fun—you can also expect a good amount of laughter and celebration of victories, too. I think that is just as important as leaning into the harder stuff.

What are you like, as a therapist?

Warm, kind, funny, nonjudgmental, curious, humble, maybe a little irreverent—these are ways in which I’ve been described by others and ways in which I’d describe myself, too. I also identify as highly sensitive and social-justice oriented—my work is political because it has to be, and it’s important to me to acknowledge that. I’m committed to my own growth, personally and professionally, as well as committed to the ongoing practice of anti-racist learning and unlearning. And, I am so glad to be a therapist—it isn’t easy work, but it’s absolutely an honor and a privilege to be doing it.

I tend to be the best fit for clients who are also motivated, thoughtful, introspective, interested in personal growth, and most of all, willing to put in the work. I want meaningful change for you, but that isn't enough—you have to want it, too. And if you do, I’d love to support you in making those changes a reality.

How long does therapy take?

The answer to this depends on a few things: namely your presenting concerns and your goals It can also depend on your diagnosis (if you receive one for insurance-related reasons), your motivation for treatment, and your desire for ongoing support. As mentioned in my ‘services’ section, I can individualize my therapy based on your needs and goals, meaning I can offer both short and long-term therapy. At minimum, you could expect we might work together for just a few months; at length, we might continue as long as you find therapy helpful. This is something we’ll discuss in our first few sessions together, and also something we can check in on and refine over time.

What does ‘Health at Every Size’ mean?

Great question! ‘Health at Every Size’ (or HAES) is an approach and a growing movement which is based on the belief that everyone, at every size, is capable of pursuing health-related behaviors if they wish to, irrespective of weight loss. Let me say that again, because it’s so important—the HAES approach does not require, recommend or encourage weight loss for the pursuit of health. It recognizes that diets do not work and that attempts to lose weight almost always perpetuate weight cycling (rapid weight loss and weight gain) and disordered eating, and ultimately cause more harm than they do good. The HAES approach also embraces the concept of body diversity—the simple fact that there are many, many kinds of bodies in this world, as there always have been and always will be—and that all bodies are good bodies, worthy and fully deserving of respect.

Embracing this approach doesn’t negate the fact that our society is unfortunately steeped in diet culture, weight stigma and fatphobia—but it aims to help people, particularly those living in bodies and identities that are marginalized, externalize society’s problematic beliefs, and hopefully begin to believe they deserve better. Your body is not the problem—it never was. Society is the problem. Our capitalist culture, and the way it places more importance on making money than telling the truth, is the problem. Racism, White supremacy, ableism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism—these are the problems. Your body is just fine as it is—and if you have trouble believing and accepting this, as many people do, therapy can help.

Health-related behaviors, mentioned earlier, are exactly what they sound like—behaviors and practices designed to improve health (including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, etc.—since we know that all of realms of health are interconnected and have influence over each other). Health-related behaviors could include (but are absolutely not limited to): engaging in joyful movement, resting, getting adequate sleep, eating enough food, eating food that is satisfying and nourishing, going to therapy, meditating, building a self-care practice, taking a sick day, seeking regular medical care, starting a savings account—and many, many others. 

This approach can be life-changing and deeply affirming, and to be perfectly honest, as a social worker—a clinician whose education and training are deeply rooted in social justice—I think it’s unethical not to practice this way. As you can probably tell, I am deeply passionate on this subject, and absolutely love helping people learn about and embrace the Health at Every Size approach! If you’d like to learn more, please get in touch with me. I also include a list of resources and further reading on my website, too.

Tell me more about your commitment to social justice.

Absolutely. I try to make this commitment in a few different ways. First of all, ensuring that I’m doing my own work to unlearn and learn and educate myself, since that is my own job to do—this includes reading, taking Continuing Education courses and listening to podcasts on a variety of topics including social justice, racism and colorism, sexism, ageism and ableism, sizeism and anti-fat bias, and others. It also includes acknowledging my own privileges and ways in which I have benefited and continue to benefit from them.

Second, the financial piece. I keep a few low-fee spots in my practice in general, and in particular for clients who are Black and Indigenous People of Color; you can always expect those from me regardless of your income or level of need. I make regular donations to organizations that aim to uphold those with marginalized identities—some recent examples include Black Lives Matter PACs, the Trevor Project, the Loveland Foundation, First Nations Development, Together We Rise.

I’m not perfect and this is an ongoing commitment and practice for me, as I personally believe it should be for everyone with the privileges I hold.