EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy approach that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories and experiences so they no longer feel overwhelming or stuck in the present. Instead of focusing only on talking through the past, EMDR helps your nervous system do what it naturally wants to do: heal and integrate experiences that were too much at the time they occurred.

Many people describe EMDR as helping memories feel “farther away,” less emotionally charged, or no longer in control of their reactions.

Trauma and anxiety often show up not because something is happening now, but because the body learned to stay on high alert based on past experiences. EMDR helps reduce that automatic alarm response.

By gently activating both sides of the brain while focusing on a memory, emotion, or body sensation, EMDR helps the nervous system update old information. Over time, triggers tend to lose their intensity, anxiety becomes more manageable, and people feel more present and grounded in daily life.

No — you don’t need a single, obvious traumatic event. EMDR can be helpful for experiences that were confusing, overwhelming, or emotionally painful, even if they don’t seem “big enough” to count as trauma.

This might include things like:

• Chronic stress or anxiety
• Relationship wounds
• Childhood experiences that shaped self-worth
• Moments where you felt powerless, unsafe, or alone
• If it still affects you, it matters.

EMDR sessions are structured, collaborative, and paced carefully. You’re always in control. Some sessions feel emotionally focused; others are calm, reflective, or even surprisingly neutral.

People often notice:

• Thoughts shifting naturally
• Emotions softening over time
• Physical sensations releasing
• A growing sense of clarity or relief

You won’t be asked to relive everything in detail, and preparation is always part of the process to make sure the work feels safe and manageable.

EMDR is well known for treating PTSD, but it’s also used effectively for anxiety, panic, depression, grief, performance blocks, and relationship patterns that feel hard to shift.

At its core, EMDR works with how experiences are stored in the nervous system — not just diagnoses. Many people seek EMDR simply because they feel stuck and want lasting change, not just coping strategies.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a research-based approach to couples counseling that focuses on strengthening emotional connection and security. Rather than teaching couples to argue better or compromise more, EFT helps partners understand the deeper emotional needs driving their reactions.

Most conflict isn’t really about the surface issue — it’s about feeling unseen, unheard, or unsafe in the relationship. EFT helps couples slow things down, understand their patterns, and create more responsive, connected interactions.

Many couples come to therapy feeling like they’re having the same fight over and over, or like distance has quietly grown between them. EFT helps identify the cycle that keeps partners stuck — such as one partner pursuing while the other withdraws — and shifts the focus from blame to understanding.

As couples learn to recognize and interrupt these patterns, they often experience more emotional closeness, trust, and a sense that they’re back on the same team.

Yes. I integrate Gottman Method tools alongside EFT when they’re helpful. Gottman-based interventions can support couples with practical skills like communication, conflict repair, and rebuilding friendship.

EFT provides the emotional foundation, while Gottman tools help couples practice new ways of relating in everyday life. Together, they create both emotional depth and concrete change.

This is very common — and it doesn’t mean therapy won’t work. Many couples start with one partner more motivated than the other.

My approach is not about taking sides or deciding who’s “right.” Therapy is focused on understanding both partners’ experiences and helping each person feel safer, more understood, and less alone in the relationship. Skepticism is welcome here.

Yes. I work with couples who experience frequent conflict, emotional shutdown, or escalating arguments — as well as couples who feel emotionally distant or disconnected.

The goal is not to suppress conflict, but to help couples understand what’s underneath it and respond to each other in ways that reduce reactivity and increase emotional safety.

Sessions are structured but flexible. We move at a pace that feels manageable and respectful to both partners. Therapy often includes:

• Identifying recurring relationship patterns
• Slowing down emotional reactions
• Helping partners express deeper needs and fears
• Practicing new ways of responding to each other

Couples are not expected to “perform” or communicate perfectly — therapy is a place to learn and practice together.

There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. Some couples come for focused work around a specific issue, while others choose to stay longer to rebuild trust or deepen their connection.

We regularly check in about goals, progress, and pacing to make sure therapy is aligned with what you’re hoping to gain.

Yes. Many couples seek therapy because they want clarity, understanding, or a healthier way to navigate uncertainty. Couples therapy isn’t about forcing a particular outcome — it’s about helping partners communicate honestly, reduce harm, and make decisions with greater awareness and care.

I am an out-of-network provider, which means payment is due at the time of service. Some clients choose to use their out-of-network benefits, depending on their insurance plan (see below).

Insurance companies place significant restrictions on mental health care. In-network providers are required to sign contracts that allow insurance companies to:

• Set session fees and reimbursement rates
• Limit the number or type of sessions
• Influence or determine treatment planning
• Require diagnoses, treatment plans, and session notes to be submitted

Many insurance plans also do not cover couples, family, or relational therapy, which makes up a large portion of my practice.

I’ve chosen to remain out-of-network so that therapy can be guided by what’s clinically helpful for you—not by insurance rules.

Paying out of pocket (or working with an out-of-network provider) offers several advantages:

• Greater privacy: Your mental health information is not routinely shared with insurance companies
• More flexibility: You and your therapist determine the focus, pace, and frequency of therapy
• Fewer restrictions: No session limits, treatment mandates, or insurance oversight
• More choice: You’re able to choose a therapist based on fit and experience, not insurance networks

If you pay entirely out of pocket, your records generally remain within our office, except in rare situations required by law.

Yes, sometimes—many clients use out-of-network benefits.

I can provide a superbill (a simple receipt with the required information) that you submit directly to your insurance company for reimbursement. Out-of-network reimbursement typically ranges from 50%–85% of in-network rates, depending on your plan.

I recommend contacting your insurance provider to ask about:

• Out-of-network mental health benefits
• Reimbursement percentages
• Deductibles or annual limits

A counselor’s standard fee is $160 per session. When working in-network, the counselor agrees to a contracted rate set by the insurance company—often significantly lower. In this example, the insurance contract reduces the fee to $85 per session.

The client may pay a $20 copay, and the insurance company pays the remaining $65, for a total reimbursement of $85. This contracted rate applies regardless of the counselor’s usual fee or the complexity of the work.

Some therapists choose to work within these insurance contracts. I’ve chosen not to, so that session fees, treatment decisions, and the structure of care are not determined by insurance companies.