FAQ

The stars at night are big and bright – deep in the heart of Texas. If you are in Texas, we can meet anywhere. That is the advantage of online counseling.

If you are in the DFW area, we can meet at my office:

2404 Ellis Street, Suite 3
Venus, TX 76084

Initial sessions are typically 60 minutes long. Follow-up sessions can vary from 45 minutes to 55 minutes. And yes, 45-55 minutes is plenty of time for EMDR sessions. I have been using EMDR for many years and have fine-tuned the timing of EMDR sessions. However, if there is a request for a more extended session, that can be accommodated.

The best way to schedule an appointment is to call. I offer a free 15-minute consultation.

All cancellations or reschedules require a 24-hour notice. A short-notice cancellation or a no-show incurs a fee. This allows me to practice the boundaries I have worked diligently to establish. However, there are exceptions to the rule, such as illness. Exceptions will be explored on a case-by-case basis.

At this time, I am in-network with Cigna. If your insurance company indicates otherwise, that information may be outdated from when I was part of a group practice. However, I do accept out-of-pocket payments, and you can use your Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to cover services. My invoices will include all the necessary details for filing for out-of-network benefits.

Additionally, I currently accept Care Credit and can assist you with the application process.

In the future, I plan to accept additional insurances, but for now, I am unable to offer that.

I work with anyone 18 years of age and up.

I work with all adult individuals. No couples or family sessions are available.

You can expect to do most of the talking in the first few sessions. I want to get to know you first. Most people are ready to jump right in and start healing. I appreciate the enthusiasm! I would also like to collaborate on your treatment goals.

This is your journey, and I am in the passenger seat. Like a passenger, sometimes I must give the driver (you) some directions or remind you of an upcoming turn. This also gives my clients a sense of responsibility for the work they must put into their healing. This approach applies to EMDR sessions as well. I have a roadmap, but ultimately, it’s up to you to determine our route.

I like to use the metaphor of what it is like to work with a personal trainer. How much progress would someone make if they did not work out between sessions with a personal trainer? You get out what you put in.

My ethical responsibility is to ensure I am the right fit for my clients. If at any point we feel that I am not the right fit or that more intensive treatment is required, I will provide resources and referrals to treatment options that are the right fit.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is my primary focus. However, EMDR is not for everyone. I individualize treatment based on what my clients need. I also use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to supplement EMDR. I am trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), which is a 12-week structured therapy process to help with symptoms of PTSD. However, I find that EMDR provides relief much faster, depending on the situation.

We had to figure that out during the pandemic. Luckily, we did! I use different methods of bilateral stimulation (back-and-forth movement), such as audio or tapping. I use online bilateral stimulation software to control the bilateral stimulation through audio. Clients can also tap on their arms back and forth while I guide them through the EMDR session.

Yes! Sadly, most counselors do not know they can do testing with additional training. I went through training in graduate school and enhanced my training over the last eight years. I have conducted a few hundred assessments over the years. Many of those assessments included diagnoses such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mood disorders, and learning disorders. I have narrowed my focus to assessing adults, which currently does not include testing for learning disorders.

No. For a quick minute, I considered attending medical school to become a psychiatrist. However, I realized I wanted to have a closer relationship with my clients, and psychiatry was not the route for me. Psychiatrists, primary care physicians, and nurse practitioners are primary medical professionals who can prescribe medication.

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and facilities must, by law, provide individuals with a “Good Faith Estimate” if they will receive charges when scheduling health care items and services. This requirement applies to individuals not enrolled in an insurance plan or a Federal Health Care program, and those seeking to file a claim via a superbill or an in-network provider.

A “Good Faith Estimate” explains how much your medical and mental health care will cost over the period you are in treatment. Under this law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or choose not to use their insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.

For questions or more information about your right to a “Good Faith Estimate,” visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

After getting my bachelor’s degree in psychology at Texas A&M University (Whoop!), I received my master’s degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. I completed 3,000 hours before becoming a licensed professional counselor. Some of those hours were spent as an intern in a community mental health clinic.

I moved into private practice shortly after upgrading to full licensure. I worked in a group practice for several years before venturing off alone. After five years of being fully licensed, I was allowed to apply to become a supervisor in Texas.

I supervise associates under my Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor license while they complete 3,000 hours before upgrading to full licensure. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge to help shape competent and ethically sound counselors. I also try to teach my associates how to establish healthy boundaries quickly to avoid burnout. As with many licenses to practice, we must complete continuing education hours and renew our license with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Counsel every two years.

If you can’t cry in front of your counselor, who can you cry in front of? I welcome tears. Let that mascara run, grab those tissues, blow your nose. It’s all part of the process.

Yes! I have found that adding music to bilateral stimulation can help people become more in touch with their emotions.

It depends on whether the light bulb wants to change.