About My Practice

I enjoy meeting my clients at my office in Brentwood. Meeting in person allows us to get a good feel for one another and develop a safe and trusting relationship. Face-to-face sessions also allow me to attend not just to your words, but also to your body language.

I also provide therapy sessions via phone or video chat if you live or travel within the state of California or relocate from the Los Angeles area to another part of the state. And, I coach clients all over the globe. Most of my worldwide clients get to know me from my YouTube channel. Regardless of where you reside, for coaching clients, we can meet via phone and or video.

Before Your First Session

Before we begin the first session, I ask that you sign an agreement that explains the therapy process and the duties that the state of California mandate me to perform and how your participation in therapy can benefit you. In addition, you will be asked to complete a form detailing personal information pertinent to our therapeutic or coaching relationship. The forms are available in my waiting room, and I ask that you arrive 5 minutes before our first session to complete the forms. If you are beginning sessions remotely, I will send you the documents a few days prior to the first session, and ask that you sign and return via email before we begin.

You will receive a copy of our agreement, which also explains my cancellation policy. Engaging in therapy and/or coaching involves making a commitment to yourself and your partner, if you attending as a member of a couple. I ask that we maintain a weekly schedule that we both honor and respect. We’ll agree to weekly sessions at the same time each week. If you need to reschedule a session, you can do so. But, if you choose to cancel without rescheduling you will be responsible for the fee.

Your First Session

You will likely have many things on your mind, and you may not know where to begin. This is very normal. It doesn’t matter where you start. However, it can be helpful to tune into where you are in the moment and share that. For example, you may be feeling nervous, awkward or even ashamed of some of the things you feel you need help with. Uncomfortable emotions are to be expected when you are entering a new situation with someone you don’t know.

Even though you are aware of the fact that you need someone objective to help you over your hurdles, you may nevertheless dislike asking for help because it makes you feel weak. You know you need someone who understands you and has skills and experience that can help you transform your life. Yet you may feel that you should be able to do this yourself. Don’t worry, that’s a very natural experience. It usually fades once you invest in the therapeutic relationship and get the understanding and insight that frees you up to make positive changes in your life.

If and when you feel ambivalent during the therapy process, expressing your fears and doubts as they come up is very helpful in the first and subsequent therapy sessions. We can track the shifts in your emotional experiences that lead you to move from being open and receptive to doubtful and withdrawn. Learning more about how your emotional states affect your experience of others and influences your actions is vital in the journey toward self-knowledge and motivation to change.

If it’s your first time in counseling, you may wonder what is expected of you. Perhaps you feel concerned that I will discover things about you that you despise or find scary. At the worst, I might expose your worst fears about yourself. You might believe that I want specific answers from you and that if you mess up I won’t want to work with you because you are being a “bad client.” This is never the case.

When you first come to counseling, you may be seeking understanding and relief, but also want to keep intimate and personal things private. Our time together is most useful when you are able to be candid. Most clients have a nagging question in their heads in the first session – “what will she think of me?” You may find yourself in that place. If you do, we will just go to the place where you imagine being judged, acknowledge your legitimate fears and let that guide our conversation from then on.

When you are with me in my office you are special and the only important person during our meeting. It would be my privilege to offer you that attention together with my empathy and feedback so you can move in the direction you long for.

Information that I will ask for to help me get to know and understand you better:

Some parts of your family structure—past and present.

Aspects of your significant childhood relationships that may impact you in the present.

Important points we may address in the first session:

What brings you to therapy/coaching at this moment in time?

How long have you been wrestling with your issues, and what have you already tried to help you manage them?

What are your goals?

What are you expecting from therapy?

What fears do you have about being in counseling?

What is your prior experience of therapy, if relevant, or what have you heard from others about their therapy experiences?

I look forward to helping you feel at ease and comfortable sharing your deepest needs, pain and wishes so we can help you reach your goals.

Insurance and Fees

Sessions last 50 minutes, and my fee is updated annually. I am always happy to talk to you about your needs and what feels affordable to you.

I am an out of network provider. Insurance may cover a portion of your therapy costs, although I ask that clients pay the full fee at the time of service and seek reimbursement through insurance as appropriate subsequently. Upon request, I will prepare a monthly statement with the information needed by your insurance carrier, including your actual payments. You send that invoice to your insurance company and they will reimburse you directly according to the terms of your plan.

Methods of Payment

I accept cash, checks and credit or debit cards for therapy and coaching sessions. For therapy clients in other parts of California, pre- payment by check or credit card at the time of service are options.

Master Card, Visa, Discover and American Express credit or debit cards are accepted.

You are just a phone call away from taking your feelings and desires seriously. Call me now on 310.985.2491 and make your wishes a reality. I’ll answer any questions that you may have and look forward to a partnership with you, improving the quality of your relationships