Q: What's the best way to reach you?
A: Email is strongly preferred and will receive a more timely response than voicemail. I regularly check email during business hours and typically respond within 24 hours with the exception of weekends and holidays.
If you are an existing client, please refrain from sharing sensitive clinical information in your email for confidentiality reasons. If you do need to share sensitive clinical information, please use the secure messaging option in your client portal instead.
If you are not an existing client and you are interested in working with me, please fill out the contact form to schedule a free 15-min phone consultation.
A: The consultation is a low-pressure conversation to help us both decide whether we may be a good fit to work together. I'll ask what is bringing you to therapy now and what you're hoping to change. I'll give you a sense of my approach to therapy. We can also discuss any questions that you have.
A: Finding a "good fit" in therapy can take time. It is also a deeply personal choice. The best way to know is through conversation with one another. You may be able to tell after our consultation call. Or, you may need a session or two to decide. Regardless, I encourage you to pay attention to how you feel: Do you feel heard? Do you feel supported? Does my style resonate with you?
If it doesn't feel like the right match, that's okay! We can discuss what you may need instead and I am happy to share resources to help you find a therapist who might be a better fit.
A: Consider the following:
Do you have a private, secure space?
Situate yourself in a room or space where other people are not present and cannot overhear the conversation. If there is a door to this room or space, close and lock it. If this is not possible, without necessarily disclosing that you are in therapy (unless you feel comfortable doing so), you may also try communicating to others that privacy is needed so they avoid interrupting you or entering your space during your appointment time.
Use earbuds or headphones and/or background noise (e.g., electric fan, white noise machine) to minimize the chances of others overhearing the conversation. Try to minimize other background noise that could be distracting, such as turning off the television or closing a window to block out loud traffic.
If you choose to attend a virtual session from your car, please make sure that you are parked in a private, safe spot. I do not conduct sessions while clients are actively driving for your own safety.
How's your technical setup?
You will need at least one of the following devices: desktop computer; laptop; tablet; or smartphone. Whichever device you choose, check to see that it has a functional webcam and microphone.
I recommend using a desktop or laptop for comfort and ease. Try to get your webcam as close to eye-level as possible; this can help us interact more naturally and help reduce eye and muscle strain. If you prefer using your smartphone or tablet, consider propping up your device in a way that is comfortable and stable for the duration of your 45-minute appointment.
Consider the lighting during your video call. Try seating yourself in a way so you are not backlit by a bright light directly behind you. This will help me see your face more clearly!
How's your internet connection?
You can check the speed and performance of your internet connection using FAST.com. Contact your internet service provider if you're not getting the speeds that you're paying for or are experiencing issues maintaining a fast, reliable connection.
Limit the number of devices connected to your WiFi. Close all browser tabs/programs/apps on your device that are not necessary for your appointment. These running in the background may interfere with video/audio quality since they are drawing from the same internet connection and your device's limited processing power.
Try connecting your device directly to your router with an Ethernet cable if possible. If not, try moving your device as close to the router as possible when using WiFi.
Secure your router by updating the software and adjusting the security settings. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, a simple internet search will yield many helpful how-to articles.
If you are using a smartphone or cellular-enabled tablet, you may experience better performance using your WiFi rather than cellular data. Using WiFi will also help prevent you from exceeding the limit of your data plan.
A: Not quite! As a Massachusetts-licensed psychologist, I must follow the policies and guidelines of the Massachusetts Board of Psychologists, which state that "the practice of psychology occurs where the patient/client who is receiving the services is physically located at the time of service." This means that if you are my client and you are going to have a session with me, you must be physically located in the state of Massachusetts during your session.
As rapidly as health technology has evolved over the recent years and made care more easily accessible and convenient, our federal and state laws are evolving on a different timeline. There is exciting work being done to close the gap between these two areas and one day (hopefully in the near future!), they may align more closely with one another.
If you are an existing client and have plans to travel temporarily out-of-state in the near future and are worried about how this might interrupt our work in therapy together, please let me know in advance. Each state has its own psychology licensing board with its respective policies and regulations regarding the practice of psychology across state lines. With advanced notice, I may be able to look into the other state's policies or inquire with their psychology licensing board regarding what is permitted in their jurisdiction.
Q: I’m a new client and I’m wondering what happens during our first session?
A: Welcome and I look forward to starting our work together! During the first session, I will conduct what is called an intake or diagnostic evaluation where we will review your history and background, explore the factors in your life that have impacted you in significant ways, and discuss your current motivations and goals for therapy. This first session can last about an hour. During this time, we will also review the paperwork that you have completed as part of your registration as a new client, which includes office policies and confidentiality agreements. Doing so helps ensure that we both understand the expectations for one another in the work that we are about to do together.
In the beginning, I recommend meeting on a weekly basis. This frequency helps us establish trust, build momentum, and dive deeper into the work. Once you feel that you have made progress, we can discuss transitioning to biweekly sessions.
Q: I’m having an emergency/'breakdown’/mental health crisis right now. Can you help me?
A: Please understand that I am not able to provide “on call” services as a virtual, outpatient practice. During non-business hours, my practice is closed in a clinical capacity, which means that I am not checking emails or voicemails during that time. During business hours, I may not get to your email or voicemail immediately because I am in session with clients or actively engaged with other business matters.
If you are experiencing a mental health emergency and need immediate care, please use one of the options below:
Call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room.
If you live in the Boston area, call 1-800-981-HELP(4357) to connect with a call center clinician at the 24/7 Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST) hotline. If you live outside of the Boston area, you may still call BEST to be redirected to your local mobile crisis team. This option may be best when you feel unable to safely get to your nearest hospital’s emergency room.
Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor at the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also access their chat here.
If you are an existing client, once you have used one of the above options, you may leave me a voicemail or send a message through your client portal to update me. For confidentiality reasons, please do not use email. While I cannot guarantee a reply within 24-hours, I will reach out to you as soon as I am aware of your situation so we may discuss next steps for your stabilization.