Starting therapy for the first time can feel unfamiliar. You may wonder what you are supposed to talk about, how personal the questions will be, or whether you need to arrive with clearly defined goals. You do not need to have everything figured out before beginning. Part of my role is to help you understand the process, identify what feels important, and move at a pace that feels manageable.

Before Your First Appointment

Before beginning therapy, you will be asked to complete several documents. Depending on your services and payment method, these may include:

• Personal and contact information;

• Clinical-history and intake questions;

• Informed consent for psychotherapy;

• Telehealth consent;

• Privacy and confidentiality information;

• Practice, scheduling, cancellation, and financial policies;

• Insurance or payment information; and

• Optional authorization forms when coordination with another provider is requested.

These documents explain how therapy works, your rights and responsibilities, privacy practices, fees, communication expectations, and important practice policies. You are encouraged to ask questions about anything you do not understand.

The Intake Appointment

I do not offer free consultations.

The first appointment is primarily an opportunity for us to become acquainted and begin understanding what brings you to therapy. I may ask about your current concerns, symptoms, relationships, health, relevant history, previous treatment, coping strategies, sources of support, and hopes for therapy.

You are not expected to tell your entire life story in one appointment. You may share information gradually as trust develops. We will also discuss whether my experience and approach appear to fit your needs. When clinically appropriate, we may discuss a diagnosis and begin identifying initial treatment goals.

How Long Are Sessions?

Most psychotherapy appointments are approximately 50–60 minutes, unless a different length has been arranged. The length of intake, couples, family, or clinically complex appointments may vary.

Sessions are currently provided through telehealth. At the beginning of each appointment, you may be asked to confirm that you are in a safe, private location within California. Using headphones and choosing a space where you are unlikely to be interrupted can help protect your privacy.

How Often Will We Meet?

Many clients begin with weekly appointments because consistency can help establish momentum and allow time to develop a therapeutic relationship. Depending on your needs, progress, availability, and treatment goals, sessions may later occur every other week or at another mutually agreed-upon frequency.

There is no universal timeline for therapy. Some clients seek focused, short-term support, while others benefit from longer-term treatment. We will periodically review whether the frequency and duration of therapy continue to meet your needs.

What Does a Typical Session Look Like?

Every session is different, but an appointment will often include:

1. Check-in: We will discuss how you have been feeling and anything important that has happened since the previous session.

2. Setting a focus: Together, we will identify what feels most useful to address that day.

3. Exploration and understanding: We may examine emotions, thoughts, behaviors, relationships, experiences, or patterns connected to your concerns.

4. Therapeutic work: Depending on your needs, this may include CBT strategies, psychoeducation, problem-solving, communication practice, grounding, emotional-regulation skills, trauma-informed interventions, or EMDR.

5. Reflection and next steps: We will summarize important insights and identify something you may want to notice, practice, or consider before the next appointment.

You do not need to prepare a perfect agenda. It is okay to arrive unsure of what to discuss. We can begin with what feels most present and work from there.

The General Stages of Therapy

Although therapy is not always linear, treatment often moves through several overlapping stages:

1. Building Trust and Understanding

We begin by establishing a therapeutic relationship, understanding your concerns, identifying strengths, and gathering relevant information about your experiences and circumstances.

2. Establishing Goals

We collaboratively identify what you would like to understand, change, strengthen, or manage more effectively. Goals provide direction, but they are not permanent. They can be updated as your needs and priorities become clearer.

3. Active Therapeutic Work

This stage may involve developing new skills, examining patterns, processing experiences, practicing different responses, improving communication, or gradually approaching thoughts and situations that have been difficult to manage.

4. Reviewing Progress

We will periodically discuss what is changing, what remains difficult, and whether our approach continues to feel useful. If something is not helping, you are encouraged to say so. Your feedback is an important part of treatment.

5. Maintenance and Completion

As you become more confident using what you have learned, sessions may become less frequent. When treatment goals have been sufficiently addressed, we can plan for ending therapy thoughtfully, review progress, and discuss how you can continue supporting your well-being.

Your Goals Guide the Process

Therapy is collaborative. I may offer observations, questions, education, recommendations, and clinical interventions, but you remain an active participant in deciding what feels meaningful and relevant.

Goals may include reducing distress, understanding recurring patterns, processing painful experiences, improving relationships, strengthening boundaries, managing anxiety, developing coping skills, navigating a transition, or feeling more connected to your values and sense of self.

Progress is rarely a perfectly straight line. Difficult weeks, uncertainty, or temporarily revisiting old patterns do not necessarily mean that therapy is not working. These experiences can become useful opportunities to understand what you need and practice responding differently.

You Are Welcome to Ask Questions

You may ask questions at any point about the therapeutic process, confidentiality, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, documentation, fees, scheduling, or anything else affecting your comfort and participation.

Therapy should be a place where you feel respected, informed, and involved. You do not have to know exactly where the process will lead before taking the first step. We can begin by understanding where you are now and what you hope might become different.