Q: What about confidentiality?

A: I keep all information about my clients strictly confidential. I strictly adhere to laws of privacy and confidentiality enforced by state and federal law, as well as professional standards and ethics set forth by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists and the American Psychological Association. Any information about your evaluation, treatment, or contact with me cannot, by law, be disclosed to any person or organization without your expressed written consent. This includes disclosing information to your parents or spouses, even if your parent or spouse is paying for therapy and you are over 18 years of age.

While this list is not exhaustive, below are some legal exceptions to this rule:

• If you disclose information or a plan to harm another person, I am required to warn the intended victim and report this information to legal authorities.
• If you disclose or imply a plan for suicide or self injurious behavior, I am required to notify legal authorities and will make reasonable attempt to notify your family.
• If you start to or suggest you are abusing a child (or vulnerable adult) or that you have recently abused a child (or vulnerable adult), or that a child (or vulnerable adult) is in danger of abuse, I am required to report this information to the appropriate social service and/or legal authorities.
• If you admit prenatal exposure to potentially harmful controlled substances I am required to notify the appropriate authorities.
• If you disclose the identity of a mental health professional who has engaged in any sexual contact with you during your treatment, I am required to notify legal authorities. Should you request that your identity be protected in making this report, I am not permitted to disclose your identity when contacting authorities.
• If you are involved in a legal proceeding and/or a court-order for your psychological records has been placed, I am required to disclose information related to your treatment.

Q: I am under 18 and I live with my parents. Will my parents know what we discuss in my therapy?

A: If you are under 18 years of age, your parent(s) or guardian has a right to know how you are doing in therapy and I might share general concerns or worries I have about you with your parent(s) or guardian. However, I make every effort not to tell them specific things you and I discuss. If there is something you (my client) and I agree your parent(s) or guardian need to know, I might also share this information with them. Sometimes I may meet with only your parent(s) or guardian, sometimes I may meet only with you, and other times we may all meet together. If you discuss plans to seriously hurt yourself, hurt someone else, or that someone you know is hurting you, because of the law I have to tell your parent, guardian, or someone else who can help.

Q: How long does therapy usually last?

A: The length of therapy depends on a variety of factors. Some clients are able to successfully work through their treatment goals in a few months whereas others require longer periods of time. Length of therapy typically depends on the complexity of your issues, your motivation and determination to make meaningful change, the consistency of your attendance, and the frequency of our meetings. I encourage ongoing dialogue about your therapy experience and welcome discussion about how you feel you are progressing.

Q: How often will we meet?

A: In most cases, I recommend clients attend weekly sessions. At different points in treatment, we may decide meeting every other week or monthly better meets your needs. I base this decision on various factors including how you are feeling, your ability to function in your everyday life, and the quality of your support system outside therapy. At times clients' financial or scheduling limitations impact how often they come to therapy. In my experience, clients who attend sessions less frequently may require a longer period of time to accomplish their treatment goals than those who attend sessions regularly.

Q: Does going to therapy mean I have a mental illness or that there is something seriously wrong with me?

Not at all. It is a shame our culture has led many to believe that going to therapy means you are "crazy" or "weak." On the contrary, choosing to seek therapy is a sign of strength, commitment to growth, and insight into you. While I am trained in mental health diagnoses, select treatment interventions with these diagnoses in mind, and am asked to provide diagnoses for insurance purposes, I am very conservative when thinking about my clients in diagnostic terms. Without careful evaluation and reflection, I find this line of thinking can lead to needless labeling and placing people in boxes. Many times our issues and struggles are far too complex for diagnostic labeling. That being said, I take into account all of the interesting layers of the individual sitting before me and generally do not conceptualize my clients as "ill" or "weak" or "crazy." I see you as someone motivated to grow themselves and learn better ways of living.

Q: What is your experience working with adolescents and young adults?

A: I have worked with many pre-teen, adolescent, college aged and young adult clients over the past several years. My passion for working with these populations grew from my experience working in five university counseling centers in and outside Texas. I found my work with late adolescent and young adults extremely stimulating and rewarding, and was fascinated by the presenting problems and developmental challenges these clients brought to therapy. In various community mental health centers outside the university setting, I also worked with numerous teens and young adults in individual, couples, family and group therapies. More recently, I have extended this focus to full-time private practice and continue to immensely enjoy my work with these age groups.

Q: What is your experience working with issues surrounding culture and diversity?

A: In my view, understanding one’s unique experience of culture and diversity is integral to the therapy process. As part of our first phase of therapy, I aim to explore and understand my client’s unique experience of his or her culture and how issues of culture and diversity are meaningful for that client.  Over the course of my clinical training and practice, I have sought various specialized experiences which have enhanced my competency in working with issues of culture and diversity. I have significant experience working with issues of diversity with regard to age, religious practice, SES, sexual orientation, ethnicity, physical disability and learning disability. The majority of my clinical training was based in large, culturally diverse university settings and provided meaningful interaction with various ethnic and international student populations.