The process starts with a free 15-minute consultation to discuss my approach, answer your immediate questions, and determine if we're a good fit. From there, we'll schedule an initial intake session to go deeper into your history and goals before we begin our regular work together.
That's a completely fair concern, and an important one to raise directly with me if it comes up. The therapeutic relationship matters more than any technique, and I'd rather you tell me honestly than quietly disengage.
A free 15-minute consultation is a low-pressure phone or video call to talk through what's going on and see if we're a good fit. There's no commitment required, and it's a chance for you to get a sense of how I work.
I'm private pay only. Sessions are $110 per session (45 to 55 minutes), and I accept HSA and FSA cards. I can also provide a superbill for potential out-of-network reimbursement.
I have a firm 48-hour cancellation policy. Please reach out as soon as possible if you need to reschedule, as this allows me to offer the time to another client.
For any minor client, I require consent from both legal parents or guardians before we begin, regardless of marital status. This protects everyone involved, including you, your child, and me, from potential legal complications down the road.
If you are divorced, I will need a full copy of the most recent divorce decree for my records. This document clarifies legal decision-making authority and helps me ensure I have the proper consent to work with your child.
I will still need to make a good-faith effort to inform and obtain consent from the other parent, even if you haven't been in contact with them for a while. If you have sole custody and the other parent's rights have been legally terminated, I will need documentation of that court ruling before we can begin.
For child therapy, I first meet with the parent or parents alone, without the child present, for an in-depth intake. This allows us to go through a holistic, comprehensive evaluation of your child's history, behaviors, and needs in a space where you can speak freely.
Play therapy is not a short-term fix for your child's presenting issues. It often takes 4 to 5 sessions for a child to feel comfortable and safe with a new therapist. From there, you can typically expect to see minor improvements within 8 to 12 sessions, though every child is different and outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a form of therapy where a child uses play, their natural language, to express and process feelings they don't yet have words for. Instead of directing the session, the therapist follows the child's lead, helping them work through big emotions in a way that feels safe and developmentally appropriate.
For most kids under 10, play therapy works better than talk therapy simply because young children process emotions through action and play before they can fully process them through words. Talk therapy tends to fit older kids and teens better, once verbal reasoning and abstract thinking are more developed.
Common signs include frequent meltdowns disproportionate to the situation, withdrawing from family or friends, regression in behavior after a life change, or physical complaints like stomachaches tied to anxiety. If your gut says something feels off, that instinct is usually worth listening to.
I offer child-centered play therapy for kids ages 3 and up, in person at Connect to Thrive in Plano, TX, along with behavioral therapy for kids struggling with defiance or big emotions, and specialized support for anxious or worried children.
CCPT is non-directive and led entirely by the child's play, while CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is more structured, teaching specific thought and behavior strategies. CCPT tends to fit younger children and emotional or behavioral struggles rooted in attachment or unspoken feelings, while CBT often fits older kids working on specific, nameable thought patterns. I personally do not utilize CBT as my primary modality in my practice, although I do utilize elements eclectically.
An anxious attachment style is a relational pattern, usually formed in early childhood, where a person craves closeness but also fears abandonment. This often leads to overthinking, seeking constant reassurance, or feeling destabilized by a partner's distance.
Attachment theory holds that the relational patterns we learned as children, whether we felt safe and seen or unpredictable and unsure, tend to resurface in adult relationships. These patterns shape how we handle conflict, closeness, and trust.
Attachment-based therapy works by using the therapeutic relationship itself as a place to notice and shift old relational patterns in real time, not just talk about them abstractly. I offer this both in person in Plano, TX and virtually for clients anywhere in Texas.
Relational therapy uses the relationship between therapist and client as an active part of the healing process. Instead of staying neutral, I bring my honest reactions into the room, because how you affect me is often a real clue to how you're showing up in relationships everywhere else.
Sessions are direct and honest, built on what I call relational equity, a relationship strong enough to hold real honesty. I practice this in Plano, TX, in person and virtually across Texas, as an LPC Associate supervised by Katherine Dunham, MS, LPC-Supervisor.
In Texas, "therapist" and "counselor" are often used interchangeably. An LPC Associate like myself is trained and supervised to treat burnout clinically, going beyond the coaching-style advice a career coach might offer, by addressing the deeper patterns often driving it.
Yes. You don't need a diagnosis to benefit from burnout-focused therapy. Burnout on its own, including exhaustion and disconnection from your work or yourself, is more than reason enough to want support.
Trauma-informed addiction therapy treats addictive behaviors as often rooted in unresolved trauma or unmet emotional needs. It does not treat the addiction as an isolated behavioral problem to simply eliminate.
Relational addiction counseling looks at the relationships and attachment patterns underneath addictive behavior, not just the behavior itself. It uses the therapeutic relationship as a place to build the trust and connection that addiction often disrupts.
Addiction is rarely just about the substance or behavior itself. In my experience, it's most often rooted in relational and emotional drivers, including unprocessed pain, disconnection, or attachment wounds the addictive behavior was originally trying to soothe.
I work with teens starting around age 13. For younger children, play therapy or activity therapy is usually a better developmental fit.
In the state of Texas, parents have a legal right to request their teenager's therapy records. This means confidentiality for teens is limited by law, not by my preference. That said, I ask parents to trust the therapeutic process and allow as much privacy and autonomy as possible so their teen feels safe enough to open up honestly in sessions. I understand how difficult it can be not knowing everything your teen shares in therapy, but that privacy is often what makes the work effective. If there is ever a concern about your teen's safety or the safety of others, I will notify you and the appropriate individuals immediately. Your teen's safety is always my highest priority.
Yes, it is completely normal to feel hesitant or uncertain about working with a male therapist. Many women have had experiences with men that make the idea of opening up in a therapeutic setting feel vulnerable or even unsafe. Your hesitation makes sense, and it is something we can talk about directly.
Common concerns include fear of being judged, worry that a male therapist won't understand certain experiences, or discomfort discussing topics like body image, trauma, or relationship dynamics. Some women also wonder if a male therapist can truly empathize with what they have been through. These are valid concerns, and they deserve honest conversation, not dismissal.
The only way to know is to pay attention to how you feel in the room. Do you feel rushed, judged, or dismissed? Or do you feel heard, respected, and given space to move at your own pace? A good therapeutic relationship, regardless of gender, should feel safe enough for you to bring your honest reactions, including any discomfort about working with a man.