What is a Marriage and Family Therapist and how is that different from other therapists?

Someone licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT-A) has completed a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT).

The Converse University MMFT program I completed is accredited by COAMFTE (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education). This accreditation requires that the university submit all course plans and receives regular audits by COAMFTE. Student-therapists are required to complete a minimum of 500 in-person client hours in a therapy setting. Of this minimum 500 hours, at least 250 must be relational clients (couples, families, children, and/or group therapy). During clinical practicum, all student-therapists are required to receive a minimum of 100 hours in supervision by a licensed therapist.

What does this mean for me as a client?

As your therapist, my education and training is rooted in direct experience with the complexity of human relationships and systems. The foundation of MFT education is system thinking, or the idea that the experiences we have are influenced by the relationships/systems we interact with. These relationships might include, but are not limited to, our relationship with ourself, our partner, our family & friends, work, neighborhood, region, culture, identity, gender, etc. In systems thinking, we explore what connects these systems and identify what is supportive and what increases our difficulty.

The quote by Gestalt Therapist Kurt Koffka: “the whole is something else than the sum of its parts” is another way to think about the importance of thinking systemically.

As a therapist, I attempt to see beyond you as an individual so we can increase clarity about what you have the capacity to change (and what is out of your control) and what is your responsibility to do (and what is NOT yours to do).

To increase clarity, I’ll ask questions about your family of origin, the cultural and religious experiences you’ve had, the values that guide you, significant events you’ve experienced, times you’ve felt secure/insecure in your relationships, the work you do, the education you’ve had access to, etc.

Understanding your unique experiences and stories helps us validate the good reasons you do what you do. In addition, working through your experiences and relationship allows you to repair and heal what needs care, attention, and compassion.

Do you take insurance?

No, I do not take insurance. My services are an out-of-pocket expense and cost varies depending on the service. I can provide a super-bill that you can file with your insurance. However, it is the client's responsibility, before starting therapy, to determine whether your insurance will provide coverage. For pricing, please see the page for the service you are seeking (Individual Therapy or Couples Therapy).

Do you have a minimum age requirement?

I work with people who are 18 years of age and older. While I have experience working with children, my focus as a therapist is with couples and adults. If you need a therapist for your child, I am happy to refer you to respected colleagues who may be a fit for you.

How do I know if we’ll be a good fit?

Building a relationship with a therapist is a unique process and finding someone who is the right fit for you is important. To support you in doing this, I offer a free 20 minute video consultation that allows me to explain what working together looks like and gives you a chance to ask questions.

To prepare for this call, I send an introductory form with questions that can help organize your thoughts. Your responses help me prepare for our intro and learn a little more about your unique needs.

Sometimes it’s helpful to talk to a few therapists before determining who is the best fit. You could ask yourself after an intro call: Did they listen to me and show that they understood me? Do they have experience with what I need help with? Does their schedule match with mine? Does their process and approach sound like it could help me with my challenges? Does their pricing meet my budget?

Making an informed choice on who to work with can be a combination of research and what feels right to you. You may be ready to schedule as we get to the end of the video call or you may need some time to think about it or talk it over with your partner. After our call, I’ll follow up with an email that summarizes what we talked about and any next steps we’ve discussed. If your needs are outside my scope of practice, I’ll include referrals that may be a better fit for you.

Is therapy really private?

Yes, Therapy is considered confidential and is covered by the HIPAA privacy act, meaning anything discussed in session is considered confidential with the exception of safety to self or others.

As a licensed therapist, I am a mandated reporter. This means that I am legally required to report if you’re the victim of and/or are perpetrating the following: sexual or physical abuse of a child, an elderly person, or a person with cognitive or physical disabilities; exploitation (i.e., forcing someone to perform an act against their will for some form of gain) of a child, an elderly person, or a person with cognitive or physical disabilities; endangerment (e.g., placing a person in danger - such as driving while intoxicated with a child in the car, etc.) of a child, an elderly person, or a person with cognitive or physical disabilities. I’m legally bound to report all suspicions - confirmed or unconfirmed - to the proper authority albeit the Department of Social Services or local law enforcement for further investigation. I may break confidentiality if summoned to testify in a court of law.

*Note: I participate in peer supervision and EFT supervision to further my clinical skills. The therapists with whom I consult are bound by HIPAA and other confidentiality standards and thus cannot divulge details that I share outside of supervision. I DO NOT use identifying information in these situations.

What is therapy actually like?

Therapy is a private space to process your life experiences and learn new ways of coping with challenges, repairing relationships, and healing past hurts.

When we begin therapy, we are often moving through the following stages of learning:

• I don’t know what I don’t know. (unconscious incompetence)

• I know that I don’t know. (conscious incompetence)

• I’m learning, but it takes a lot of effort. (conscious competence)

• I know and its effortless, there is a flow. (unconscious competence)

As your therapist, I sometimes say I’ve got no skin in the game. In other words, I am a neutral person in your life that cares about your wellbeing; however, your decisions do not have a direct impact in my life. My primary intention is to help you meet your goals by being a honest, reliable, and supportive person in your life. This also means that I’ll bring attention to harmful impacts of your actions and support you in being accountable to yourself and others, even when its hard.

I come to sessions with a “map” (aka therapy & mindfulness tools, techniques, and interventions) informed by my professional training as an LMFT, Emotionally Focused Therapist, and Certified Yoga Teacher. We will use that map together to orient in and navigate the territory of your life.

Does therapy really work?

Considering therapy can be a meaningful step toward your healing and growth. The outcome of your treatment depends largely on how you show up and participate in the process. At times, you could experience discomfort as you recognize the patterns you’ve been living in and work to learn new things.

Everyone has a unique experience in therapy; however, research shows that success in therapy is based on the relationship between client and therapist. This research further outlines that strong therapeutic relationships are created through a mutual commitment to therapy, collaborative goal-setting, and maintaining trust.

There are no miracle cures. I cannot promise that your behavior or circumstances will change. However, I can promise to support you and do my very best to understand you and your stories, as well as to help you clarify what it is that you want for yourself.