You could benefit from therapy if you struggle with emotional or relationship problems that cause you significant distress and/or negatively impact your functioning in some way.

You could also use the support of a therapist if you’ve tried self-help work and it hasn’t made as much of a difference as you’d hoped for. Getting professional help can accelerate your growth and healing.

I’m happy to answer this question for you specifically over a free phone consultation.

Many of my clients have been in previous treatment with limited results. It’s important to know that all therapists work differently and fit is important. For more info on my approach see this post.

I’ve received feedback from clients that they appreciate my experiential approach to therapy and feel significant shifts from working somatically and with Parts (IFS).

I take a collaborative approach to treatment where together we’ll set a clear goal for therapy with a clear plan for how to reach it, and we make adjustments along the way so that therapy is tailored to what works best for you.

All that to say, I’ve helped many people reach their goals after having lackluster experiences in previous therapy.

You don’t have to have a history of major abuse or “Big T” trauma to benefit from therapy. Most of the trauma I work with is relational trauma, which can be the death by a thousand cuts of not getting your needs for support met, especially during your formative years.

Some people struggle with the word trauma because they associate it with something extreme. But there’s a very high likelihood that emotional wounding, painful or overwhelming life experiences, or whatever you want to call it, is negatively impacting you.

Many of my clients come into therapy believing they don’t have a history of trauma because “nothing major” happened to them, and during our work together they come to see that their past had a bigger impact on them than they realized.

For more on debunking common misconceptions about trauma, check out this post.

I primarily provide in-person therapy in Sacramento, both as a personal preference and for easier use of somatic therapy techniques.

See this post for more on the benefits of in-person therapy.

I see a limited number of clients who live outside of the Sacramento area on video, and video sessions are an option for clients who are sick or traveling and can’t make it into the office that week.

If you’re local to the Sacramento area and prefer video sessions, I may be able to accommodate you, on a case by case basis. We can discuss this during a free consultation. Or I’m always happy to refer you to one of my colleagues for online therapy.

I don’t want you to be in therapy forever. But I want you to stay in treatment long enough to get the results you’re looking for, so that you can say therapy was truly a success.

The length of treatment really varies from person to person. It’ll depend on your history, your goals, how much work you’re putting in outside of session, how much support you have, and more.

I hesitate to put out a number because the ideal length of treatment varies so widely, but I’d say that on average one year is a good initial commitment to make and enough time for most folks to make significant progress.

If you’d like to do individual therapy with me, I ask that you be willing to commit to at least 6 months.