Beginning Therapy
Reaching out for therapy can feel like a significant step.
Sometimes people know exactly what they want help with. Other times there is simply a sense that something in life needs attention, that a familiar pattern is no longer working, or that it may be time to explore something more deeply.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before contacting me.
If you’re considering working together, you are welcome to tell me a little about what brings you to therapy, what you have been experiencing, and what you are hoping might change.
From there, we can begin to get a sense of whether my experience and approach are a good fit for what you are looking for.
Finding the right fit matters
Therapy works best when there is not only appropriate experience and training, but also a sense that the relationship itself feels comfortable enough to support honesty, curiosity, challenge, and meaningful work.
That fit can be difficult to determine from a website alone.
Our initial contact gives us an opportunity to begin getting a sense of one another and to consider whether the way I work seems aligned with what you need.
If it does, we can talk about next steps.
If it does not, that is useful information too. Finding the right therapist matters, and I want the beginning of therapy to feel thoughtful rather than pressured.
What happens when you reach out
You can contact me by phone, email, or through the contact form on this page.
It’s helpful to include a brief description of what is bringing you in, whether you are seeking individual or couples therapy, and the best way to reach you.
I will respond so that we can discuss your concerns, answer any initial questions, and determine whether it makes sense to schedule a first session.
The first sessions are usually a time for us to begin understanding what is happening, what you hope will be different, and what kind of work may be most useful.
There is no expectation that we understand everything immediately.
Therapy is often a process of discovering the problem more fully as we begin working with it.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy may focus on a specific difficulty such as anxiety, depression, grief, relationship problems, or a major life transition.
It may also become a place to understand longstanding patterns, explore different parts of yourself, work with earlier experiences, or engage questions of identity, meaning, purpose, intimacy, and development.
Learn moreCouples Therapy
Couples often reach out when they feel caught in patterns of conflict, defensiveness, withdrawal, distance, or misunderstanding that have become difficult to change on their own.
Couples therapy can help us slow those patterns down, understand what is happening beneath them, and develop greater capacity for communication, repair, intimacy, differentiation, and connection.
Learn moreIn-person and telehealth sessions
I offer psychotherapy both in person and through telehealth.
In-person sessions
15409 Dickens St.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Telehealth sessions
On Zoom
We can discuss which format is most appropriate when we first speak.
Fees and insurance
Fees and payment arrangements can be discussed when we first speak. I am happy to answer questions about costs, insurance, and whether I may be able to provide documentation for out-of-network reimbursement.
Contact
If you would like to explore whether working together might be a good fit, you are welcome to reach out.
Phone: [new practice number]
Email: drjeff1234@sbcglobal.net
Please do not use this form for emergencies or urgent mental health concerns. If you are experiencing an immediate crisis, contact emergency services or an appropriate crisis resource in your area.
A place to begin
You do not need to know exactly where the work will lead before beginning.
Sometimes the first step is simply creating enough space to understand more clearly what is happening and what may be asking for change.
If it seems that we are a good fit, we can begin there together.