Frequently Asked Questions About Online Therapy

Have questions about online therapy, what to expect, fees, scheduling, and whether we're a good fit? Here are answers to some of the questions I hear most often from prospective clients.

If you don’t see your question here, click here to get in touch.

Finding the Right Fit for Online Therapy

  • Yes. I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, chronic stress, overwhelm, and the ways these concerns can affect work, relationships, motivation, and everyday life. Therapy can help you understand what's keeping you stuck, develop more effective ways of coping, and reconnect with what matters to you. Visit this page for more information on therapy for anxiety and depression.

  • Yes. I provide grief therapy for adults navigating both death-related and non-death losses. This can include the death of someone you love, divorce, estrangement, illness, injury, career changes, loss of identity, or the loss of the future you thought you'd have. Visit this page for more information on grief therapy.

  • Yes. I work with adults who are burned out, overwhelmed, exhausted, or tired of white-knuckling their way through life. Therapy can help you understand what's driving the burnout, reconnect with your values and priorities, and make meaningful changes without simply adding another item to your already-too-long to-do list.

  • Absolutely. As a longtime mountain athlete myself, I understand that the emotional side of outdoor sports can be just as complicated as the physical side. I work with runners, climbers, mountaineers, and other outdoor athletes navigating injury, performance pressure, anxiety, burnout, close calls, trauma, loss, and changes in their relationship with sport.

  • Yes. I work with adults navigating the complicated middle of midlife, including changing relationships, aging parents, shifting priorities, career stress, body changes, and questions about what's next. Therapy can help you sort through what's changed, figure out what still matters, and move forward with more clarity and intention.

What to Expect from Therapy

  • I have been described by clients as supportive, understanding, warm, caring, effective, and non-judgmental. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is the most important element in effective therapy, and I take time to establish a trusting relationship.

    Before we dive in, I will take time to get to know you, your story, and your goals for therapy. My approach to therapy is change-focused, which means that we will actively be identifying and working on aspects of your life that may be keeping you stuck (and generating ideas for what to do about them).

    Therapy will not always feel comfortable, but that is often a sign that we are moving in the right direction (change is hard!).

  • The initial phone consultation is optional and is free of charge to you. One function of the phone consultation is for you to have the chance to learn more about what it would be like to work together. I will ask some brief questions to understand what brings you into therapy (just a short summary is fine, we’re looking for a thumbnail sketch here) and your goals. If I believe that you could benefit from services elsewhere, I may recommend other resources to you.

  • In the intake appointment, we will dive deeper into what brings you into therapy and your goals. I will also ask a series of semi-structured questions that will give me an understanding of your experiences, identities, and background – for example, childhood history, work history, cultural identity, relationships, previous medical and mental health treatment, etc.

    Sometimes we need to split this into more than one session. After I have a solid understanding of your current concerns and goals, I will recommend treatment options. We work together to create a treatment plan.

  • This depends on a number of factors. Generally speaking, I recommend weekly appointments for at least 1-2 months so that we establish a trusting relationship and can build momentum together towards your goals. From there, we can decide what frequency works best for you.

Online Therapy and Availability

  • Telehealth refers to therapy services provided online via video. Research has demonstrated that telehealth is equivalent to in-person services in regards to effectiveness. There are many benefits of telehealth! Accessing therapy online increases your access to competent providers, as you are not limited to providers in any particular geographic region (who may or may not be accepting new clients). Online therapy also reduces the time needed for appointments, as you do not have to deal with traffic or parking. Plus, you can access services from the comfort of your own home. Some people also appreciate telehealth for increased confidentiality, particularly in smaller communities where they may run into people they know in the parking lot or waiting area.

  • Summerland Psychology only provides online therapy services. If you give this a try and decide that telehealth is not the right fit for you, I can recommend other resources for you to look into in-person options.

  • I am licensed in Washington (PY60541901) and can provide telehealth services to clients in participating PSYPACT states where I am authorized to practice.

  • Appointments are available Mondays through Thursdays during regular Pacific Time Zone business hours (8am to 5pm, PST). Upon request, an earlier time slot may be available (7am PST). 

Fees and Insurance

  • Summerland Psychology does not accept insurance and payment is due at the time of session. Initial visits (intakes) are $300 and follow-up visits (50 min) are $240. Please refer to the Pricing page for more information.

  • I am happy to offer a superbill for out-of-network billing. Please contact your insurance carrier directly to verify benefits. I cannot guarantee reimbursement and will not have direct contact with your insurance provider. I provide a superbill on a monthly basis that will contain a mental health diagnosis, a listing of appointments attended, and amount paid. You then will submit this to your insurance carrier along with any other information they request.

Other Practice Questions

  • Summerland Psychology was named after my favorite place in Mt. Rainier National Park, which holds a dear place in my heart. Summerland is a beautiful Alpine meadow, only accessible during the summer months. Some of the photos on this website are of Summerland. Please enjoy!

  • No. This requires a specialized assessment that I do not provide.

  • I do not use AI recording tools in my practice. I am staunchly against use of AI recording in clinical care, as I believe it compromises privacy and confidentiality.