faqs

do you work online or in person?

I see people in person for individual therapy in South Asheville, North Carolina. I also work with people who are located anywhere in North Carolina, South Carolina, or Florida virtually, through a secure telehealth program.

how much will therapy cost?

My rate is $150 per 55-minute session.

Therapy is an investment on many levels. I am committed to engaging in change-focused psychotherapeutic work that honors depth and complexity while also aiming for efficiency.

While choosing to commit to the therapy process for a given period of time may require financial sacrifice in other areas, it should not create financial hardship. I keep a limited number of spaces in my schedule for people who require a reduced fee— click here to learn more.

do you take insurance?

At this time, I do accept many major insurance types, including: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna/Evernorth, United/Optum, Medcost, and some medicaid plans.

I will be leaving all insurance panels and transition to a private pay system beginning in April, 2025.

I have decided to stop taking insurance and medicaid for many reasons: to decrease administrative burden and spend more of my time and energy on providing therapy and growing professionally; to guarantee increased privacy for the people I work with; and, importantly, to be free to follow my training and experience to work responsively and skillfully in the present moment, rather than trying to meet the cookie-cutter requirements of insurance companies.

what are your qualifications?

I earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 2021 and an Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the University of South Florida in 2011. I graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in anthropology in 2008.

I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina (license # 16904) and a Licensed Professional Counselor in South Carolina (license # 11748). I am also a Registered Out-of-State Telehealth Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida (Registration# TPMC7227; https://flhealthsource.gov/telehealth/).

My advanced training has focused on experiential dynamic therapy, specifically Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). I have attended more than a half dozen five day retreats/trainings with Lawson Sachter, using self-inquiry meditation methods to deepen the practice of ISTDP and to increase my focus and capacity for this intense and challenging work. Lawson has also been a close mentor and supervisor beginning in 2014. I have engaged in regular ISTDP-focused one-on-one training and supervision with Dr. Joseph Cooper since 2021. I am currently in the second year of a three-year ISTDP Core Training with Dr. Maurice Joseph.

I have been practicing intensive inquiry-based meditation since 2010 and have been in formal Zen Buddhist training since 2015, including 25+ week-long silent retreats. In 2023, I was ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest. I do not bring religion into sessions, but I believe the intensity, focus, and discipline of this training has a profound impact on my way of being with people, as does the Buddhist worldview that people are essentially wise and compassionate.