FAQs

I typically hold 50 minutes sessions, and meet at the hour (1:00, 2:00 etc.) for each session.

I have a 48 hour cancellation policy.

If I know ahead of time that we might need to cancel or reschedule, I don't charge the fee. For example, if you know you have a big event the following week, I usually (when possible) say let's schedule our session and if you have to cancel that is OK, to give us the chance to meet if we can . We can discuss each situation as it comes.

I am currently holding most sessions remotely, and in-person sessions one day a week on Wednesdays.

I may expand to add one more in-person day in the future.

No matter which option we use, remote sessions will remain available if either of us are unable to meet in person. I will continue to post updates about in-person sessions as they become available.

I don't maintain a waitlist. I know it can be challenging to find a therapist or a great fit, and it can feel relieving to be on a list.However, my schedule can be unpredictable and I don't want scheduling or waiting to impact your ability to find an awesome therapy experience.

You are always welcome to reach out again and see if anything has changed, or seems like it might open up soon. If I expect a spot to open up, I am happy to schedule us in a few weeks to hold your spot.

When therapy starts, I start with the plan to meet weekly. A consistent, frequent, rhythm can help us build our relationship and get into the work we want to do. I have recurring weekly options, like Monday at 2:00, whenever my schedule allows it but these days we might need to start meeting at different times each week. If a set schedule doesn't fit into your world and schedule, we can keep a schedule that we find and set as we go.

While I start with planning for weekly appointments, we might be able to meet every other week depending on what you want to work on, and how we think that might work for both of us. If your primary motivator for meeting less frequently is financial, we can always talk about fee as I prefer to have a lower fee and meet when we want to then to make a schedule decision based on finances.

I acknowledge that because I do balance regular weekly meetings with weekly-scheduled meetings, every once in awhile I make mistakes. This doesn't happen often, but if it does, I will do my best to reschedule it or hopefully even fix it before the scheduled appointment.

If you have a complex schedule, we can discuss it and try to identify options that will make appointments accessible.

I am licensed to practice in the state of California, and I work with folks in California.

If you are outside of California, I can provide referrals to folks local to you when possible.

If you frequently travel or regularly are out of the state, we can discuss your plans and schedule and see if we can create a meeting schedule that accomodates your situation.

I primarily use Ivypay for payments. It is a secure, HIPAA compliant platform designed for therapy. It accepts all types of cards, including HSA and flex spending cards.

I also accept cash and checks, and we can come up with an alternate payment model if there is ever a time that we need to.

At Divergent Worlds, we work with all kinds of people. I welcome folks with a range of experiences, and no you don't need to check every box. There can be many reasons why a certain experience or identity feels aligned, and we can decide how it shows up if that feels important.

I offer remote sessions Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and in-person sessions on Wednesdays. If you start with one, you are welcome to switch to the other option as-needed and when scheduling allows.

For in-person sessions:

I have air purifiers in both the waiting room and therapy room, and our building installed updated HEPA filters.

If either a client or therapist is feeling sick, I ask that we have the appointment remotely. You are welcome to still come if you are feeling any typical-for-you symptoms of pain, exhaustion, nausea, or other symptoms but if you aren't sure please choose to stay home.

I am happy to open the office window but will often keep it closed for privacy and temperature care.

If either therapist or client has recently traveled, please take a COVID test before coming in, or we can just have a remote session immediately after return.

I may request that we use masks during high health risk periods, and I welcome you to ask as well if you prefer either of us wear a mask.

If you have other health protective needs, I welcome you to ask and will include them when possible.

Yes!

If we are meeting in-person, dogs and other animals are welcome to join us. Please let me know ahead of time if an animal will be accompanying you so I can make any needed arrangements.

Yes, most of the time, we can welcome folks to join us in our meetings. There might be things you want to disclose that feel more comfortable to do in therapy, and there might be perspectives you want your community to voice or share. There may be reasons why we can't such as safety concerns we need to address first, or location if they are in another state. Before others join in, we can talk about what might happen when we all meet.

In general I will meet just with you, but sometimes partners, friends, and others have important roles in your world and working on something with them in therapy can be very useful. This is very different from relationship or couples therapy, where we are working on something for the relationship, rather than focusing on you and the people in your world.

The teapot at the top of my website tells many stories. It describes fires and feelings that build up inside of us, the ways in which those feelings and experiences get expressed and then interact with the rest of the world, and how strong and fragile they can make us feel at the same time. Also, I like tea!

I see diagnosing as a process that can assist folks as they navigate through various systems. When I work with people, I don't immediately approach our work with a medical, DSM based, or deficit model. There are lots of different factors that influence how we show up in different situations, and I include them along with social, cultural, historical, familial, community, and environmental influences that impact how we feel and connect to ourselves and others. At the same time, sometimes a diagnosis can be an important part of understanding a symptom or experience, and creating access to other medical services and care.

Historically and currently, diagnosis have been unequally applied to different groups of people, and sometimes used for gatekeeping purposes. I take an active position to try to reduce gatekeeping and harm with diagnosis whenever possible through using trauma and human-experience inclusive language, collaborating with clients about assigning and understanding a diagnosis, and providing resources and re-frames to other systems and providers if a question about a diagnosis or symptom arises.

There are some settings where we are required to be working with a diagnosis, such as when we are applying insurance, or if a system is reviewing our treatment. For these reasons, I typically apply a diagnosis to have on record. My records system is not connected to any central system, and can not be detected by any other system without a specific inquiry. Whenever I apply a diagnosis that might be connected to insurance or any other system, I will talk with you first and explore the options.

If you have any questions about the diagnostic process, we can discuss the options, and work together to create a plan you feel comfortable with.

The systems of 911 and hospitalization for mental health experiences are deeply unsafe and unsupportive for a wide range of folks. It is my approach to focus on resolving emergency situations and urgent needs without involving authorities when possible.

If a situation arises where a system must be included, I will tell you what needs to happen and why, and include you in the plan. If you aren't conscious or available to participate in the plan, I will include any possible support systems available with a goal of creating a supportive plan that includes your wishes and care goals.

Sometimes things come up, and you are welcome to attend to them when we meet. If it feels distracting to either of us, we can discuss it and figure out a plan. If the tasks involve serious concentration for safety reasons, we can discuss pausing during those times, or having me speak while you focus, or whatever else feels right in the moment. If you are regularly finding that you are working on something during our meetings and it is a distraction, we can talk about shifts we may want to try.

When we meet remotely, I will generally be either in my remote office or my in-person office. You can be anywhere you like (in CA), or anywhere you need to be at the time. If the situation is distracting or loud, we can discuss options in the moment. If the situation seems to be or becomes unsafe or uncomfortable, we can discuss that in the moment too and I will offer whatever support I can.