Frequently Asked Questions

Therapy & Emotional Patterns

Why do i feel anxious even when nothing is wrong?

Many people who struggle with anxiety feel confused because their lives might look stable on the surface, yet their mind and body remain on high alert. This often happens when the nervous system learned earlier in life that it needed to stay vigilant in order to stay safe or maintain connection with others. Therapy helps you understand where these patterns developed and allows your nervous system to finally settle.

Why do I overthink everything?

Overthinking is often a protective strategy your mind developed to try to prevent mistakes, rejection, or conflict. If your system learned that getting things “right” was important for maintaining approval or avoiding criticism, your mind may constantly scan for potential problems. Therapy helps uncover the deeper fears driving this pattern so your mind no longer feels responsible for anticipating every possible outcome.

Why is it so hard to stop people-pleasing?

People-pleasing is rarely just a habit. It’s usually a protective strategy that developed earlier in life when maintaining connection with others felt essential. If expressing needs or boundaries once led to conflict, criticism, or disconnection, your system may have learned to prioritize others’ comfort to keep relationships stable. Therapy helps you understand these patterns and build the confidence to respond more authentically.

Why do I understand my patterns but still feel stuck?

Many people who seek therapy already have strong insight into their patterns. They may know why they struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, or people-pleasing, yet still feel unable to respond differently in the moment. Insight alone does not always change how the nervous system reacts. Approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR help address the deeper experiences driving these reactions so change happens emotionally, not just intellectually.

Why do I feel so responsible for other people’s emotions?

Many people learned early in life that managing other people’s feelings helped maintain peace or connection in their relationships. Over time, this can create a strong sense of responsibility for how others feel. Therapy helps you understand where this pattern developed and learn how to maintain connection without sacrificing your own needs.

Why do small situations trigger such strong reactions?

When a reaction feels bigger than the situation itself, it’s often connected to earlier experiences that shaped how your nervous system responds to certain cues. Therapy helps uncover those connections so your reactions begin to feel more proportional and manageable.

Why do I feel successful on the outside but still struggle internally?

Many high-achieving women appear capable and put together on the outside while privately feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or self-critical. When approval, achievement, or responsibility became ways to maintain connection or safety earlier in life, success can start to feel like something that must constantly be earned. Therapy helps you understand these patterns so your sense of worth no longer depends on constant performance.

Why does perfectionism feel impossible to turn off?

Perfectionism is often driven by a deeper fear of being criticized, rejected, or not being “enough.” Even when you know your standards are unrealistic, the part of you that learned to rely on perfection may still feel responsible for protecting you. Therapy helps you understand and soften these protective patterns so you can pursue goals without constant pressure or self-criticism.

Why do I keep repeating the same relationship patterns?

Many relationship patterns develop early in life when we learn what’s required to maintain connection with others. If emotional needs were dismissed, criticized, or ignored, you may unconsciously recreate familiar dynamics in adult relationships. Therapy helps you recognize these patterns and develop healthier ways of connecting.

Getting Started

How do I know if we would be a good fit?

Finding the right therapist is a crucial part of the process. During your free consultation call, we’ll talk about what you’re hoping to work on and whether my approach feels aligned with your needs. This conversation also gives you an opportunity to ask questions and get a sense of how it might feel to work together.

What is the process to get started?

You can begin by reaching out through the contact form on this website. I’ll respond by email and offer times for a complimentary 20-minute consultation call. During that call we’ll talk about what’s bringing you to therapy, answer any questions you have, and determine whether working together feels like a good fit. If it does, we’ll schedule your intake session and get you set up in the client portal.

What happens in the first session?

The first session focuses on getting to know you and understanding what has brought you to therapy. Rather than feeling like an interview, the intake is designed to feel conversational so we can begin identifying patterns, goals, and areas where you would like support.

I ask that all intake paperwork be completed at least 48 hours before our first session so I have time to carefully review your history and begin identifying important themes.

This preparation allows our first session to focus on meaningful conversation and beginning the work itself, rather than simply gathering background information. Many clients find this approach helps therapy start at a pace that feels thoughtful and emotionally safe.

Session Details

How long are therapy sessions?

Sessions in my practice are 90 minutes and are typically scheduled every other week. This structure allows us to explore things more deeply without feeling rushed and gives you time between sessions to integrate insights and continue the work in your day-to-day life.

How often will we meet?

Most clients attend therapy every other week for 90-minute sessions. Many people find this schedule allows them to engage in deeper work while maintaining a sustainable rhythm between sessions.

Because sessions occur twice per month rather than weekly, many clients find it easier to integrate therapy into their lives without having to interrupt their schedule as often. This structure also provides space between sessions to reflect, practice new insights, and allow the work to continue unfolding outside of the therapy room.

Can therapy be effective online?

Yes. Research shows that virtual therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy. Many clients also find that being in their own space allows them to feel more comfortable and open during sessions. My practice has been fully virtual since 2022, allowing women throughout Michigan and Georgia to access care.

What if I have already tried therapy before?

Many of my clients have participated in therapy previously and gained insight into their patterns. What they’re often looking for is a deeper approach that helps create emotional shifts rather than simply understanding the problem. Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR therapy allow us to work directly with the experiences and patterns that keep reactions in place.

Do you only work with women?

My services are thoughtfully designed with a deep understanding of the gendered experiences that shape women’s mental health, including the unique ways trauma, depression, and relational wounds can show up in their lives.

While my primary focus is on supporting women, I know that healing is never one-size-fits-all. If you're outside of that focus and my approach feels aligned with your needs, I’d be happy to explore whether working together is the right fit.

If I’m not the right fit for you, I highly recommend Regenerative Health Partners, a practice dedicated to addressing men’s mental health with the same depth, care, and intention I strive to offer.

Fees & Insurance

Do you accept insurance?

No. EMPWR Transformative Therapy is an out-of-network provider. This allows me to offer longer sessions and a more in-depth therapy experience without the restrictions that insurance companies often place on treatment.

Why don’t you accept insurance?

Insurance companies typically require a medical diagnosis and often limit the length or focus of treatment.

By remaining out of network, I’m able to offer longer 90-minute sessions and a more in-depth therapy experience without those restrictions. I also spend time between sessions reviewing your history, mapping patterns that emerge in our work, and thoughtfully preparing for where our work may go next.

This approach allows therapy to go beyond the standard structure of brief, insurance-reimbursable care and instead focus on deeper, lasting change.

What are your fees?

• 20-minute consultation: free
• 60-minute intake: $300
• 90-minute therapy session: $450

Sessions are typically scheduled every other week. A credit card is kept on file for convenient billing and is charged at the time of service.

Ready to get started? Click below to schedule a consultation