Before You Begin
Resources for Starting Therapy
Starting therapy comes with practical questions: what happens first, what it costs, and how to tell whether someone is a good fit. These guides answer them plainly, so your first conversation can be about you rather than the logistics.
Start with the question in front of you
Each guide takes one practical question and answers it as directly as I can. What to expect in your first therapy session walks from the free phone call through the 80-minute initial assessment. How to choose a therapist in Austin is about fit, which matters more than credentials, and what to listen for on a consultation call. Using superbills and out-of-network benefits explains how a self-pay practice can still work alongside your insurance plan.
Weekly therapy or an intensive lays out both rhythms without pretending one is better. Therapy or coaching explains the difference between licensed therapy, which is Texas only, and the non-clinical Christian and athletic mental health coaching and mentoring I offer in all 50 states and globally. And if you are a Texas LMFT-Associate looking for supervision, how to choose an LMFT supervisor is written with you in mind.
Cost, stated before you commit
Money belongs in the first conversation, not as a surprise later. The initial assessment for every service is 80 minutes and $275. Individual sessions are $190 for 50 minutes or $275 for 80 minutes. This is a self-pay practice: payment is due at the time of service, and monthly superbills are available for possible out-of-network reimbursement. A sliding scale between $90 and $190 has limited spots; I ask only that you come from a place of integrity of what you truly can afford, and there is no judgment. Every fee and policy is on the rates page.
Format, explained up front
You also deserve to know where and how the work happens before you begin. There are three ways to meet, listed below, and you can mix them as life and weather allow. Sessions are available in English or Spanish, and the areas served page explains each option in more detail. If weekly sessions are hard to sustain, therapy intensives offer concentrated work over one to three days, with breaks and pacing built in.
- In person at the Southwest Austin office, Fridays and select other times
- Walk-and-talk sessions outdoors, side by side on a quiet route
- Telehealth by secure video, anywhere in Texas
Anything else belongs on the free consultation
No guide can answer the question that is specific to you. That is what the free consultation is for: a 15-minute phone call about what is bringing you in, whether we are a fit, and how scheduling, cost and format would work. You do not need a diagnosis or a tidy explanation to start. A few honest sentences on the contact form are enough, and the common questions page covers more practical details in the meantime.
Guides
- What to Expect in Your First Therapy SessionFrom the free 15-minute consultation through the 80-minute initial assessment, and how the work unfolds after.
- Therapy or Coaching? How to ChooseLicensed therapy in Texas or non-clinical coaching anywhere: what each one is, and how to choose between them.
- Using Superbills and Out-of-Network BenefitsSelf-pay therapy, monthly superbills, three questions for your insurer and the sliding scale, explained plainly.
- How to Choose a Therapist in AustinFit, a license you can verify, plain answers about cost and format, and what to listen for on a first call.
- Weekly Therapy or an Intensive?Weekly sessions or one to three days of focused work: what each offers, what each costs and how to choose.
- How to Choose an LMFT Supervisor in TexasWhat to look for in a Texas LMFT supervisor, questions to ask, and how weekly supervision with me works.
Common Questions
Do I need to read these guides before reaching out?
No. They are here if they help. You can bring any question straight to the free 15-minute consultation, including questions about cost, fit, scheduling or format.
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The consultation is free and there is no obligation on either side.
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