Frequently Asked Questions
Where is your office located?
It’s located in Golden, several blocks northeast of Parfet Park. The park is next to where the creek goes under the bridge at Washington St.
The address is 410 9th Street, Golden, CO 80401. There’s plenty of free parking outside.
I’ll greet you inside the waiting room on the upper floor.
Do you offer online therapy (teletherapy)?
Do I have to climb stairs to access your office?
How would other therapists or clients describe you?
I’ve never seen a therapist before. Do I need to prepare? What if I just walk in and start crying, is that okay?
No preparation is needed. All you have to do is show up, and I’ll guide you the rest of the way. And if you want to start by releasing your tears, I welcome that.
Being witnessed and accepted just as you are is a crucial and healing aspect of the therapeutic relationship.
Whatever you do, please DON’T wait for a “better time” to start feeling better by coming to see me. Almost all clients inevitably say they wish they had come sooner and can’t remember why they put it off for so long.
Do you work with women? Men? Non-cisgendered people? Couples?
What age do you work with?
How long are your sessions?
What days are you available?
I’m generally available for in-office appointments all day Monday, Tuesday, and until noon on Wednesdays. I can see clients via telehealth all day Monday through Thursday.
See my available time slots by using my site’s client portal.
I want to begin therapy with you. How do I book my complimentary 20-minute consultation?
You can use the client portal to view my availability and request an available time slot.
How do I book my appointments (following my complimentary consultation)?
You can use the client portal to view my availability and request an available time slot.
What is your cancellation and “no-show” policy?
When do I complete the intake forms?
The intake forms will be emailed to you immediately after your first appointment is confirmed. They are electronic, so there’s no need to print anything out.
Please complete those forms 24 hours at the latest before your appointment to hold your appointment.
I didn’t get the forms, should I check my spam folder?
How do you accept payment?
Do you take insurance?
Why don’t you take insurance?
The insurance industry has many faults, many which are damaging to the practice and potential of psychotherapy. The system is broken.
They require therapists to assign a diagnosis to all their clients for billing purposes. This can have a variety of negative effects on the clients’ self-perception, reputation, professional standing, and other ways.
And not everyone who seeks therapy needs to be or wants to be labeled with a diagnosis.
These days it seems any large company is a target for hackers. It’s always possible for hackers to steal and publicly leak insurance clients’ personal information, including their therapist’s notes and diagnoses.
Some insurance companies make it an unadmitted practice of rejecting payments several times before finally paying the therapist. Their goal is to pay out as little as possible. This costs therapists substantial time and energy and can lead to burnout.
The last thing you need is a burned-out therapist holding a grudge against your insurer because they haven’t been paid for your last several sessions.
Insurance companies require more notes and records than usual. The extra time involved would require me to raise my rates to compensate.
How much do you charge?
I’m happy to discuss fees with you during your initial consultation, which is free. You can book your 20-minute consultation here, it only takes three minutes.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Yes. That is something we can discuss during your complimentary 20-minute consultation, which you can book here.
Since we’re in Colorado, I have questions about psychedelics, microdosing, and similar topics. Are you open to discussing those topics with me?
Absolutely. I’m a psychedelic ally, and I have personally experienced their psychological benefits. And I have supported clients in various ways on this theme.
However, psychedelics are not a magic pill, no matter how much the current hype makes it seem.
Nothing can replace the transformation, empowerment, healing, and insights gained by working with another human (your therapist) via a well-established therapeutic relationship.
In fact, most clients have no interest in using psychedelics. It’s not the most important part of what I have to offer as a clinician, and I don’t make it a practice to recommend psychedelics as a way to “fix” one’s problems or to substitute for therapy.
But psychedelics do hold promise for some clients who are unhappy with how their pharmaceutical medication makes them feel. I believe they should have the right to see if mother nature has a better solution for them.
If you’re interested in psychedelics, I should share that I’m the author of Blue Thumb: How to Grow Psilocybin Mushrooms at Home, among other books (mostly about consciousness and spirituality).
Your About page mentioned your search for the best chocolate chip cookie in town. Care to share your top picks?
Currently, my favorite can be found at Kaladi Coffee on Evans near the University of Denver.
They sell these three-packs of cookies made by a local non-profit serving people who don’t have homes. The cookies are thick, chewy, and not too sweet. And occasionally I luck out and score a pack with a fourth cookie squished inside – bonus!
I recently discovered another contender for best cookie. This one is sold at Miette Et Chocolat inside the Stanley Marketplace in Aurora. They sprinkle it with large granules of sea salt, which beautifully complements the sweetness from the sugar and cocoa. Believe me, one cookie is enough to satisfy anyone.
I haven’t found a worthy candidate in Golden, yet. But please send me your recommendations. I’m always up for more “field research.”