FAQs

Where is the office located?

I am at the Northeast corner of Dallas North Tollway and Harvest Hill Road, in the Toll Hill Plaza. My building is the easternmost of the two structures.

5440 Harvest Hill Road, #203Dallas, TX 75230

I recommend parking on the East Entrance side of the building and taking elevator/stairs to the second floor.

Is the building handicapped accessible?

The building is handicapped accessible.

What are office hours?

Office hours are flexible, but I try to stick to hours between 10 am and 5 pm. However, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, and we’ll see what we can do.

How long are sessions?

Sessions are typically 50 minutes to one hour. Occasionally, 90-minute sessions are scheduled for couples/families, but that is not typical.

What do I do to get started?

If we have had the 20-minute consultation and have agreed to meet for a first session, all that needs happen is to make an appointment with me and appear for it. We’ll take it from there.

What are your fees?

Fees will be discussed in a 20-minute phone consultation.

How do I pay?

Cash, check, credit card; I also use Paypal and Zelle money transfer apps.

Do you take my insurance?

I am not on any insurance panels and do not work directly with insurance companies.

Can you help me file on my insurance?

I can provide documents reflecting my services along with pertinent info as required by your carrier, but you handle the paperwork.

A word about fees, insurance, etc.: It is important to recognize that when you undertake the expense of therapy, your first reaction might be ‘I can’t afford this.’

I understand. It’s important to remember that you can come as often or as seldom as your time and resources allow.

It is also possible that you think you can’t afford it when you can, because the idea of spending money on yourself is something you don’t feel good about. Something we can look at more closely when we meet.

How do I make an appointment?

You can make an appointment by filling out the inquiry form on the Website, which will notify me to make contact to set one up.

Or, you can call me at the number listed at the top of the site, or text. Probably best to do this in a voice call. I know, I know… voice, but it’s the best way.

Are there any other things I should know about your office?

If you don’t like to feel comfortable and at home, and don’t like music, you might feel a bit strange. I have a nice stereo and records and some interesting art – again, off-putting if that sort of thing bothers you.

Can I cancel an appointment? What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel an appointment 24 hours ahead of time. I really don’t like to miss you, but I know stuff happens.

I would hope you’d also specify when you’d like to reschedule. I’m left dangling if you call and cancel, but don’t ask to reschedule.

Consistency is important for good therapy. If you ‘just don’t feel like it’ or ‘there’s nothing to talk about,’ that’s a pretty good sign to keep the appointment. And we will drill into that when we meet.

If you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, the session will become billable in all but a very small number of special circumstances.

Your iguana being sick is not one of them. What I hope will happen is, if we can reschedule that cancelled appointment during the same work week and you keep it, the cancellation will not be billed.

What is a free initial phone consultation?

The free initial consultation is a 20-minute chat that establishes the parameters of your difficulties, what kind of help you’re looking for, what has stopped you previously from getting the help you need, but… most importantly, establishes whether we can have enough of the rapport necessary to move to the first appointment.

Who is your perfect client?

My perfect client is that person who is so tired of running in the same dead end loops, listening to the same negative, self-defeating voices in her head, sick of applying the same solutions over and over again that never work, that she is now ready to bring in a person she feels she can trust to help her straighten that mess out. I want to be that person.

What age range do you work with?

I work with people 13 and up.

Do you work with men? Women? Couples? Teens?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and I am LGBTQIA friendly.

Do you work with people from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, backgrounds?

Yes, to all the above; the only requirement being that you speak enough Texan (an English dialect) for us to communicate.

What can I expect in the first session?

You can expect to discover that it was nowhere near as painful as you’d thought, that it was really kind of a neat thing to do, you enjoyed it and feel better than you’ve felt in a long time and that, finally, someone understands you.

What is therapy like with you?

It is casual but focused on your issues. It is like going for a walk in the woods with an old friend, maybe a mentor or teacher, and the conversation turns to what you’ve been doing lately and to what’s troubling you.

Your companion keeps asking questions that take you deeper and deeper into where the truth lies, but every now and then he stops and shares a story from his own life before turning attention back to what’s been going on with you.

And that process goes on for weeks, months, who knows? But eventually, you both will know when it’s time to stop.

How long will I be in therapy with you?

Until it’s time to stop, which can be a few weeks, or it can be 25 years.

Does anybody cry in front of you?

Yes, all the time. Why?

Do I have to tell you everything?

When the plumber comes to fix a leak, do you tell him where to look or do you make him guess?

Who benefits from therapy?

It varies, but generally the people who keep appointments as scheduled, don’t withhold information, and allow themselves to trust the process seem to benefit the most.

What are the risks and benefits of doing therapy?

In therapy, you run the risk of surrendering old, ineffective, self-defeating patterns of thought and action, thereby letting go of some of your most treasured, dysfunctional beliefs.

The benefits are that you can surrender old, ineffective, self-defeating patterns of thought and action and let go of some your most treasured, dysfunctional beliefs.

What else can I try to help me help myself?

Exercise, lots of exercise, and meditation, at least daily. Of course, you will resist both, but at least I’m answering the question.

Do you offer video or phone sessions?

Yes, I do plenty of phone work, but don’t care for video because the technology seems to get in the way. That doesn’t mean we can’t try it if you insist, but I’m just saying….

How do I know if you are the right therapist for me?

If at some point during an initial contact you find that you have entered a conversation with me and have stopped wondering if I’m the right one for you, then I’m the right one for you.

What is coaching?

Coaching is a relationship very similar to therapy, but less about exploration and more about peer relations and leadership in the professional environment (at least that’s the way it is in my world).

Do couples fight in front of you?

All the time, because they each think that if they can get me to be on their ‘side,’ they will win their pointless battles with the other ‘side.’

By the way, most of the time, couples have waited way too long to begin couples therapy…

How long have you been in practice?

40 of the best years of my life.

What are your strengths as a therapist?

I have a very strong interest in stories. I see my job as listening to and understanding stories – and finding the not-so-obvious elements of the story, the parts the teller should really be paying more attention to.

I truly see therapy as more of a literary endeavor than anything.

Also, I have a quick wit and a love of irony, which I use often in my work and for which I am noted.

I understand that it is my job to help people understand and accept things they may not like, and so I try to honor that sense of vulnerability that goes with it.

At the same time, I am not afraid to take that job on when it’s time to.

What do you enjoy about being a therapist?

See 31 above; also, there is the part about helping people. I like that, too.

Have you been in therapy yourself?

Yes, off and on for years.

What is your educational background?

Before going into psychology, I was an English major and then a Drama major.

I switched to psychology and got a BA and an MA in psychology, with some hours past the MA before I gave up the poverty and delayed gratification of graduate school and entered the so-called ‘mental health’ field.

If you really want to know more than this, we can talk about it.

What is the best way to get in touch with you?

Through the contact form on this site or by calling the phone number at the top of the page.

Do you prescribe medications, do you take notes, are you licensed?

No, but I work with physicians who do; no, I don’t take notes; yes, I have been licensed since 1981.