Frequently asked questions

What kinds of trauma do you specialize in?

I specialize in working with developmental trauma, complex relational trauma, medical trauma, and the chronic stress states that come from years of scanning, caregiving, or living in uncertainty. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside but feel dysregulated, shut down, or overwhelmed on the inside.
My approach is integrative and depth-oriented, blending somatic awareness, nervous-system regulation, trauma-informed attachment work, and meaning-making.

Do I have to have a genetic mutation or hereditary cancer risk to work with you?

Not at all. I work with adults navigating trauma in all forms — but I do have a sub-specialty in hereditary cancer risk, BRCA and other high-risk gene mutations, previvorship, and survivorship.
Many people without a mutation find me because they resonate with the intergenerational themes, the layers of grief and uncertainty they are navigating, or the impact of medical trauma in their family.

How do you support people with hereditary cancer risk or genetic mutations?

I help clients navigate the emotional, somatic, and relational impact of living with elevated cancer risk — including testing, surveillance, surgical decision-making, and recovery.
We make space for grief, fear, identity shifts, body-based trauma, and the parts of your story that can’t be solved through medical management alone.
Clients often come to me when their nervous system feels stuck in survival mode and they need guidance integrating everything they’ve been carrying.

What therapeutic approaches do you use?

I blend:

  • NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model)

  • Somatic awareness

  • Interpersonal neurobiology

  • Attachment-focused therapy

  • Feminist and Humanistic theory

My work is spacious, and collaborative. We work with the story you inherited and the one you’re choosing to create now.

What does “trauma-informed” mean in your practice?

It means we work at the pace of your nervous system. There is no pressure to re-tell traumatic stories before you feel resourced and safe.
We focus on:

  • Building internal safety

  • Understanding survival strategies

  • Integrating emotional experiences rather than overriding them

  • Supporting your body to come out of chronic activation or shutdown

  • Making meaning of what you’ve lived through

You don’t have to perform “being fine” here.

What if I’m feeling overwhelmed, numb, or shut down?

This is incredibly common for people navigating chronic trauma, medical uncertainty, or grief.
Many clients arrive saying:
“I can’t keep holding it together,” or
“I feel disconnected from myself,” or
“I know I’m supposed to be grateful, but I’m exhausted.”

In therapy, we slow down enough to understand what your system is doing to protect you — and help you reconnect with the parts of yourself that went offline to survive.

What if my trauma is intergenerational?

A lot of the work I do lives at the intersection of trauma, ancestry, and identity.
You didn’t choose your parents’ trauma, your family’s losses, or the medical history you inherited — but you do get to choose how you relate to it now.
Together, we explore patterns, protective strategies, family silence, inherited fear, and the possibility of being the cycle-breaker in your lineage.

I’m a parent navigating hereditary cancer and risk. Can therapy help me support my children?

Yes. Many parents come to me because they don’t want to pass down the same fear, emotional shutdown, or over-responsibility they grew up with.
Therapy helps you model:

  • Staying connected to yourself

  • Asking for help

  • Listening to your body

  • Allowing grief

  • Regulating fear

  • Making decisions from alignment instead of panic

This work ripples across generations.

What’s therapy like if I’m in the middle of testing, scans, or medical decisions?

We track what is happening emotionally and somatically as you face uncertainty, fear and the patterns that are no longer serving you.
We work with:

  • Scanxiety

  • Decision paralysis

  • Fear of recurrence

  • Body-related trauma

  • Grief after prophylactic or cancer-related surgeries

  • Medical burnout

  • Navigating family dynamics around risk

You don’t need to have the answers — our work helps you find the part of you that can hear your own truth.

Do you offer virtual sessions?

Yes. I offer secure, online therapy to clients anywhere in California. Many people navigating hereditary cancer risk prefer telehealth because they’re juggling appointments, work, caregiving, or recovery.

Do you take insurance?

I do not take insurance directly, but most clients use their out-of-network benefits. I provide superbills you can submit to your plan for reimbursement.

What are your fees?

My current fees are:

  • $250 for 60-min sessions

  • $325 for 90-min sessions

    Longer sessions are ideal for trauma work, especially when clients are navigating complex medical or intergenerational stress.

  • $250 for 50 min Neurofeedback session

  • $175 for a reduced-length Neurofeedback session (appropriate for children)

  • ace The Risk Together Support Group: For anyone who needs support and connection while navigating their hereditary cancer risk.

    $80 per session (90 minute sessions, no more than 8 participants per group)

    I accept cash, check, and credit card payment.

    I have a limited number of sliding scale spaces available. Please contact me for more information.

How do I get started?

Click the link on my site to book a consultation or therapy session.
If you’re in California and seeking depth-oriented trauma work — especially at the intersection of family history, medical uncertainty, and identity — I would be honored to connect.How much does it cost to work with you?

Is therapy covered by insurance?

I am an out-of-network provider, which means I do not bill insurance directly. However, I can provide a superbill you may submit to your PPO insurance for potential reimbursement. I recommend Thrizer to clients that are submitting superbills, as they help manage the process and track your claims:

https://www.thrizer.com/for-clients

Many clients also choose to pay out of pocket for privacy and flexibility.

What if I’m not ready to commit to therapy?

That’s completely okay. You can start by listening to my podcast Walking the Genetic Line, which explores real stories of people living with hereditary cancer risk. You may also sign up for my newsletter or join a workshop to get a sense of my approach before beginning therapy.

How do I schedule a consultation?

You can contact me here to set up a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll talk about what you’re going through, what you’re hoping for, and whether this work feels like a good fit.