Frequently Asked Questions
What type of client do you work with most often?
The clients Carrie sees everyday are most often high achieving students and professionals. She works with people pleasers, perfectionists and overachievers who are feeling overwhelmed or are finding it difficult to balance all the areas of their life they way they once were. While she sees clients of all ages, she works with a lot of young adults, ages 18-26. This is her favorite age group to work with: college students and young professionals who are figuring out what kind of adult they want to be and who are motivated to learn how to have the future they want.
How Do You Work With A Client Who Has Experienced Trauma?
As a trauma-informed therapist, the first thing Carrie often tells her clients who have experienced trauma is that they didn't have control over what happened to them then, but Carrie gives them complete control over their treatment process now. Trauma treatment isn't something that anyone can push anyone else to do. It is essential that the client feels safe and in control of the process. For clients who have experienced a recent traumatic event, EMDR is one of the best interventions for processing trauma. For clients who have experienced complex trauma or childhood traumas that have resulted in unconscious defense mechanisms, Carrie utilizes Internal Family Systems therapy and compassionate inquiry to help understand and begin to untangle the sophisticated systems that often keep us stuck in unwanted feelings and patterns.
How Do You Work With A Client Who Has Patterns of People Pleasing or Perfectionism?
For clients who identify with the pattern of people pleasing, or the pattern of perfectionism, Carrie starts by identifying which behaviors and patterns of behavior have harmed the client and how these same behaviors and patterns have helped them. She explores when these behaviors developed and why. She examines what life would be like for the client if they altered these behaviors and patterns and if the results are worth it to the client, she explores what baby steps the client feels empowered to practice in order to change those identified behaviors and patterns, creating the change they want to see in their life and their relationships.
What is a therapy session usually like?
A therapy session with Carrie has the feel of meeting with a trusted friend for coffee in their living room. At your first appointment, Carrie will meet you in the lobby at your designated appointment time. She will invite you back to her private office. Her offices look like mini living rooms. Have a seat on the couch and make yourself comfortable just as you would in your friend's living room. Carrie will open the conversation, asking what brings you to therapy. From there, Carrie will continue to ask thoughtful questions to get an understanding of what you are experiencing and what you would like to be different in your life as a result of therapy. Sessions are 45-50 minutes long.
How often do I need to come?
When first beginning therapy, one session each week is recommended for building momentum. Once you start to notice the desired changes happening in your life, you are welcome to space sessions out to every two weeks, or every month as needed.
What kind of therapy do you offer?
Carrie is a trauma-informed therapist and is trained in several different approaches to therapy. She likes to tailor each session to the presenting needs of the client and utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, client-centered therapy, solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, internal family systems therapy, and other approaches as needed. For those who have painful or traumatic memories that fuel their current struggles, Carrie has also been trained in EMDR and utilizes that approach as well.
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a therapy technique that has been shown to be especially helpful in healing from traumatic and/or painful memories. Learn more at EMDRIA.org.
Do you accept insurance?
Carrie does not bill insurance directly, but a percentage of the fee could be reimbursed to you by your insurance company! PPO insurance plans often reimburse you a portion of the fee depending on the plan you have. Check with your insurance company to find out what percentage they will reimburse you for an "out-of-network mental health provider." You are responsible for fee on the day of your session and Carrie can supply you with a detailed receipt that includes all the coding information that the insurance company needs in order to properly reimburse you.
What is a Good Faith Estimate?
Beginning in January 2022, healthcare providers are required to provide an estimate of costs to clients who choose to pay for services without using an insurance plan. Carrie will provide you with a written estimate of what your costs could be if you come to counseling based on an average number of sessions. The Good Faith Estimate is not a contract and does not require the client to obtain the services from the provider identified in the Good Faith Estimate. For detailed information on this law visit cms.gov/nosurprises.