Question 1

What would our sessions be like?

Accepted Answer

No two sessions are the same, because no two people are the same. Sometimes our work will be deep and reflective. Other times, it might be more experiential using art, breath, or somatic tools to stay grounded. You might come in needing to process something tender, or just needing space to be fully seen and heard. Above all, you can expect a space that is non-judgmental, collaborative, and attuned to your pace. I’ll meet you where you are, walk alongside you, and help you build the internal trust and tools to navigate life with more ease and self-compassion.

Depending on your needs, our work might include:
Using Art & Creative Expression
You don’t need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. Sometimes, images, colors, or symbols can say what words can’t. Art can help you process emotions, calm your nervous system, and see your progress in a tangible way. Often, the art emerges naturally and is guided by what feels most meaningful in the moment.
Working with Parts of the Self
We all have different “parts” inside like the inner critic, the protector, or the part that holds old pain. Rather than fighting them, we’ll get curious about them. Through techniques like inner dialogue or creative expression, you’ll begin to understand the role each part plays and become a more compassionate leader of your internal world.
Coming Home to Your Body
Trauma, anxiety, and stress can pull us out of our bodies. If you’ve felt disconnected or unsafe in your physical self, we’ll work gently to rebuild that connection. Using grounding tools, mindfulness, and body-based awareness, you’ll learn to feel more anchored, present, and at home in yourself.
Deepening Self-Insight
Influenced by depth psychology and attachment theory, I support you in exploring the emotional roots of your current struggles — not just what’s happening, but why. We’ll look at how early experiences, unconscious beliefs, and relational patterns may still be shaping your present, and how greater awareness can open the door to lasting change.
Strengthening Relationships & Boundaries
Whether you're navigating anxiety in relationships, struggling to voice your needs, or healing from rupture, our work will support you in building healthier, more secure connections with others and with yourself. You’ll practice setting boundaries, naming emotional needs, and finding your voice with greater confidence and clarity.
Honoring Identity & Systemic Context
Your life doesn't exist in a vacuum—it’s shaped by culture, identity, and the systems you’ve moved through. I welcome conversations about how race, gender, sexuality, body size, disability, class, and other identities have impacted your life. When useful, I can connect you with community resources or collaborate with other providers so you feel supported by a whole team, not just on your own.

Question 2

Do you offer in-person sessions?

Accepted Answer

No. All of my sessions and services are facilitated via secure tele-therapy video calls. While tele-therapy really grew in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, I've found it to be a preferred service for myself and many of my clients. With telehealth, you are able to attend sessions from anywhere in Oregon, and you can attend from your own home/preferred environment, which offers clients greater comfort and flexibility. I often tell my clients to "come as you are," so if you want to have therapy in your pajamas in bed, or you want to do sessions from your own art studio or home office, that's fine by me! I have considered returning to in-person sessions someday, but I am not offering that option at this time.

Question 3

Do you work with insurance?

Accepted Answer

No I do not accept insurance. I’ve chosen to work outside of insurance so I can provide more personalized care without restrictions on your privacy, session length, or the type of healing work we do. It also allows us to collaborate more creatively without needing a diagnosis. I can provide you with a monthly superbill (https://www.choosingtherapy.com/superbill/)if you'd like to pursue insurance reimbursement from your insurance provider, and you have out-of-network benefits. All out-of-pocket/private-pay clients are entitled to receive a Good Faith Estimate (https://mentalhealthmatch.com/articles/therapy/good-faith-estimate)to ensure total transparency of my service costs prior to starting therapy.

Question 4

What is art therapy?

Accepted Answer

Art therapy, as facilitated by a professionally-trained and credentialed art therapist, is about self-exploration, growth, and healing through a variety of creative outlets. An art therapist helps people use both the art-making process and the final art product to enhance communication, increase self-esteem, improve attention and concentration, reduce feelings of isolation, and more. Art makes the intangible tangible. Art therapy gives individuals an opportunity to externalize their inner thoughts and feelings, so they can be recognized, understood, and then reintegrated for improved insight and self-awareness. Art therapy is not "arts/crafts" or recreational in nature, although the process can be very fun!

Question 5

Do I have to do art therapy to work with you?

Accepted Answer

No. Art therapy is not the only treatment method I am trained in, but it is one of my specialties. If you prefer traditional talk therapy methods/interventions, it would be helpful for you to know that I provide a mixed approach rooted in person-centered, depth psychotherapy, Gestalt, IFS-informed parts-work, attachment theory, and interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) in my practice.

Question 6

Do I need to have artistic background/training to do art therapy?

Accepted Answer

Nope! No previous artistic experience or natural artistic ability is required to find success in art therapy treatment. I work with each client to determine your art preferences and areas for growth/development within the first few sessions, and can make recommendations for art materials and processes that will best help you reach your therapy goals. Art therapy is more about your process, expression, and communication then it is about your artistic talent/ability.

Question 7

Who is a good candidate for art therapy?

Accepted Answer

Art therapy is not just for children, and can benefit any person at any age or ability level. Art therapy has been shown to be especially beneficial for treating anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, and eating disorders. What individuals experiencing these symptoms might have in common is a tendency to avoid or suppress emotional pain, disconnecting from bodily sensations, and a desire for control. Art gives a voice to the complexity of our emotional experiences, extending beyond what words alone can capture.

Question 8

Is art therapy an evidence-based treatment?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Research has shown that, while art-making, our mental and physical states become harmoniously intertwined, strengthening the mind-body connection. Art-making has also been shown to utilize multiple regions of the brain at once, which can aid in finding emotional balance and regulation when processing through challenging subject matter. Through the art-making process, individuals can gain cognitive flexibility and improve distress tolerance skills to reduce the need for over-control.​ Art therapy also aides in the process of right-brain to right-brain attunement, which has been proven to facilitate attachment, which can help individuals heal from attachment-based, developmental traumas.