I am a generalist with a number of areas of expertise. First, it may be good to explain what is meant by a generalist. A generalist is someone who is trained and has developed the experience and proficiency to work with most people who are seeking therapy. This means having the expertise to treat anxiety, depression, interpersonal challenges, self-esteem, etc. A perk of seeing a generalist is that often people want to address issues related to or even broader than the issue that initially brought them to therapy and seeing a generalist provides the opportunity to delve into most any topic that is on one’s mind.

In addition to being a generalist I have a number of areas of expertise which include: addressing painful experiences from childhood (attachment trauma), relationships, parent and family conflict, grief, and neglect. I also have experience working with issues of identity & the LGBTQ+ community.

Please see my therapy page for more information.

While everyone’s experience in therapy is unique, many people find it deeply beneficial. Research consistently shows positive outcomes, and one recent study by Ladmanová and colleagues reviewed 177 studies involving 2,908 therapy clients to summarize how people themselves described the impact of therapy. Here are their findings, broken down into 10 categories, which reflect what I’ve seen in my own practice:

1. Self-Awareness & Cognitive Shifts

o People report gaining deeper self-awareness, self-understanding, and more adaptive ways of thinking.

o They develop more optimistic, balanced perspectives on themselves and their lives.

2. Self-Attitude & Personal Growth

o Embracing oneself: more self-acceptance, compassion, confidence, and esteem.

o Agency & empowerment: stronger sense of control, independence, and ability to handle challenges.

o Authenticity & values: greater clarity of personal goals, authenticity, and freedom from outdated pressures.

3. Relationships & Social Functioning

o Improved relationship approaches: greater empathy, openness, and healthy assertiveness.

o Better communication and more active social engagement/support-seeking.

o Stronger bonds and satisfaction in family, friendships, and social connections.

4. Coping Resources & Self-Care

o Acquisition of new coping strategies (stress management, problem-solving, emotional regulation).

o More consistent self-care and permission to nurture one’s own needs.

5. Emotional Functioning

o Healthier relationship with emotions: better regulation, balance, and resilience.

o Increased openness to emotions—more acceptance, awareness, and expression of them.

6. Behavioral Functioning

o Reducing behaviors associated with suffering, adopting healthier ones, improving daily routines.

o Returning to meaningful social roles and activities that improve quality of life.

7. Symptom & Problem Relief and Resolution

o Reduction in psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression).

o Relief from somatic issues (e.g., pain, insomnia, fatigue).

o General reduction in “symptoms” or “problems” without technical diagnosis.

8. General Well-Being

o Greater happiness, calmness, gratitude, vitality, and enjoyment of life.

9. Life Perspective & Mindfulness

o More mindful living, acceptance of reality, and reduced need to control circumstances.

o A sense of embracing life.

10. External Life Changes (Unrelated to Therapy)

o Some changes in work or family situations occurred independently of therapy.

Reference:

Ladmanová, Michaela et al. Client-identified outcomes of individual psychotherapy: a qualitative meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, Volume 12, Issue 1, 18 - 31.

Good question. We would first meet for a 15-minute consultation so that I could begin to get to know you, what brings you to therapy, and whether we’d be a good fit for working together. This consultation would not be a therapy session—so everything that is shared would deserve more time, but it would be a chance to get a sense of what’s bothering you and a chance for me to provide some initial impressions about how therapy may help. If we both agreed to work together, we’d schedule the first appointment. I would also be available to answer any questions you have about my professional background or the therapy process.

There are both subjective markers of benefiting from therapy as well as assessments that can be used to track progress. As described above in outlining the benefits of therapy, subjectively one may find a reduction of distressing symptoms like anxiety or depression but also develop healthier ways of thinking, coping, and relating to others. People may also notice that they tend to have greater self-awareness, confidence, emotional balance, and stronger connections in their relationships.

Other people in therapy can simply be satisfied that they’ve met their goals, which may align with the benefits above or be very specific to the individual (e.g., giving a public presentation, asking someone out on a date).

Lastly, there are assessments which you could complete and we could track over time to see how your symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety) are improving.

My rate for private pay is $285 per session which is due at the time of the appointment.

I am currently accepting Aetna and Carelon insurance plans and also have a few sliding scale slots to make my services available for those who my services may be cost prohibitive.

I can also provide a superbill if my services are out of network (OON) and if your insurance plan may partially cover working with me. To learn more about your OON benefits you can call your insurance company.

Please also feel free to reach out with questions about any of this.

You can book a consult on this site, give me a call, or send me an email. My phone number is (650) 249-7402 and my email is nshpsyd@gmail.com. Having a consultation does not obligate you to begin therapy—it can really be a chance to see if we might be a good fit to work together.