REGARDING SESSIONS AND PREPARATION
Our work will either be outside or in the heated shelter, depending on what works best for you. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring an extra layer and a water bottle or tea. Click here for a blog post about Weather and Darkness.
REGARDING COMMUNICATIONS
I do use email as a primary means of communication for scheduling and general questions or updates. I will not engage in direct counseling over email, and will ask that we schedule a session or a phone call in such cases. I ask that, for best use of our time, emails be pithy and get to the heart of the matter. Some elders call this "choosing your best words." For something that will take time to communicate and can wait, please write it down and bring it to our next session. This will help that thought to season and take clear shape. If our work involves detailed or lengthy emails, I will ask you to agree to paying the full counseling rate for our time. I will be honest and precise with such billing. In such cases, I read the email once (“on the clock”), then typically sit with it for a day or two (“off the clock”), then respond (“on the clock”).
Please know that, while I do my best to maintain confidentiality, email is not a fully secure means of communication. For highly sensitive material, we will find other ways of communicating.
Phone
As a counselor, it is part of my work to make myself available to any client if there is a deep need. If you are in crisis, call 911. In case of a mental health crisis you may call the Care Crisis Line for Whatcom County at (800) 584 3578. Domestic violence support in Whatcom County is available via DVSAS, (877) 715 1563. Emergency housing for youth age 13-17 may be arranged via NWYS 24 Hour PAD Hotline, (360) 393 0116.
HERE IS A DOCUMENT WITH MORE CRISIS SUPPORT INFORMATION
If you are in a deep need to talk to me, you can try my phone anytime [(202) 810-5360]. I do not, however, always have it on or on me. So, please know that I am a clear ally, but cannot be your only resource in a time of need. Otherwise, I prefer talking in person. If our sessions go well, it means that there will be new tools at your disposal for you to apply when confronted with challenging circumstances or familiar patterns. If we do have phone conversations that turn into session work, I will ask you to pay the full counseling rate for our time.
Texting
Texting comes through my email, so it may be slow arriving to me.
SCHEDULING AND CANCELLATIONS
I currently prefer to figure out schedules via email. If you do cancel an appointment, I ask for 24 hours notice. You will be charged the full session rate for any cancellation in under 24 hours notice, barring an extreme circumstance.
REGARDING PAYMENT
Please see the Payment Options page on the website for your payment options, including out-of-network reimbursement options.
Please also see this document regarding initial payment agreements and some informed consent around diagnosis.
I have a limited number of sliding scale appointments available upon request.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT and PRIVACY
Finally, Washington State law and good ethics in general both require that you read and sign a disclosure statement. This statement will include important information for you as a counseling client. Below is a copy of my disclosure statement. If we decide to work with one another, you will sign a digital copy on your client portal.
There is also a link for the privacy policy. Safeguarding our work and keeping it confidential is my ethical and legal duty. There are some exceptions to confidentiality that are listed in the privacy policy. If at any point you have any questions about confidentiality, please ask. Confidentiality exists to serve and protect you, and to create a space where you can speak and be freely.
CLICK HERE FOR THE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRIVACY POLICY
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
The address is 2582 N Shore Rd. It's shortly after The Fork restaurant (stay right at the fork in the road) on N Shore Rd. Look for the reddish fence on the left with the long gravelly driveway. PARKING is in the roped off section by the parking sign on the right side. PLEASE WAIT in your car or in the gazebo waiting area right next to the parking area.
This address is not always accurate with the iPhone maps app. I suggest using Google map or get directions with iphone maps to The Fork Restaurant and then look for the red fence on the left.
It's about 20 minutes from downtown Bellingham, so please be sure to give yourself enough time. If it is your first time coming out, I suggest giving yourself some extra time to find it. If you get lost or are behind schedule, you can call or text me (202) 810-5360.
REGARDING DIAGNOSES
As a WA State licensed mental health counselor, my job is to serve your wellness. Diagnosis is required by most insurance companies for any reimbursement and is often useful in advocating for clients dealing with work, medical, and legal situations. Diagnoses are meant to serve you, not define you, and definitely not to harm you. All licensed mental health counselors are required by law to keep at least a minimal amount of documentation in order to serve you and to provide proof of services. I do provide a diagnosis for each client in my documentation. I welcome any questions or thoughts about diagnoses at any time. All clients have a right to collaborate in their diagnosis and to own their own mental health. If you wish to strictly function in a counseling context without any diagnosis, please let me know.
REGARDING COVID and WILDFIRE SMOKE
As COVID status changes, I will generally be following the CDC and WA State guidelines. Thankfully, our work will continue to be outdoors, so, as has happened in the past, we'll get to continue in person through the changes. We will keep the social distancing baseline (which is easily done outdoors anyway.)
Of course, if anyone is symptomatic, please let me know as soon as you know and we will switch to telehealth.
I will also always follow your level of comfort and safety, so if you would like to wear a mask and would also like me to wear a mask, then I absolutely support that. If you ever want to transition to telehealth, just let me know and I'll set it up.
Generally, regarding the presence of smoke we have options:
If smoke levels are not significantly dangerous and you would like to meet in person, I welcome that. If the smoke levels are high I'm going to wear a KN95 mask to be kinder to my lungs.
If it becomes dangerous for our lungs to be outside, we will have to switch to telehealth or cancel for the day.
If at any point you would like to switch to telehealth, just let me know as soon as you can. If you let me know the same day, then I may be with clients, so please give me about 5 minutes to transition to my computer and send the invitation to you.
I always welcome further thoughts or questions.
RESOURCES
As we work together, I'll send resources your way. The resources are meant to help with your journey, however, what brings about the deepest change is direct experience. Culturally, we have access to all the theory we could ever want. Our work will involve actually experiencing and growing new ways of being. If you have further questions about this, please bring it up as we work together.
Thank You and Enjoy the Day!