What actually happens in a session?

We talk. That might sound simple, but it's not. We slow down together and pay attention to things that usually get skipped over — the patterns in your relationships, the stories you keep telling yourself, the things you almost say and don't. I might notice something you mentioned three weeks ago that connects to something you're saying today. We follow the thread. Sometimes that thread leads somewhere you didn't expect.

How long does therapy take?

That depends on what you're coming for — and what you find once you get here. Some people come with a specific question and reach clarity in a few months. Others start with one question and discover there's a bigger one underneath it, and stay longer. Psychodynamic work tends to unfold over time. I don't believe in rushing something that's asking to be understood slowly. We'll check in together about how it's going and adjust as needed.

How will I know if it's working?

Sometimes you'll feel it directly — a pattern that used to have a grip on you starts to loosen. A relationship shifts. You make a different choice without fully knowing why, and then you understand why. Sometimes it's subtler: you feel more like yourself, or you finally have words for something that used to just feel like weather. I track this with you. We talk about what's changing and what isn't. You won't be left guessing.

Do I need to have a "real" reason to be here?

No diagnosis, no crisis, no dramatic backstory required. A lot of my patients come because something feels off — not broken, just narrower than it could be. A persistent sense that they're living one version of their life when another one might be possible. That's enough. Curiosity about your own inner life is a completely legitimate reason to start therapy.

I've tried therapy before and it felt too surface-level. How is this different?

I hear this often, and I take it seriously. A lot of therapy stays at the level of coping strategies — managing symptoms, changing thought patterns. That has its place. But if you've done that work and still feel like something hasn't moved, it might be because what needs attention is underneath the symptoms, not adjacent to them. Psychodynamic work goes there. It's slower, and it asks more of both of us — but it tends to produce change that actually sticks.

What does a session cost?

Individual sessions are $225 for 50 minutes, due at the time of service. For twice-weekly work — which I recommend for deeper psychoanalytic process — that's $450 per week for two sessions. Most people begin weekly and we talk together about whether a more intensive rhythm makes sense over time.

Do you take insurance?

I'm an out-of-network provider, which means I don't bill insurance directly. If you have a PPO plan or out-of-network mental health benefits, I can provide you with a superbill — a detailed receipt you submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Before we begin, it's worth a quick call to your insurance to ask what your out-of-network mental health benefits look like. Some plans reimburse a meaningful portion; others don't cover out-of-network at all. Better to know upfront.

What's a superbill, exactly?

It's an itemized receipt with the diagnostic and procedure codes your insurance company needs to process a reimbursement claim. I'll generate one for you at the end of each month if you'd like — you submit it directly to your insurer, and they reimburse you at your out-of-network rate, whatever that is. I can walk you through this process if it's new to you.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

In limited circumstances, yes — based on financial need and availability. If cost is a real barrier, please say so when we speak. I'd genuinely rather have that conversation than have money be the reason you don't get to do this work.

How does telehealth work, practically?

We meet via a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. Before each session, you'll receive a link. All you need is a private space, a reliable internet connection, and a device with a camera. That's it. I offer telehealth to adults across Illinois — so whether you're in Lincoln Park, Logan Square, the South Loop, or anywhere else in the state, we can work together without a commute.

What are your hours?

I see patients on weekdays, with a range of morning and daytime availability. Hours shift depending on the week, so if you have a sense of what times work for you, the best thing to do is reach out and we'll find something that fits.

How often would we meet?

Most people begin once a week, which is a good starting rhythm. For psychoanalytic work — the deeper, more sustained process — twice a week is the cadence that lets real depth develop. Either way, we find a time that works for you and that becomes your time. Same slot each week, held consistently. The regularity is part of what makes the work work. We'll talk about what makes sense for your goals and your life, and we can adjust over time.

What's your cancellation policy?

Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you, so the full session fee is charged for cancellations not made in advance or for missed appointments. Life happens, and I'm not punitive about it — but I do ask for as much notice as possible. If you need to reschedule, reach out and we'll find another time.

How do I get started?

Reach out through my contact page or call 312-805-8482. We'll set up a free 15-minute consultation call — a chance for you to ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and see if it seems like a fit. No pressure, no commitment. Just a conversation.

What's the difference between psychodynamic therapy and CBT?

CBT is structured and present-focused — it works on changing thought patterns and behaviors. It's useful, and it has its place. Psychodynamic therapy goes in a different direction: it's less about changing thoughts and more about understanding where they come from. We look at your history, your relationships, the patterns that repeat in your life. The goal isn't just symptom relief — it's knowing yourself well enough that you stop repeating what you don't want to repeat.

What is psychoanalytic therapy, exactly?

Psychoanalysis — and psychoanalytic therapy, which is what I practice — starts from the idea that a lot of what drives us operates below the surface of our awareness. Defenses, patterns, desires, fears: they don't always announce themselves. They show up sideways, in the choices we make and the relationships that feel oddly familiar. The work involves bringing those things slowly into view, often through what emerges between us in the room. I completed a Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis in 2025.

Who do you work with?

I work with adults across Chicago — creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and the people who live at the intersection of art and ambition. Writers in Pilsen. Designers in the West Loop. Architects and musicians and marketers and people who built something they're proud of and still can't fully explain why it doesn't feel like enough. Many of my patients are women or LGBTQ+. What they share isn't a diagnosis — it's a particular kind of inner life. They feel things deeply. They notice things others miss. And they've hit something that insight alone hasn't been able to move.

I've never done therapy before. Is that okay?

Completely. And honestly, some of my most interesting patients are people who come in without preconceptions about what therapy is supposed to be. There's something useful about not already having a story about it. We figure it out together — slowly, at your pace, in a way that actually fits you.

What are you like as a therapist?

Warm, direct, and genuinely curious about every person I work with. I have a terrible poker face — you'll always know where I stand. I'm not here to nod along or reflect everything back at you. I think about my patients between sessions. I'll be on a walk and something from our last hour will surface. This work doesn't clock out at the end of the hour, and neither do I.