Therapy FAQs

I provide psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy (sometimes called psychoanalytic psychotherapy) for individuals (adults and adolescents) and couples. A primary difference between the two is the frequency and intensity of sessions. In psychoanalysis, we will meet 3-5 times per week, and in psychodynamic therapy the frequency is 1-2 sessions per week. Like psychoanalysis, psychodynamic therapy is insight-oriented, but it is less intensive than psychoanalysis.

Most individual sessions are 50 minutes long. However, we may decide to schedule sessions that are longer (e.g., 60 minutes, 80 minutes, or 100 minutes), depending on what will be most helpful for what you need.

Couples sessions are typically 60 minutes long. Again, we may decide to schedule longer sessions based on what will be most helpful.

We will schedule regular and recurring sessions 1-5 times per week. Together, we will determine what frequency is most helpful for you. Increased frequency enables change to happen on a deeper level. Paradoxically, the more frequently we meet, the more there will be for us to explore. This is because your mind will become more associative the more you talk. I have found that meeting less frequently than once per week feels like catch-up and limits our ability to deepen your insight and make connections across experiences.

We will continue to work together as long as you are finding therapy helpful. For some people, this means we will meet for a year or two. For others, this means we will work together for many years.

I invite you to schedule a first session so we can begin getting to know one another, and so you can get a sense of what it feels like to work with me. I find that a full session, rather than a brief intro call, allows us to meet in a more meaningful way. I charge for the first session only if we continue working together. If we determine the fit isn’t right and decide not to meet again, there is no fee for the session.

My standard fee for 50-minute individual sessions is $200 and for 60-minute couples sessions is $240. I reserve part of my practice for sliding scale treatments based on your need and my availability. This is something we will talk about at our first session to make sure we are comfortable with the fee.

I am an out-of-network provider, which means I do not bill through insurance. I can provide you with a superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. I recommend contacting your insurance company for information about your out-of-network benefits.

My office is located in West Los Angeles, California, and is convenient for patients from Santa Monica, Brentwood, Mar Vista, Palms, Culver City, Sawtelle, Westwood, and surrounding areas. I also provide phone and video teletherapy for California residents.

I encourage you to share whatever comes to your mind. We will often talk about what is taking place in the here-and-now by exploring your daily life and present-day relationships. Of course, the there-and-then as well as your childhood and earlier relationships will come up, too. Throughout, we will explore your feelings and the meanings you attribute to your experiences. Over time, we will identify patterns and make connections across different parts of your life. Putting words to your experiences promotes insight and deepens self-awareness.

I work with individuals (adults and adolescents) and couples.

I see people who are tired of repeating old patterns and want to feel better. Many of my patients seek individual therapy because they want to address: depression, anxiety, and mood concerns; perfectionism and burnout; relationship concerns; life transitions (including career change and divorce); body image; addiction; neurodivergence (including autism diagnosis and ADHD); and trauma. People also seek psychoanalysis and therapy because they want to feel better even though they can’t pinpoint a specific stressor.

The couples I work with want to understand their partners better; get out of a rut in their relationship; and gain clarity about what’s working and what isn’t working in the partnership. I help couples navigate conflict and rekindle connection. Sometimes couples decide the relationship just isn’t working, and that’s okay. Navigating a separation or divorce can be less painful with the help of a therapist.

People come to therapy for a variety of concerns. They often realize how much overlap there is across different parts of their lives once they begin exploring the initial reason that brought them to treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses primarily on changing thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms and is usually a short-term treatment. Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy focus on understanding unconscious patterns and emotions while exploring early relationships and experiences that shape how you live today. If you’re curious about your inner world and want to deepen your insight, enhance your understanding of yourself, and make sense of how you move through the world, a psychoanalytically-informed approach is the type of therapy for you. As you come to know yourself better, meaningful and lasting change will happen naturally.