Questions before
you reach out.
These are the questions people most often bring to the first conversation. If something is not answered here, please feel free to ask during the free consultation.
Getting Started
Do I need to be Asian, BIPOC, immigrant, or an international student to work with you?
No. While much of my clinical experience and personal background centers on these communities, I work with anyone who finds my approach and style relatable and helpful. What matters most is not which community you belong to, but whether the way I work (relationally, experientially, with attention to cultural and systemic context) resonates with how you understand yourself and what you are looking for in therapy. If you read through this site and something felt true to your experience, that is enough of a reason to reach out.
What happens in the free consultation?
The free 20-minute consultation is a chance for us to meet before committing to anything. You can share a bit about what brings you to therapy, ask any questions you have about how I work, and get a sense of whether this feels like a good fit. I will also share my honest impression of whether I think I can be helpful to you. There is no pressure and no obligation.
What should I expect in the first session?
The first session is an extended conversation, not an intake form or a checklist. I want to understand what brought you here, what your life looks like, and what you are hoping might be different. You do not need to have everything figured out before we begin. Most people leave the first session feeling heard and a little clearer about what they are carrying.
How do I know if therapy with you is right for me?
The first few sessions are as much about fit as they are about anything else. I encourage you to pay attention to whether you feel safe enough to be honest, whether my style resonates with you, and whether the work feels meaningful. If at any point it does not feel like the right fit, I will help you find someone who is better suited to what you need.
Do you offer in-person sessions?
I currently offer telehealth sessions only, conducted via a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. Many clients find that telehealth offers a level of convenience and continuity that supports the work. You can show up from wherever you are most comfortable. I have found that the depth and quality of therapy is fully possible through this format.
Where are you licensed to practice?
I am licensed in New York State. This means I can provide telehealth therapy to clients who are physically located in New York at the time of our sessions. If you are planning to relocate or travel, please let me know in advance so we can plan accordingly.
Fees & Insurance
How much do sessions cost?
Individual therapy: $300 per 50-minute session. Couples therapy: $325 per 50-minute session. Payment is due at the time of each session. I accept major credit cards, HSA/FSA, Zelle, and check.
Do you accept insurance?
I am an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly. However, if you have a PPO plan, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement for out-of-network mental health services. I provide a monthly superbill — an itemized receipt with the diagnosis and billing codes your insurance company needs — which you submit directly to your insurer to request reimbursement. I recommend calling your insurance provider before we begin to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits and your current deductible status.
What is a superbill?
A superbill is a detailed receipt that includes your diagnosis code, the type of service provided, session date, and my license and billing information. You submit it directly to your insurance company to request reimbursement. Many PPO plans reimburse between 40–70% of the session fee after the deductible is met, depending on your specific plan. I provide superbills monthly upon request.
Why don't you take insurance?
Working outside of insurance allows me to protect your privacy, exercise my own clinical judgment about the pace and nature of treatment, and avoid the administrative constraints that often limit the depth and flexibility of therapy. It also means I am not required to assign a psychiatric diagnosis in order for us to work together, which matters to many of the clients I see.
About the Work
I have tried therapy before and it did not help. Why would this be different?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask. There are many reasons therapy does not work: a poor fit with the therapist, an approach that did not match your needs, a focus on symptom management rather than understanding, or a space where you felt you had to explain too much before getting to what actually mattered. I work relationally and experientially, which means the relationship between us and what happens in the room is central to the work, not incidental to it. If something is not working between us, I will name it. That kind of honesty is part of how change becomes possible.
How quickly will I see results?
Some people notice a shift relatively early — a sense of being understood in a new way, or a moment where a long-standing pattern suddenly makes sense. Deeper change tends to take longer, particularly when the work involves longstanding patterns rooted in culture, family, or early experience. I will not offer you a timeline, because I think timelines in therapy can create pressure that works against the process. What I can tell you is that the work moves when you are ready to move with it, and that readiness often builds more quickly than people expect.
Do I need to be in crisis to start therapy?
No. Many of the people I work with are functioning well by external measures. They are not in acute crisis; they are managing. They come to therapy because managing is no longer enough, because something feels off in a way they cannot quite name, or because they have reached a point where they want their life to be organized around something more than just getting through. You do not need to be at a breaking point to deserve support.