Couples, Relationships, and LGBTQ+/Queer Therapy

Neurodivergence Diagnostic Evaluations for ADHD and ASD

Diagnostic Evaluations for ADHD and ASD

Diagnostic Evaluation includes clinical interviews, questionnaires, self-report assessment, observations, collateral collaboration, and review of previous records or reports.

At this time, I am limiting my assessments to adults.

Diagnostic Evaluation with Comprehensive Report: $1025

Diagnostic Evaluation with Summarized Report: $925

Evaluation Process

1) Intake – After scheduled, client completes a profile on our secure online portal and signs informed consents.  They will be contacted when scheduling retainer payment is complete to confirm first appointment.

2) Pre-Assessments - Client completes online assessments. Typically, between 1-5 assessments, taking 15 minutes to one hour each.

3) Interview Intake – 60-90 min session. This is the diagnostic interview, where clients will complete their symptom history with the clinician.  

4) Assessments – 60-90 min session. Additional assessments that are indicated and completed with clinician direction.

5) Collateral - We obtain other health documents, history, and evaluations. Clients provide informant contact (someone who knows them well) to complete online questionnaires.

6) Evaluation Report & Feedback session - Clinician completes the report and provides it to the client. A 50-55 min feedback session is held for discussion and questions.

Relationship Therapy

I have experience working with:

Infidelity

Conflict Resolution

Intimacy and Closeness

Transitioning Relationships(one or both partners identify as trans)

Queer Relationships

Premarital Counseling

(Re)Negotiating Gender Roles in Relationship

Ethical Non Monogamy (ENM)

When working with couples and relationships that do not indicate a need for a more specialized approach (transitioning couples or infidelity), treatment looks much like the stages of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Below is a framework that provides a typical depiction of treatment progression for couples:

Stage 1: Stabilization and De-Escalation:

My goal during this stage is to increase understanding of self, partner, and relational patterns. I want to increase awareness and insight into how the couple is systemically influencing their relationship- this means how personal participation is influencing your "relationship team". During this stage, we are assessing conflict and the patterns of negative interactions within the relationship. We will also investigate the influence of relational histories, including family of origin, and how this has contributed to the past and present relationship. We will analyze effective and ineffective relational patterns and the behaviors that foster them so that we can use this knowledge to interrupt them and create change. I will help the couple perceive their relationship in a more circular manner, so that the couple works together, becoming allies, against their negative interaction cycles.

Stage 2: Restructuring the Bond

My goal during this phase is to begin the process of interrupting the persisting patterns of negative interactions and guiding the couple through change. Sometimes this process may seem unnatural at first, such as feeling prompted or given tasks that do not feel natural, and I ask the couple to practice patience so that the interrupting behaviors have time to translate into your relationship and became the new, natural, norm. I provide several techniques tailored to the unique needs of the couple consisting of communication and dialogue strategies, conflict resolution interventions, intimacy building activities, and relational skill building. The couple will access and share their needs while increasing acceptance of partner's experiences. The couple and I will begin the process of restructuring relational interactions with this new understanding of one another, their selves, and their relationship.

Stage 3: Consolidation

My goal for the couple is consistency in utilizing their new learned skills to foster positive change, relational growth, and mutual understanding. I work with the couple to help them solidify the changes and prevent regression into old ineffective patterns. Once treatment comes to an end, I create post-treatment goals with the couple to continue maintaining progress beyond treatment. 

Infidelity Treatment

Couples working through infidelity are in need of a clinician who can provide directive intervention to begin facilitating crisis stabilization. Infidelity treatment is different from typical counseling, as it is directive and structured. After discovery of an affair, the relationship is extremely vulnerable and couples need an experienced clinician with specialized interventions for treating infidelity. This is a time where commitment to the relationship is at risk, and the relationship is in danger of further damage accrued by emotional and traumatic responses. Couples need a clinician who can provide structured treatment to reduce symptoms of trauma and formulate a plan with the couple. My goal is to mitigate the crisis to begin the process of healing, while guiding the couple through a treatment model used for infidelity treatment.

I use the term "relationship house" as a metaphor for couples. Typically before infidelity occurs, there is some structural damage to the relationship house, weakening its ability to withstand potential threats of challenges to the house. Once the affair occurs, the house crumbles- leaving the betrayed partner in shock among the rubble, and the participating partner frantically attempting to pick up all the pieces of the house. My plan is to help the couple rebuild their relationship house with a stronger foundation and structural resilience. 

Phase 1: Addressing the Impact

During this phase, we will address the impact of the infidelity for each partner and on the relationship. I will teach communication strategies and guide couples through this process. I recognize that both couples are hurting deeply at this time, and I make it a priority create an environment where both partners are able to process their hurts together. This is also the time in treatment we formulate appropriate plans for stabilizing relational crisis: boundary setting, disclosure, creating a recovery environment, answering questions, etc.  

Phase 2: Understanding the Context

This phase is typically the longest phase couples participate in, as this is the time we analyze the vulnerabilities present in the relationship prior to the infidelity. We will use the relationship assessments I typically use in couple's treatment to break down relationship satisfaction and intimacy across several categories. The interventions I use during this phase help rebuild and strengthen the relationship. Once the couple experiences the emotional intimacy of this process, they often report feeling movement towards healing and increasing trust. 

Phase 3: Moving Forward

The new relationship house is almost done, it's time for analyzing and discussing what moving on from the affair looks like for the couple. This includes prevention work- what are the new boundaries for the couple? We will also begin talking about forgiveness. During this phase we make plans to encourage ongoing progress and healing beyond treatment. 

Therapy for Gender Actualization

Gender actualization is the social, expressive, and existential process of becoming and integrating one’s authentic self through the context of gender.

I began serving the gender diverse population in Cincinnati in 2013 and developed my specialty in gender therapy over the last 12 years.

There are several considerations in approaching treatment for my clients. Everyone's relationship with their gender identity is different, and all trans experiences are unique. All clients coming into my office will have a different experience of their identity, and all clients internalize and process their experiences differently. Because of this, I conceptualize my client where they are, and I use affirming therapy as the foundation of treatment. This means that a large aspect of our work is deconstructing internalized stigma that may be impacting the ability to self-actualize. I draw from many process-oriented interventions such as use of self, parts/IFS, guided imageries, anchoring, and family of origin and attachment.

Services & Pricing

• Individual Sessions: $150, sessions are 50 minutes in length

• Couples and Family Sessions: $200, sessions are 65 minutes in length