What can I expect from therapy?
When you come to therapy, you give yourself the gift of a dedicated safe space for self exploration and healing. Our highly skilled, compassionate therapists will gently guide you through the process from start to finish. Together we will create treatment goals and lay out a road map for success, tracking progress along the way.
     The first session is 75 minutes and involves intake paperwork, getting to know you and understanding your situation and what you would like to achieve in therapy. This is the time to make sure we are a good fit for your needs. We will be happy to make a referral if appropriate. Regular therapy sessions are 60 minutes, and you will be scheduled for a standing appointment typically on a weekly basis.

Do you accept insurance?
Yes. We want therapy to be affordable. We are in network with BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna and the North Carolina State Health Plan. We do not accept Medicare or Medicaid. We also enable clients to use their out–of-network benefits at other insurance companies by providing the proper documentation. On average, clients are reimbursed at a rate of 60% up to 80% of the fee, depending on the plan. Contact your insurance company to see what your benefit provides. 

What are your self pay rates?
Some clients, even with insurance, prefer to pay out of pocket. Our self pay rates are competitive for the area of service
and are as follows:

• Clinical Intake Session of 75 minutes is $190.
• Standard Therapy Session of 60 minutes is $150.
• Extended Session of 90 Minutes is $225.

Where are you located?
We offer in-office appointments at our Ballantyne/South Charlotte location and telehealth for clients across North Carolina and South Carolina. Our office is located in the StoneCrest Professional Center at 7733 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Ste. 201-F, Charlotte, 28277. We are at the corner of Ballantyne Commons Parkway and Rea Road, conveniently located to I-485 and a short drive from Matthews, Waxhaw, Indian Land and Fort Mill.

What are your office hours?
Our office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Do you offer telehealth therapy?
Yes. We offer therapy appointments both in person and online. Telehealth sessions are offered through a confidential, secure, HIPAA-compliant platform with SimplePractice, our practice management system. Each week you will receive an appointment reminder either via email or text with a link to meet us online. You will need a quiet, private space that ensures confidentiality, a good internet connection, and a computer with a webcam or a smartphone with the SimplePractice telehealth app. It is helpful to use headphones to enhance sound quality and add another layer of privacy.

What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. We specialize in EMDR Therapy and use it as the primary mode of therapy or within the structure of traditional talk therapy. 
Learn more about EMDR therapy.

How does EMDR therapy work?
EMDR therapy helps people get to the root of their symptoms and heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. Through the use of eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation (taps or auditory tones), EMDR taps into the brain's natural healing ability to resolve unprocessed traumatic or distressing memories that drive current symptoms. It is a holistic approach that transforms negative thoughts, eliminates distressing feelings and relieves uncomfortable body sensations associated with difficult past experiences and present triggers. EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue and can often be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies. 
EMDR therapy and your brain.

What can I expect with EMDR therapy?
After the therapist and client agree that EMDR therapy is a good fit, the beginning sessions will involve discussing what the client wants to work on and improving the client's ability to manage distress.
     When ready for the next phases of EMDR therapy, the client will be asked to focus on a specific event. Attention will be given to a negative image, belief, emotion, and body feeling related to this event and then to a positive belief indicating the issue was resolved.
     While the client focuses on the upsetting event, the therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or taps. The client will be guided to notice what comes to mind after each set. They may experience shifts in insight or changes in images, feelings, or beliefs regarding the event. The client has complete control to stop the therapist at any point if needed. The sets of eye movements, sounds, or taps are repeated until the event becomes less disturbing.
   Client and therapist work through past memories, current triggers and a desired future state to ensure deep and lasting healing.

Can EMDR therapy be done virtually?
Yes. EMDR therapy can be done online and is equally effective for healing traumas big and small. We are specially trained to offer EMDR safely and effectively on our confidential, secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.

How long does EMDR therapy take?
A typical EMDR therapy session lasts 60 to 90 minutes. It could take several sessions to process one traumatic experience. The goal of EMDR therapy is to completely process the traumatic experiences that are causing problems and to include new ones needed for full health. The amount of time it will take to complete EMDR treatment for traumatic experiences will depend upon the client's history. Complete treatment of a single EMDR trauma target involves a three-pronged protocol to alleviate the symptoms and address the complete clinical picture. The three prongs include: past memories, present disturbance (current triggers), and future actions.
     Although EMDR therapy often produces results more rapidly than other forms of therapy, speed is not the goal of therapy, and it is essential to remember that every client has different needs. For instance, one client may take weeks to establish sufficient feelings of trust, while another may proceed quickly through the first phases of treatment only to reveal something even more important that needs treatment.

Is EMDR therapy just for trauma?
EMDR therapy is the gold standard for the treatment for trauma, but it can be used to treat a wide variety of issues including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, panic attacks, phobias, PTSD/CPTSD, sexual assault, infidelity, distress from life transitions, etc.