I regret that I am not currently accepting new clients. I have a waiting list. To get on the waiting list, follow these simple steps: Text or call me at 864-319-3360 to schedule a free, 20-minute phone consultation. Complete the free, 20-minute phone consultation to ensure it's a good fit. As space becomes available, I'll contact you to schedule our initial session. - Last updated November 25, 2023

My last session of the day begins at 3:30 pm, and I do not offer early morning hours. I limit my sessions to normal working hours in order to have a healthy balance in my own life, especially with my partner. This allows me to show up in the healthiest manner possible for the people I serve.

No, just intimate partner relationships. This focus and specialization helps me offer the best care possible.

No, I only work with intimate partner relationships. Some therapists work with people across the lifespan; other specialize. My training, experience, and focus is in working with intimate partnerships. This sometimes involves parenting issues, of course, but I refer out to a child/adolescent therapist if your child needs help, or I refer out to a family therapist if that is needed.

If you're unsure about your commitment level, or if you're not sure that therapy can help your relationship, relationship therapy may not be the best fit for you at this time. If you or your partner are contemplating separation, Discernment Counseling may be a better fit for you. Regardless, I can provide a phone consultation to help you explore the options available to you, so you can receive the appropriate support.

No. During relationship or sex therapy, the assumption is that each partner wants to work on the relationship, so my stance will be to support you in doing that. It's not a 'compatibility test'. If one of you is ambivalent about staying in the relationship, Discernment Counseling takes a more nuanced stance in order to respect the complexity of your situation. See the Discernment Counseling page for more info.

You have a few options, which depend on the reason your partner is not interested in joining you for therapy. If your partner is ambivalent about the relationship itself and is considering separation/divorce, you may be a good fit for Discernment Counseling. If, however, your partner is simply unsure about the need for therapy, or if they are uncomfortable with the idea of it, you can see if they are willing to at least do a phone consultation. You can also explore seeing an individual therapist to make changes on your own, which may inspire your partner to join you for relationship therapy. Regardless, I am happy to provide a phone consultation to help you explore your options.

No, I take a secular approach to therapy. I use clinical, evidence-based interventions that are compatible with diverse belief systems. Many of my clients are Christian; many are atheists or agnostic; some belong to other spiritual or religious traditions, such as Buddhism. I affirm you and your worldview, and I want to be here to support you, whether you identify as atheist, agnostic, spiritual, or religious. There are many Christian counselors in South Carolina who are specifically trained and equipped to incorporate the Christian faith in the counseling process. This process is also sometimes known as 'pastoral counseling'. Some pastoral counselors, of course, are equipped to incorporate other faith traditions in their work, though less so, perhaps, in South Carolina than in other areas. If it's important to you to find someone who has training and experience as a Christian or pastoral counselor, I am happy to provide a referral if you have any difficulty locating one.

Yes. As a therapist, my role is to incorporate your worldview into the therapy process. I will respect and honor you or your beliefs. Although I am not trained in any type of pastoral counseling, we will do our best to incorporate your belief system into our work together. I use clinical, evidence-based interventions that are compatible with diverse belief systems. Many of my clients are Christian; many are atheists or agnostic; some belong to other spiritual or religious traditions, such as Buddhism or Hinduism. I affirm you and your worldview, and I want to be here to support you, whether you identify as atheist, agnostic, spiritual, or religious. There are many Christian counselors in South Carolina who are specifically trained and equipped to incorporate the Christian faith in the counseling process. This process is also sometimes known as 'pastoral counseling'. Some pastoral counselors, of course, are equipped to incorporate other faith traditions in their work, though less so, perhaps, in South Carolina than in other areas. If it's important to you to find someone who has training and experience as a Christian or pastoral counselor, I am happy to provide a referral if you have any difficulty locating one.

Yes, you can expect LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy. I have experience and training specific to the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community - that includes affirming care for those who have been historically marginalized due to their gender, sex, or sexuality. This is a safe place were you are not just welcome, but affirmed.

Yes, I support people’s right to define their relationship structure in whatever way they choose, so long as it's consensual (between people who are able to consent). I provide affirmative care for various relationship structures, including swinging, open relationships, polyam, and relationship anarchy, among others. This is a safe place where you and your relationship(s) are not just welcome, but affirmed.

Yes, I'm a sex-positive therapist. Sex and sexuality are central parts of the human experience. So long as it's consensual (with those able to give full consent), I support people’s right to sexual fantasies and expression in whatever way they choose. Your sexual identity and expression are affirmed.

No, my practice is exclusively online. If you are set on having in-person sessions, there are other qualified relationship therapists in the area who offer in-person sessions. If you are unable to locate them, call me and I would be happy to provide a referral. All my sessions are conducted through a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. Online therapy is convenient and effective. On your end, it will feel like a Zoom or Skype call, but the platform is more secure. I am happy to guide you through the process.

Yes, for residents of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida. In fact, I only offer online therapy. All my sessions are conducted through a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. On your end, it will feel like a Zoom or Skype call, but the platform is more secure.

Yes! Research indicates that telehealth sessions are just as useful as in-person sessions for individuals. There is less research available on the effectiveness of telehealth for relationship therapy, but the research that is available is promising. In my own experience, I’ve found that many people prefer telehealth. Why? 1. It's convenient: you don't have to commute to my office, which saves you time. 2. You're in your own environment, which is comforting for many people (especially if you have pets!). 3. You're less likely to need a babysitter.

You will need a few things to ensure our online sessions are successful: 1. A computer, tablet, or smartphone; 2. A stable internet connection; 3. A private location. That's it!

Finding the right therapist is a very personal decision. When choosing a therapist, there are many factors to consider. Training and experience are important factors; so is your comfort level with the therapist. Fortunately, we have many excellent relationship therapists in the area, so I am happy to support you in finding the right person for you if, for whatever reason, we are not a good fit. Of course, I'd be honored to find out if I am the right person for your needs. I maintain a small practice and work with a limited number of clients in order to ensure the best quality of care - this also takes the pressure off, since it allows us to make sure it’s truly a good fit if we do decide to work together. Check out the rest of my website to learn more about me, my background, and my work. If you are ready to see if we're a good fit, the next step is to schedule a free, initial phone consultation. Get started.

In the beginning, weekly is best. If we can't do weekly, we need to meet at least every other week at the start of our work. This gives focus to our work and helps you get the most out of our sessions. You want to have time between sessions to implement what you’ve learned, but not so much time that we lose momentum. After a strong foundation is built, we transition to meet less often, such as every other week, then every four weeks. I often joke that my goal is to become obsolete, but it’s true! As soon as I become obsolete, it means our work together has been successful.

75 minutes. This length of time allows you to get the most out of our sessions while remaining focused - it's about efficiency and effectiveness. Please note that, unlike relationship and sex therapy, Discernment Counseling begins with a 2-hour initial session, then subsequent sessions are 90 minutes.

Therapy length depends on your goals and the complexity of your case. Some prefer to address short-term goals over the course of 3-6 months; others have more complex needs that require more time (6 months or more). It is important to note that intimate partners who seek therapy usually find themselves entrenched in unhealthy communication patterns that have been established over the course of many years, so it is not an overnight journey. At the same time, your time and money are valuable, not to mention your emotional energy. I strive to help people in as brief a period of time as possible while respecting the complexity of the issues. During the course of our work together, I will provide my professional recommendation as to the length of our work together; however, you are free to end therapy at any time. If you need additional clarity, we can discuss it further during our phone consultation or in our first meeting to ensure we are on the same page. Please note that, unlike relationship or sex therapy, Discernment Counseling is a short-term interventions of up to 5 sessions.

Relationship and Sex Therapy: All Sessions = $250 for 75-minute sessions Discernment Counseling: Initial Assessment = $400 for initial 2-hour session Subsequent Sessions = $300 for 90-minute sessions

No, I don't have a reduced rate or sliding scale. Please don't let the session amount stop you from pursuing therapy. The following organizations offer reduced rates: EMERGE (a teaching clinic) and Open Path (a nonprofit network).

Relationship and sex therapy are not inexpensive - but, they're effective. Like anything else, it is important for you to consider how important your goals are to you in order to determine if the investment is worthwhile for you. You need to weigh the potential benefits if you do therapy against the potential outcomes if you don't do therapy. I believe wholeheartedly in the usefulness of our work together - that’s why I do it! - and one of my core beliefs is to always offer more value than I receive in compensation (that way, everyone wins).

No, I am self-pay only. Unfortunately, insurance companies require a mental health diagnosis to reimburse for therapy, and there is no diagnosis code that is reimbursable by insurance companies for relationship therapy. In relationship therapy, there is not one patient with a presenting problem; instead, partners are working together on their relationship issues. I can provide you with a Superbill, which is a receipt. In theory, you can then submit the Superbill to your insurance company, who may reimburse a portion of your payment. However, I would not count on your insurance company to reimburse you for the reasons stated above.

Relationship therapy is not typically covered by insurance companies. Insurance companies require a mental health diagnosis to reimburse for therapy; unfortunately, there is no diagnosis code that is reimbursable by insurance companies for relationship therapy. In relationship therapy, there is not one patient with a presenting problem; instead, partners are working together on their relationship issues. I can provide you with a Superbill, which is a receipt. In theory, you can then submit the Superbill to your insurance company, who may reimburse a portion of your payment. However, I would not count on your insurance company to reimburse you for the reasons stated above.

No problem. If you cancel or reschedule your session with at least 48 hours’ notice, there is no fee. If you cancel or reschedule within 48 hours of your scheduled time, or if you do not show for your scheduled appointment, you will be charged the rate of your scheduled session. If it's a true emergency, that's a different story. Why the charge? The late-cancellation charge is there because I set aside a specific time just for you. I work with intimate partners, so it’s difficult to coordinate with partners to use that time slot with such short notice.

All major credit cards (i.e., Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover). For ease and convenience, your card will be automatically charged at the beginning of each session through the secure, online portal.

Most HSA/FSA accounts come with a debit card that is linked to the account (or you reimburse yourself from the account). On my end, I am able to charge your card just as I would with a credit card. It is up to you, however, to check with your accountant and your HSA/FSA administrator to determine whether or not the services rendered are considered a qualified medical expense.

No, I'm not on any social media platforms - either personally or professionally. I find that my life and my work are more balanced without it. If this ever changes, I'll make sure to update this page and post the links on my website.

It’s simple. It all starts with a free, 20-minute phone consultation. During this call, I'll learn about your background and goals—and, importantly, you can ask questions of me—so we can see if we’re a good fit to work together. If it's not a good fit, I'll support you in finding the right person for you. If it is a good fit, I'll get you scheduled as soon as possible so you can get started. Get started.

Call me. I'm happy to answer any further questions you may have.