Frequently Asked Questions

"Te veo" in Spanish translates to, "I see you". 

Cynthia was moved by an excerpt in Dr. Joy DeGruy's book, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: American's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing. 

Within a larger discussion regarding the significance of cultural practices and customs for meeting others, Dr. DeGruy shared a practice of acknowledging her African American counterparts when passing them, by giving a nod, as a way of saying to them, "I see you". 

Separately, a loved one of mine has used the expression "I see you" during a couple of instances, as a way to convey their empathy for feelings I had expressed during moments of vulnerability. 

I was struck by how resonant this simple phrase was, simply for the reason that it cut to the heart of the matter: We all want the fullest expression of our humanity to be seen. Above all, this is my mission in my practice: To see and experience your most authentic self.

You are on this page likely because something compelled you to consider therapy, either for yourself, a loved one, or your relationship/family. 

It's possible you have completed an inventory of the reasons for seeking therapy. I encourage you to write these down as a way to assess what is at stake and what there is to be gained from therapy.

Often, we first see parts of our life reflecting the effects of our inner psychological and emotional state. For others, they notice changes within themselves and how these misalign with their values and personal goals.

Either way, the short answer is that there is no agreed-upon "right time" to go to therapy. Only you can determine when that time is. 

There is a misconception that one must be in acute stress or distress to qualify for therapy, and this simply isn't true. In fact, there are tremendous benefits to seeking therapy when experiencing states of clarity and life stability. Being able to engage in a reflective process, especially in the absence of symptoms, allows one to engage in preventative self-care. 

Benefits may include symptom reduction, increase in positive mood, greater clarity and focus, improved interpersonal relationships, renewed motivation to accomplish personal and professional goals, and increased life satisfaction.

It is important to note that coaching does not treat mental health symptoms. You will notice that results will occur in tandem with more satisfying relationships. Benefits may include: greater quality of time with others, greater sense of depth in relationships, and a stronger sense of connection with other people. Friendships, dating, and romantic relationships should feel more alive and impactful. 

You likely won't know that we would be a good fit until we speak with each other. 

I generally liken finding a therapist to dating - it's normal to meet with multiple therapists until one resonates with you. While this may be disappointing or tedious in the short-term, it is an investment that will likely produce invaluable returns.

It's important to know that research strongly supports that the therapeutic alliance (relationship), or the quality of the connection between therapist and client (you, prospectively), is the strongest indicator for positive therapy outcomes. 

We would meet virtually via HIPAA-secure video-conferencing. I like to suggest to my clients that they decide where they will choose to engage in these sessions. Maybe there is a favorite room or a part of your home where you will be undisturbed from family, children and/or pets.

Therapy is similar to hiking, or like going on a roadtrip. We want to know where we are going and be mindful of our journey, while stopping every once in a while to check in with ourselves and how we are doing.

I (Cynthia) will reflect back to you feeling states and insights that may or may not be within your awareness. You will reflect and consider the relationship between yourself and your life. Together, we will help you find ways to experience greater satisfaction with yourself and the world around you.

While my approach to coaching incorporates many of the same principles of attachment and relationships as therapy/counseling, I focus exclusively on the emerging and tangible building blocks to better relationships. I understand therapy and counseling as most helpful for working through life traumas and managing mental health symptoms. Therapy is often beneficial to personal relationships for these reasons. However, I believe coaching may be a better fit for those  who want a more immediately observable path to more satisfying romantic and personal relationships. You might not be sure if you are to engage in therapy at this point in your life. I do not believe it is necessary to begin experiencing more satisfying relationships and interactions, right now.  

Sessions with me will highly focused on the present. To begin, I will  give you a quick assessment and breakdown of your attachment style to help you understand how it affects our work together and your relationships with others. You will learn how the attachment styles of others are affecting the way they interact with you, as well. As we progress, I will informally assess and provide feedback on my impressions about your unique approach to relating with other people. I will provide a blending of feedback and active steps to keep yourself in the present moment with me and with others. We will begin identifying mental clutter or other distractions that create blocks between you and other people. We will work together to apply what we are learning to help you improve and get the most out of all of your relationships. 

Soon, We hope. 

For therapy, there is no recommended prescriptive number of sessions for symptom reduction and relief, We often encourage clients to remain consistently engaged for up to 2 to 3 months before receiving the benefits of therapy.

It's important to keep in mind that for some, symptoms may worsen before they get better. This is often attributed to the increased awareness of unpleasant thoughts and feelings, associated with self-examination during and outside of sessions.

Distress tolerance and radical acceptance, both DBT concepts, are skills and a state of mind that Cynthia encourages clients to subscribe to during therapy. It refers to the active participation of a client around finding ways to own and reduce their discomfort, as well as to learn how to peacefully co-exist with it.

Coaching may show more immediate benefits. Three to 4 sessions will likely be enough to begin to see small, but immediate benefits. 

No, we currently do not meet with clients in an office. All services are telehealth at this time, offered via a HIPAA-secure video-conferencing platform for counseling, consultations, and coaching.

This may change in the future as the practice grows and our goals and the needs of clients evolve over time. Stay tuned.

No, we do not currently do not accept insurance. This may change, one day.

We offer a document called a super bill, which will include information regarding your therapy, and can be submitted to insurance for partial or full reimbursement of services.