The questions people ask before they call

Therapy that includes your body in the conversation. We still talk — but when something comes up, instead of moving to the next thought, I ask where you feel it and we slow down there. The premise is that a lot of what keeps people stuck is held physically, and it responds better to being worked with than to being explained.

Talk therapy is good at understanding. Plenty of people arrive knowing exactly why they do what they do, and doing it anyway. That usually means the pattern is not held by the thinking part of them. Somatic work goes at it from the other end.

[Confirm — if there is no touch at all, this becomes a simple no]. Nothing physical happens without being discussed first and agreed by you in advance, and you can withdraw that at any point.

No. It is part of my practice and I am open about that, but it is optional in every session. Plenty of my clients never use it, and the somatic work stands entirely on its own. More on that here.

No. Somatic work sits alongside your doctor and your psychiatrist, not in place of them. If what you need is medical, I will say so and help you get there.

Mostly talking. What brought you, what you have tried, what you want to be different. I will explain how I work and we will agree where to start. [Confirm intake length and whether paperwork comes first]

[50 minutes], usually [weekly] to start. Frequency is something we decide together and revisit — it is not a package you sign up for.

There is no honest number. Some people come for a specific thing and are done in a few months. Others stay for years because it is useful. We check in about it rather than drifting.

Yes — individuals, couples, families and teens. With teenagers, how much a parent is involved is something we work out at the start, and it varies a lot.

Yes, throughout [California], on [HIPAA-compliant platform]. Same length, same fee. Somatic work translates to video better than most people expect.

[Sharon's cancellation window and fee]

[$000] per [50-minute] session. [Couples/family rate if different]

[Insurance answer]. I can provide a superbill you submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement — how much comes back depends on your plan, and it is worth calling them to ask before you start.

[Sharon's sliding-scale policy, or remove this question]

Yes. Fifteen minutes, no charge, no obligation. It exists so you can hear how I work and I can tell you honestly whether I am the right fit.

That is a normal way to arrive. “Something is off and I am tired of managing it” is enough to start with.

All three happen and none of them are a problem. Sessions where nothing dramatic occurs are doing work too.

Yes, with the legal exceptions every California therapist has — risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else, and suspected abuse of a child, elder or dependent adult. I will go through this properly at intake. [Confirm wording against her informed-consent document]

Please do not wait for an appointment. Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911. Go to your nearest emergency room if you are not safe.