Counseling is more than just having a conversation. It is an evidence-based practice founded in behavioral and psychological sciences.

Counseling is often uncomfortable. This is because change and resilience occur outside of our comfort zone. We will address your fears and reservations together. You should expect that we will often ask questions, facilitating a deeper exploration and introspection of your life. We may challenge your current beliefs to broaden your perspectives.

Our role as your healer will be to facilitate our conversations during the session in an intentional manner. We will safely process and explore challenging areas to understand them and change your reactions. But, we strive to always remain respectful of our limits and never intentionally press a place if we believe it would cause you harm.

We work with clients who have heard messages from their loved ones, including: "You should get over it," "It's been a while, time to move on," "it could always be worse," or "I got over it, so can you."

We work with clients who grew up hearing:

—"Never let them see you cry," and "being vulnerable is a sign of weakness."

—"Rub some dirt on it."

—"Pick yourself up from your bootstraps."

Even if those messages were not explicitly stated, those messages could be implied through how clients were treated or watched others be treated.

While our loved ones may have good intentions, these messages can leave one feeling devalued, small, and misunderstood. Additionally, while these messages may provide some relief, it can be very isolating to feel not heard, especially by those closest to you.

Understanding your past relationships and behavioral patterns can provide insight into your present issues and long-term relief for a brighter future. This is why we may ask you questions about your past experiences to understand how they impact your present.

Our healers are committed to your safety and confidentiality. We will not disclose what we discuss in our sessions unless you or others are in danger or at risk of harm or provide me with written permission in the form of a Release of Information.

We will be happy to explain the limits of confidentiality in more detail and answer any questions you have during our intake session or beyond.

Should any issues arise that need a second professional opinion, it is recommended as best practice by the American Counseling Association that healers continue to seek supervision and consultation from other counselors to become more effective and provide ethical services. This does not mean that your identifying information will be shared; instead, the nature of the issue will be discussed.

That’s okay! This happens sometimes. First, at Mindful Healing, we always offer and encourage a 15-20 minute free consultation to determine if you initially feel safe and connect with your chosen healer. That being said, 15-20 minutes can be short, so you may not get all the information you need to feel safe or connected.

Not all healers are created equal, and we certainly do not claim perfect (…that would be problematic!) You may be coming from a not-so-great experience with a previous counselor. You may even come in with expectations about what you want and need in a counselor. It’s essential to convey these experiences and expectations to your counselor in the beginning so we can have an opportunity to respond, repair, and discuss any misconceptions, misunderstandings, or misassumptions.

We encourage you to share these concerns if you feel this way amid your work with your healer. This will allow us to model a healthy dialogue and provide an opportunity to repair any hurt feelings and thoughts you have that may get in the way of connecting with your counselor.

At Mindful Healing, we care about the therapeutic relationship we create with you. If you need to be more understood or cared for by your healer, we welcome a check-in conversation about how the process is going for you.

We welcome talking through any interpersonal conflicts, potential moments of transference/projection, or symptoms that may get in the way of connecting with us. Some of these feelings and thoughts may have to do with the reasons you came to seek therapy in the first place. This could be a healing conversation with other benefits of working through interpersonal conflict and difficult dialogues with others outside of the therapy session.

If you still feel unhappy with your healer, we would like to provide you with external referrals to help you find a new counselor. We understand that fit is essential, and your healing is our priority. This is optional, but we ultimately want to assist you in your journey—whether with us or someone else!

Many often worry that we will villainize people they care about or once relied on. We are not looking to point the finger or find a convenient scapegoat.

Instead, let's explore the complexity of how people, situations, and environments inform your behavior, feelings, and thoughts during your formative developmental years. We will find insights together so that you can choose a different path forward.

This is an ongoing conversation you will want to have with your healer. For example, some of this depends on the goals you bring into counseling. For instance, if you are working through identity or existential issues, this may require longer-term processing. If you are looking for a long-term relationship with your healer, such as one does with a general practitioner, this means we will be seeing each other off and on throughout the years. Others have distinct purposes and acute issues that need to be immediately addressed, and once they are—there is no longer a need to come to us.

Overall, we encourage a proactive and engaging approach to mental health and a preventative approach to counseling. In other words, there is a stigma that one goes to counseling only when there is a reaction out of an acute crisis, and something is severely “wrong.” This is a reactive approach rather than a preventative one.

However, seeing a counselor regularly can prevent or limit the impact foreseen or unforeseen circumstances have on our day-to-day lives. This could help manage stress, hold one accountable for maintaining progress, increase self-awareness, and strengthen relationships.

Similar to seeing a medical doctor, getting a massage, purchasing a fitness membership, or engaging in a sport---counseling is an investment (and exercise) for your well-being and emotional health. At Mindful Healing, our healers are qualified, trained professionals who continue seeking education and supervision to best serve your needs.

Investing in quality counseling services can have a long-term, positive impact on many aspects of your life. In other words, the return can have internal and external benefits.

We accept several insurance plans as an option outside of paying out of network and an internship program that can provide reduced and pro bono rates for therapeutic services.

We do not provide 24-hour on-call services. Therefore, if you have a medical or psychological emergency, you should immediately go to your nearest hospital emergency room or call 911.

Locating a therapist in the D.C. metro area that aligns with your specific preferences and requirements can pose a challenge. The country is experiencing a shortage of mental health professionals, particularly those who both accept insurance and reflect cultural diversity.

Ideally, therapists prefer to be affiliated with insurance panels, but this entails a complex, time-consuming, and costly process. Moreover, filing insurance claims outside regular business hours can be intricate and time-intensive, prompting many counselors to outsource this task.

Unlike medical doctors, who can often see patients in brief intervals with support staff aiding in information collection, therapists require additional assistance due to the intricate nature of their work. Unfortunately, counselors are not fairly compensated for their expertise and education compared to other healthcare professionals.

This issue is rooted in historical injustices, including the prioritization of medical care over mental health care, the segregation of medical and mental health treatment, the influence of insurance companies in determining service rates and reimbursement, and the fact that health insurance benefits are primarily linked to employment.

Unfortunately, no, we do not. At Mindful Healing, financial wellness is an aspect of one’s overall wellness. Should you need assistance finding a more affordable option outside of our practice, we will be happy to be a resource for you by providing external referrals that fit your specific needs.