Getting Started
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First, we’ll have you fill out a short contact form to help us connect you with a therapist. One of our therapists will then reach out to you to schedule a free phone consultation.
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You’ll have a 20-minute phone call with your potential therapist to discuss what you’re looking for and assess whether you’re a good fit for one another. If you both agree to move forward, you’ll schedule a recurring session day and time.
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After the consultation, your therapist will email you online paperwork via your client portal. This will include policy information, consent forms, and a secure platform for storing your payment information. Your therapist will also connect you with our Billing Manager, Jenn Ortega, who can assist with any financial questions or assistance.
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Once your paperwork is completed, you’ll attend your first session, either online through our confidential, HIPAA compliant video platform, by phone, or in person at our office. In this 50-minute session, your therapist will review informed consent (policies and confidentiality limits) and then begin the therapy work by getting to know you and your needs.
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After each session, your card on file will be automatically charged for the session unless another payment method is arranged in advance. From there, you will continue with your weekly sessions.
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Feedback is always welcome, and we offer opportunities along the way to check in. At the 6-month mark of working with your therapist, you will receive a psychotherapy feedback form to share your experience with your therapist, the process, and your work together.
This form is optional, but we find that the written feedback is important to make sure you receive the right support for your needs. We encourage you to be honest about all aspects of your experience, including parts that feel off, not quite right, or completely off the mark.
Our therapists really value your feedback and use it for learning both with you and applied to our practice as a whole. What you say is taken to heart, taken seriously, and gives us a chance to take action.
What to expect from therapy
It’s common for progress to feel gradual because deep change often involves uncovering hidden emotions, unresolved conflicts, and past relationship dynamics that have been shaping you, often outside of your conscious awareness.
You may start noticing subtle shifts in your awareness, such as a deeper understanding of why you react the way you do in certain situations, or a new clarity around unresolved feelings from your past. Over time, you might recognize recurring patterns in your relationships or behaviors that previously seemed out of your control. The therapeutic relationship itself is a powerful tool in this work, and you may notice changes in how you relate to your therapist, which often mirrors how you relate to others in your life.
While visible changes may take time, the process of becoming more aware of your internal world and working through past conflicts can lead to long-lasting shifts. It’s important to stay patient with the process, as meaningful change often happens below the surface, and therapy is about uncovering those layers to help you integrate them more fully into your present life.
The Nido approach
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At Nido Individual & Family Therapy, we utilize an Integrated Psychodynamic approach that helps clients uncover and address the deeper, often unconscious factors that influence their behavior, relationships, and overall well-being. This approach focuses on identifying self-limiting patterns, healing from past experiences, and gaining insight into how unresolved emotions and developmental issues shape current challenges.
Depth therapy is not a quick fix and can be a long-term process that takes time and commitment. It involves exploring the complex emotional layers beneath our rational, mature selves—unresolved feelings and patterns from earlier stages of life that can contribute to emotional and relational difficulties.
A key element of this work is the therapeutic relationship. Through “transference,” clients can safely re-experience and process past emotions, connecting with buried memories, feelings, and desires in a supportive environment. This process allows clients to gain a clearer understanding of how their past continues to influence their present.
Ultimately, Nido’s psychodynamic approach helps clients live more authentically, build meaningful relationships, resolve inner conflicts, and integrate all aspects of their personalities. The goal is to provide the freedom to grow, evolve, and experience life with greater depth and fulfillment.
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Neurodivergent and LGBTQIA2-S+ affirming therapy are both approaches that center and respect the unique experiences of individuals who identify as neurodivergent or as part of the LGBTQIA2-S+ community.
Neurodivergent affirming therapy recognizes and values neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, OCD, and other cognitive or sensory differences, as a natural part of human diversity rather than pathologizing inherent traits and coping mechanisms as problems that need to be “fixed.”
The approach focuses on creating an environment where your neurodivergent identity is respected and supported. In this type of therapy, the goal is to understand how your unique brain works, honoring your experiences and challenges without pathologizing them. A neurodivergent-affirming therapist will be mindful of the ways in which society’s expectations may conflict with your experiences, and will work with you to develop systems that respect your individual needs.
LGBTQIA2-S+ affirming therapy focuses on creating a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or any other sexual or gender minority. This approach acknowledges the societal challenges that LGBTQIA2-S+ individuals often face, such as discrimination, stigma, or internalized oppression, and works to empower clients in their identity and self-expression. It involves supporting you in navigating issues related to gender identity, sexual orientation, relationships, or coming out, all while affirming and validating your lived experience.
Both approaches prioritize inclusion, acceptance, and the understanding that individuals are the experts of their own identities and experiences. We aim to support you in a way that honors your inherent worth, fosters self-compassion, and helps you navigate the world authentically.
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Culturally responsive and anti-oppressive care involves therapists recognizing and respecting how your unique cultural background — such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, spiritual beliefs, and other aspects of identity — shapes your experiences and well-being. This approach fosters a safe space where your identity is honored and your challenges are understood within the context of societal power dynamics. It acknowledges the impact of systemic oppression, such as racism, sexism, and homophobia, and actively works to challenge these forces that contribute to your distress.
We practice culturally sensitive and anti-oppressive care through ongoing self-reflection, recognizing our own privileges and how they may influence the therapeutic relationship. By examining our biases and understanding our position within systems of power, we strive to provide equitable, non-judgmental care that empowers you to navigate your experiences authentically. Ultimately, our goal is to offer a therapeutic space that is inclusive, validating, and responsive to your lived realities, while also advocating for social change and dismantling oppressive structures.
Access Care that Tends to Your Identities, Needs, and Heart
Policies
Our online paperwork includes all the key policies, and your therapist will review important points during your first session to ensure you understand the limits of confidentiality, cancellation policies, and what to expect from the therapeutic process. Here is an initial snapshot to get an understanding of what your commitment to therapy entails.
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Unless a payment plan has been arranged in advance, all payments are due on the day of your session. If paying by card, your card will be charged automatically on the evening of your session.
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Sessions canceled within 48 hours of the scheduled time are subject to the full session fee unless a delayed payment has been pre-arranged.
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Sessions will begin at the agreed-upon time and last 50 minutes unless otherwise discussed in advance. If you arrive late, the session will still end at the scheduled time. Additional session time may be available upon request and will be prorated based on the agreed-upon fee. If additional calls outside of session are needed, calls longer than 10 minutes will be prorated at your individual session fee.
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If the card on file fails to process, a $10 reprocessing fee will be applied.
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Clients must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol during sessions. If a client is under the influence, the session will be canceled, and the full session fee will be charged.
These policies are in place to ensure a respectful and productive therapeutic environment for all. For further details, refer to the online paperwork provided or discuss with your therapist. Thank you for helping support the structures that allow us to co-create environments that are mutually supportive and sustainable for all of us.