IFS-Informed Spiritual Care can look like traditional IFS, or can be more free-form and exploratory—the distinctive character of our sessions is something that the client and I discover and develop as we work together. Each session is adapted to the individual needs, temperament, interests, and comfort-level of the client, and I draw from a wide range of spiritual care skills as appropriate. Some clients want to use IFS terminology and others do not. Some clients find that working with their dreams contributes a lot to their sessions, while others do not. For some clients, trauma-support resources are useful, and for others such resources are unhelpful or unnecessary. Some of my clients consider themselves religious, while many others define their spirituality outside of any faith tradition.
My clients come from different backgrounds, have had diverse life experiences, and belong to a variety of different communities, ethnicities, spiritual perspectives, age groups and sexual/gender identities. All are welcome with me, though I respect that some clients might feel more at home and understood by a practitioner who shares some aspects of their identity, background or personal style. For the record: I am a white, “spiritual-but-not-religious,” Queer/nonbinary person in my mid-60s. I have my own history of trauma and healing. My personal and professional style is very informal, but I always prioritize good boundaries, clear communication, and attention to my client’s concerns.
A session of IFS-Informed Spiritual Care can involve many of the same tools and approaches as a session of IFS-informed psychotherapy, but does not necessarily cover the same territory or seek the same outcomes. If a client has major mental health challenges, they will probably need to work with a psychotherapist (this could be either instead of, or in addition to, working with me). Even if you have a serious psychiatric diagnosis, however, please know that the appropriateness of working with me is determined on an individual basise—we’d want to consider your unique needs and my own mix of abilities and limitations, as well as the advice of your mental health providers—so if you think you’d like to work with me, please feel free to contact me and we’ll look at these factors together. Spiritual care is not (unfortunately) covered by insurance, and doesn’t require licensure or offer the same kinds of professional support and accountability available to therapists, so it is not a substitute for psychotherapy—but spiritual care does offer wonderful opportunities for exploring some of the existential, ethical, relational and creative aspects of the human experience, and can be a resource for profound healing.
Spiritual Care
For more information about what spiritual care is and is not, please click on the photo.
NOTE: I meet with clients either for sessions of IFS-informed spiritual care or for consultation. A “session” refers to a spiritual care session, unless I specifically describe it as a consultation session. A consultation is when a therapist or other practitioner comes to me to discuss their own practice.
Scheduling
Although it is possible to schedule a single consultation session, I typically work with my spiritual care clients on an ongoing basis that supports them as they find and follow their own inner sense of direction over time. This means meeting fairly regularly: weekly, every other week, or monthly. I don’t work evenings, but weekend appointments are sometimes available. How often we meet depends upon the client’s needs, financial considerations, and preferences, and on the coordination of our calendars. With a consistent schedule, there’s a deepening and opening process of inner development and discovery for each client that we can commit to together.
Generally, a session lasts one hour (though longer or shorter sessions can be arranged). Most sessions take place via Zoom, though phone sessions are also an option. I’ll provide one email reminder, with a Zoom link, a couple of days before we are scheduled to meet. (For phone sessions, I’ll provide a phone number so the client can call me at the designated time.)
Cost
When a potential client contacts me (via the Contact form on this site, or other communication), I reply briefly via email, then offer a free half-hour phone call, so we can find out whether or not we are a good fit to work together. This call is an opportunity for you to ask me questions, and tell me a little about yourself.
If we decide to work together, the cost of a one-hour session going forward is $100 USD, and payment is due at the end of each session. I accept personal checks, Zelle direct deposit, or PayPal. PayPal fees (usually $5) are paid by the client. If $100 per session is more than you can afford, please talk to me about it; a lower rate may be available (this depends on my current client load—if I have enough full-paying clients, I can offer reduced rates on a case-by-case basis, but I have no overall sliding scale policy). If you would like (and can afford) to pay more for your sessions or make a donation, it will go to a fund for those who can’t afford to pay full price.