I am both a doctoral-level licensed therapist and coach; in order to make services more accessible, I utilize a dual therapy-coaching model - meaning you can work with me no matter where you live. My background in psychology, counseling, and holistic health informs both my therapy and coaching practices, but psychotherapy is only available to clients living in Nevada or Colorado because I am bound by the jurisdiction of my license. This also means that I do not work with clients in crisis or struggling with severe mental illness (like psychosis), active suicidality, and ongoing addictions, eating disorders, or other chronic traumas, because coaching is not appropriate for those needing a high level of care; this also helps ensure safety for all clients since we are not physically in the same place when meeting. However, I regularly work with clients who have a history of addiction, eating disorders, suicidality, or other traumas, but are now removed from the immediate harms & experience of it.

I am an existential psychotherapist, which means I am most interested by how people making meaning in their lives, and the ways that relates to freedom, authenticity, and the anxieties that come up due to closely examining your growth edges. I utilize the strengths & abilities you already have to pull out your inner healer because I believe you can heal yourself with a little bit of guidance. In addition to traditional talk therapy, I also incorporate holistic & alternative techniques when desired and appropriate, like mind-body connection, the therapeutic use of tarot or astrology, and/or integrating your spiritual practices. I practice depth work, meaning I usually work with clients over a longer period of time to explore the past, present, and future. If you would like a more concrete definition of my approach, click here for a thorough overview of my philosophy and training.

Some excerpts from client testimonials about their experiences:

• “The environment Sage created made me feel like I was having a candid and heartfelt chat with a friend instead of a clinical dissection of my brain, behavior, and memories. For the first time, I felt like I was seeing someone who actually understood what I was going through and was speaking from a place of experience, sensitivity, and candor.”

• “Sage was a lighthouse for me, a sherpa at a time when I felt lost and disoriented and unsure of what I was doing, and thanks to them my life is heading in a substantially better direction.”

• “I was going through several big, often-overwhelming changes in my career, home, and relationship life when I started working with Dr. Sage. Working with them provided me with a calm, consistent, engaging space for reflecting upon and navigating my concerns, needs, and desires. I have never been as comfortable opening up about all of myself with any mental health practitioner as I have been with Dr. Sage, and that comfort came pretty instantly. The lack of judgment and presence of support was tangible throughout our sessions.”

• “Dr. Sage helped me come out of a really dark place in life. There was so much going on that I "couldn't see the light" and they really guided me through that darkness and helped me shift my mindset.”

Short answer: absolutely!

Long answer: All modes of therapy & coaching work, but what is going to work best for you depends on your needs and priorities. Phone therapy helps lots of clients who may be dealing with dysphoria, masking (common for neurodivergent people or anyone who may feel the need to be “on” for video), and people who work primarily on/with screens - screen breaks are needed for mental & physical health, and meeting on the computer may keep you in “work mode”, preventing you from fully engaging or focusing in therapy. Phone therapy also enables you to walk, hike, stretch, or move around during sessions, either from the comfort of your home or as a long-distance form of ecotherapy.

The reasons I personally choose to utilize phone rather than video:

• I teach full-time in an online program and experience screen fatigue

• To accommodate my ADHD need to move or fidget without visually disturbing clients

• Engaging in frequent eye contact emotionally drains me as an autistic therapist

• Looking at my own face on a screen all day is actually bad for mental health

• Truckee is a remote mountain town, so my WiFi is often too weak for quality video

• Phone calls require less tech/equipment, making it easier to practice ecotherapy

• Finding a private spot for therapy is much simpler on the phone for both clients & me

That said, I do offer video sessions as needed to help us get to know each other as we begin working together, or to touch base when you're feeling like seeing each others' faces would improve our connection. I also recommend video therapy for anyone seeking partners, couples, or relationship therapy, which is more complicated to manage via phone.

Therapy helps many people, but that same system also continually harms marginalized clients through pathologizing responses to trauma or oppression, and disempowers them by positioning the therapist as an expert on someone else's life. Additionally, I do not believe you need a mental health diagnosis or illness to benefit from therapy, and many of my clients come to me because they are looking for personal growth or self-exploration, which coaching allows for. People who are concerned about their privacy and confidentiality often prefer coaching, so there is nothing linking you to mental health treatment. Coaching also tends to be more concrete, time-limited, and less formal or clinical than therapy, which may be more appropriate and desirable for clients who already doing okay but could be better. Lastly, coaching helps me improve access to care because it allows me to work with clients across the globe.

Clients often seek me out for help or guidance navigating things like coming out or starting a gender transition; understanding or seeking an adult Autism or ADHD diagnosis; beginning a life transition- like becoming a parent, changing careers, or re-locating; unpacking religious trauma or faith exploration; shifting a relationship into non-monogamy; recovering from burnout; feeling adrift or like life has lost it's purpose/meaning; moral injury; grief and loss; personal fulfillment and growth; or other issues related to identity, meaning, spirituality, trauma, and recovery.

I work with all types of clients, but the majority of them would fall into one or more of these categories:

• Gender, Sexuality, or Relationship Expansive

• Adult Autism and ADHD

• High Achievers, Academics & Perfectionists

• Queer Spirituality and/or Religious Trauma

• Nature Lovers

• Artists & Creatives

I do NOT work with clients experiencing current/ongoing suicidality, trauma, eating disorders, addictions, psychosis, and those with acute care needs or severe psychological distress. Due to the nature of telehealth, clients I work with must be able to function in their day to day lives but know they could be doing better, are looking for deep self-exploration & understanding, and/or finally feel ready to heal and unpack past traumas.

COACHING & THERAPY:

Individual Sessions
45 minutes: $250/ session
60 minutes: $300/ session

Relationship Sessions
60 minutes: $325/ session
80 minutes: $400/ session

OTHER SERVICES:

The letter writing fee is $125, which includes the letter and the evaluation session.
*Partial scholarships are always available to gender expansive clients in need of letter writing services

Fees for speaking, training, or events vary based on the needs of your company or organization; Please reach out directly to request a quote.

I am not contracted with any insurers. If you would like to understand more about why, or how I came to this decision, I encourage you to review Dr. Brianna Mann's article on this topic: click here.

I have compiled a Resources page for people who want to heal own their own or can't afford therapy right now, anyone wanting more information about my approach, and for professionals looking for more information.