Find the Right Clinician
Not sure where to start? Choose a path by what you are dealing with, by who you would like to work with, or by the practical details that matter most.
01
Start with what you are dealing with
If you know roughly what brought you here, begin there. For a car crash or other injury, see personal injury and TBI or driving anxiety after an accident. For hospital stays, procedures, or chronic pain, see medical trauma and chronic pain. For long-standing patterns from childhood or relationships, see complex trauma. Grief, anxiety, panic, and depression each have their own pages. If nothing quite matches, that is common. You can describe it in plain words during a consultation and we will help sort out where to start.
02
Start with who you are
Some people want a therapist who understands their world. We have pages for veterans, first responders, healthcare workers, teens and young adults, college students, older adults, BIPOC adults, LGBTQ+ adults, immigrants, and professionals and entrepreneurs. These pages describe what therapy can look like in those settings. They are not requirements. You do not need to fit a category to work with us, and you are welcome to tell us which parts of your identity you want your therapist to understand.
03
Start with a clinician
Our team includes Lisa McCann-Smiles, LCSW, Founder | EMDRIA-Trained EMDR Therapist | AZBBHE Approved Clinical Supervisor. Maureen Njoroge, MS, MA, LAC-T is a Clinical Mental Health Therapist. Mariah Thomas, BSW Intern is a Social Work Intern who works alongside Lisa and Maureen and does not provide therapy independently. Availability changes from month to month, so the most reliable way to learn who has openings is to ask. You can name a preferred clinician in your request.
04
Start with practical needs
Sometimes the deciding factors are practical. All therapy is online for people located in Arizona during sessions. We are in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare / Optum, and offer superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. Sliding scale is available for those who qualify. Ask us about our sliding scale when you reach out. For personal injury cases, ask about working with your attorney. Swahili and English are spoken within the practice; ask about language availability for your sessions. Sessions are 55 minutes, typically once or twice a week.
05
What to ask in a consultation
The free 15-minute consultation is a chance to ask anything that helps you decide. Useful questions include: Who has openings that match my schedule? Have you worked with situations like mine? What might the first month look like? How do you handle pace if things feel like too much? What will this cost with my insurance? A request is not an appointment; we follow up to confirm. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you honestly and point you toward other options.
Questions
Before You Begin
Can I switch clinicians later?
You can raise it at any time. Fit matters, and we would rather talk about it openly than have you stay with a match that is not working.
What if I do not know what is wrong?
That is common. You can start with how daily life feels right now, and we will work it out together.
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