Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
Are you accepting new clients?
I currently have availability for new clients, primarily during daytime hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Availability changes, so please include your general scheduling availability when you reach out.
Who do you work with?
I work with children age 6 and older, adolescents, and adults. People come to therapy for trauma and difficult experiences, anxiety, stress, relationship patterns, perfectionism, over-functioning, emotional overwhelm, burnout, life transitions, and other concerns. You don't need to know exactly what category your experience fits into before reaching out.
What if I already understand my patterns?
That's common. You may know where a pattern came from, recognize it while it's happening, and still find that your body or emotions respond before you can do something different. Insight can be an important part of therapy without being the only part.
Do I have to talk about everything that has happened to me?
No. You don't need to tell your entire story at once, and therapy does not require forcing yourself into details you aren't ready to discuss. We can begin with what is happening now and let the work unfold over time.
Do you offer a free consultation?
I don't routinely schedule free consultation calls. The usual starting point is a paid 55-minute therapy appointment, which gives us time to begin the work and get a sense of whether working together feels like a good fit.
What happens during the first appointment?
Your first 55-minute session gives us a chance to get to know one another, talk about what is bringing you to therapy, and begin exploring what you're hoping will be different.
You don't need to arrive ready to tell your entire story. We'll start where you are. If we continue working together, assessment can unfold over time rather than requiring you to compress your entire life into one first appointment.
How do I know whether you're the right therapist for me?
Fit matters. Training and experience are important, but therapy is also a relationship. Your first session gives you an opportunity to experience how I work, ask questions, and notice how it feels to work together. You don't have to decide whether I'm your therapist forever. We can start with whether it makes sense to continue.
Locations and Scheduling
Where do you provide therapy?
Telehealth psychotherapy is available when you are physically located in Idaho or Washington at the time of your session. In-person traditional psychotherapy and equine-assisted psychotherapy are available at my property in Athol, Idaho.
Do you have a traditional indoor therapy office?
No. In-person traditional psychotherapy is available in an outdoor setting at my Athol property.
Do you offer evening or weekend appointments?
Not currently. My therapy schedule is primarily during daytime hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Can I switch between telehealth, outdoor sessions, and equine-assisted psychotherapy?
Yes, when clinically appropriate and scheduling allows.
You don't necessarily have to choose one format forever. We can talk about what makes sense based on your goals, needs, location, insurance considerations, and availability.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Outdoor sessions and equine-assisted psychotherapy are weather dependent.
Idaho weather isn't always interested in our plans.
If conditions make an outdoor session impractical or unsafe, we'll determine what makes sense based on the circumstances and available options.
Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
What's the difference between traditional psychotherapy in an outdoor setting and equine-assisted psychotherapy?
Traditional psychotherapy in an outdoor setting is still traditional psychotherapy. We are simply meeting outside rather than by telehealth.
Horses may be visible or nearby, but they are not incorporated into treatment simply because they are present.
During equine-assisted psychotherapy, horses are intentionally incorporated into the therapeutic process based on your clinical needs and goals.
Is equine-assisted psychotherapy the same as therapeutic riding?
No.
Equine-assisted psychotherapy at Whispering Winds Therapy is mental-health psychotherapy provided by a licensed mental-health professional.
It is not therapeutic riding, adaptive riding, riding instruction, horsemanship, coaching, or equine-assisted learning.
Do I need horse experience?
No.
You don't need previous experience with horses to participate in equine-assisted psychotherapy.
Do I have to touch or interact directly with a horse?
No.
Direct interaction with a horse is not required. Observation, distance, proximity, movement, and your responses to what is happening can all be part of the therapeutic experience.
Do I have to ride?
No.
Sessions are primarily ground-based. In some circumstances, mounted work may be incorporated when it is clinically appropriate and aligned with treatment goals, physical and medical considerations, safety, and the participation of the horse.
Can children participate in equine-assisted psychotherapy?
Yes, when it is developmentally and clinically appropriate.
Parents and caregivers remain part of the therapeutic process. The level of involvement depends on the child's age, needs, and treatment goals.
Do you bill insurance for equine-assisted psychotherapy?
No. Equine-assisted psychotherapy at Whispering Winds Therapy is a private-pay service at $225 per 55-minute session. I do not bill insurance for EAP.
Traditional psychotherapy may be billed to insurance when applicable.
Is the property accessible?
The Athol property has a dirt road and natural, rocky, uneven terrain. There is currently no client bathroom, and the terrain is not currently wheelchair- or crutch-accessible.
Accessibility needs don't automatically rule out equine-assisted psychotherapy, but the property's limitations are important to consider honestly.
Please contact me if you have accessibility needs so we can determine whether the setting is workable for you.
Dogs live on the property and are usually inside during sessions. Cats, ducks, and chickens may also be present outdoors.
What should I wear?
Dress for the weather and bring an extra layer when conditions are unpredictable.
Closed-toe, sturdy shoes are required. Boots are preferred but not required.
Children and Adolescents
How involved are parents or caregivers in a child's therapy?
Parents and caregivers are active participants in treatment, although what that looks like varies based on the child's age, needs, and treatment goals.
Sometimes a caregiver joins part of a session. Sometimes caregiver involvement happens through check-ins, conversations, activities, or work outside of the child's individual session.
Therapy isn't a drop-off-and-fix-the-child process. Supporting a child often means becoming curious about the relationships and environments around them as well.
Fees & Insurance
How much does therapy cost?
Traditional psychotherapy is $180 per 55-minute session.
Equine-assisted psychotherapy is $225 per 55-minute session and is private pay.
Do you accept insurance?
Traditional psychotherapy may be billed to insurance when applicable.
For traditional psychotherapy, I am contracted directly with First Choice Health Network and work with Aetna, Cigna, Carelon, and Providence through Headway. Coverage varies by plan, service, and location, so insurance benefits should be verified before assuming a particular service will be covered.
Contact
How do I get started?
You can call or text 509.386.2888 or email info@whisperingwindstherapy.com.
Text or email is generally the easiest way to reach me.
Please include whether you're seeking therapy for yourself or your child, the type of appointment you're interested in if you already know, and your general scheduling availability.
Please avoid including sensitive health or clinical information in your initial text or email.
If you need more immediate support
Whispering Winds Therapy is an outpatient psychotherapy practice and does not provide emergency or crisis services. If your need is urgent, please be aware that I may not be able to respond or schedule an appointment within the timeframe you need.
If you are experiencing a mental-health crisis or need immediate support, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call 911 when appropriate, or go to your nearest emergency department.