About · Alyssa Davis, LMFT
Finding a therapist is hard enough. Not knowing what you're walking into makes it harder. Here's what the experience of working with me actually looks like — from the first session to the shift you're hoping for.
How we get started
20 minutes. No cost, no commitment. We talk about what you're coming in with and I tell you honestly whether this seems like a good fit. If it's not, I'll tell you that too — and try to point you somewhere useful.
The early sessions are more structured than what comes later — that's intentional. You're still learning the landscape of your own nervous system, and I'm helping you build the map. We start with real, practical coping tools drawn from my DBT background, which means you're not just talking about your problems — you're already learning to work with them differently. Most clients notice something shifting within the first few sessions. That's not a coincidence. It's what happens when you finally have skills that actually work.
As you get more fluent with your own patterns, the process naturally shifts. I move from actively directing the work to being more of a guide — still tracking what's happening, still steering us back on course when needed, but following your lead more. We bring in EMDR and deeper processing here: not just understanding what happened, but actually changing how your nervous system holds it. The coping tools you built early on make this part possible.
You'll notice changes. They might be subtle at first — a reaction that doesn't fire the same way, a situation that used to derail you that somehow doesn't. Over time, the changes compound. The work shows up in your life.
What to expect from me
If I notice something worth naming, I'll name it. If I think you're circling around something, I'll say so — gently, but clearly. I'm not here to tell you what you want to hear, and I won't dress it up so much that the point gets lost. You'll always know where you stand with me.
I take notes. I track what's changed, what's still stuck, and what threads keep showing up across sessions. You won't spend the first five minutes of every session reminding me who you are. That shouldn't be a differentiator — and yet.
I build Legos. I do jiu jitsu. I talk to my plants. I've spent my whole life being the person who doesn't quite fit the mold, and it turns out that's exactly what makes me good at this. People who've always felt a little outside tend to feel at home in the room with me.
I pay close attention to your window of tolerance. We don't push into destabilization in the name of depth. We go at a pace that's challenging — because work that doesn't challenge you isn't moving anything — but not overwhelming.
The therapeutic relationship is a live thing. I notice what's arising in it — including when something I do lands wrong, or when the dynamic between us is getting in the way. We can talk about it. That's not awkward. That's usually where the good stuff is.
I'm not the all-knowing, slow-nodding therapist type. If I'm uncertain, I say so. If I think you need something I can't offer, I'll help you find it. No mystique, no ego — just honest. The point is that you get what you actually need.
Practical questions
I'm an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill for potential reimbursement through your insurance, depending on your plan. Many people with PPO plans can get partial reimbursement. If you're not sure how your benefits work, I can walk you through what to ask your insurance company.
Weekly sessions are the standard and what I recommend for most people, especially early in the work. Weekly rhythm builds momentum and allows the work to actually compound. Biweekly can work for some people depending on where they are in the process — we'll talk about what makes sense for you.
It depends enormously on what you're working on. I'm not going to tell you something that isn't true just to make you feel better about starting. What I can tell you is that you'll know when things are moving, and we regularly revisit whether the pace and format are working. I'm not in the business of keeping people in therapy longer than they need.
Yes — all sessions are conducted via telehealth. I'm fully virtual and see clients throughout California. EMDR works well over telehealth; I can walk you through the setup and what to expect if you have questions.
You tell me. Finding the right therapeutic fit is too important to stay somewhere that's not working. If after a few sessions something feels off — the approach, the dynamic, whatever it is — I want you to say so. We can adjust, or I can help you find someone who's a better match. No therapist is right for everyone.
"You deserve a therapist who is actually paying attention — to you, to what's changing, and to whether this is working." — Alyssa Davis, LMFT
The first step is a free consultation — a real conversation about what you're working with and whether this is the right fit.
Schedule a consultation