Resources for the Journey — Not Just the Session
Everything you need between sessions: free guided meditations, new-client information, the Upheal patient portal, insurance details, and trusted mental health resources hand-picked by Heinz.
Free Guided Meditations, Recorded by Heinz
Therapy is one hour a week. The rest of your life is the other 167. To support the work you’re doing in session — or to give you some grounding even if we’ve never met — I’ve recorded a small library of guided meditations, breathing exercises, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practices. They’re free. No email signup required.
These aren’t long, and they aren’t precious. Some are five minutes. Some are under three. All of them are designed to be usable in real life — in a parking lot, a bathroom, a hotel room, a quiet moment before a hard conversation.
A lot of what I teach in session is about learning to use your breath and your attention as real, practical tools for regulating a stressed nervous system. These recordings are the same tools, in portable form. If you’re already a client, they’ll reinforce what we’re working on together. If you’ve never set foot in therapy, they’re yours to use anyway.
A Grounding Breath (3 min)
For anxiety, overwhelm, or a racing mind
A short breathing exercise to help settle your nervous system when everything feels loud. Good for midday resets, before difficult conversations, or moments when you need your body to catch up to your mind.
Settling After a Hard Moment (5 min)
For post-trauma grounding and calming an activated nervous system
A longer grounding meditation designed for moments after your system has been triggered — a flashback, a panic spike, or simply a hard interaction. Uses body-based cues and slow, paced breathing.
Coming Home (7 min)
Designed with veterans and service members in mind — but open to anyone
A guided meditation for the work of reintegration — coming back to yourself, your family, your everyday life after something hard. Draws on imagery of return and rest. Can be used daily or as needed.
A Morning Intention (4 min)
To start the day grounded, not braced
A short morning practice of noticing, breathing, and choosing one small thing to carry into the day. Pairs well with coffee. Works in bed if getting up is currently hard.
Notes, Thoughts, and the Occasional Tie-Dye Video
Between clients, I write and record the occasional short post — sometimes a written piece on something I’ve been thinking about, sometimes a short video (usually in a tie-dye shirt, because that’s my work uniform). Topics range across everything I work with: anxiety, grief, trauma, mindfulness, meaning, religious life and its complications, and the slow art of being a decent human.
Nothing here is a substitute for therapy. It’s just the overflow.
Starting Out — What to Know
Whether this is your first time in therapy or your tenth, starting with a new therapist always comes with a few logistics. Here’s what you’ll want to know before your first session.
What to Have Ready for Your First Session
- A private space where you can speak freely — a room with a door that closes, or a car parked somewhere quiet
- A device with a working camera and microphone (phone, tablet, or computer)
- A stable internet connection
- Headphones, if you’d like extra privacy
- Tissues within reach — therapy is what it is
- Your completed intake forms (delivered via Upheal before the session)
What the First Session Looks Like
Most first sessions run about 50–60 minutes. We'll spend time getting to know each other. I'll ask some questions about what brought you in, what you've tried before, and what you're hoping to find. You'll have the chance to ask me anything you want. We'll sketch out a rough plan together — what we might work on, how often we'll meet, and what the first few sessions might look like.
You are in charge of the pace. We don't have to solve anything on day one.
Intake Forms Delivered via Upheal
You'll receive a secure link by email before your first session.
Your Upheal Client Portal
The Upheal client portal is your hub for everything administrative, so our sessions can stay focused on the actual work. From the portal you can:
- Schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments
- Complete and update intake paperwork
- Access your secure session links
- Send and receive secure messages
- View invoices and pay your bill online
- Download superbills for out-of-network insurance reimbursement
Insurance & Billing Details
H.O.P.E. Therapy is paneled with Tricare and accepts self-pay clients. Additional insurance paneling is in progress — the full list of accepted plans will be posted here as it’s confirmed. Sliding-scale and cash-pay options are available for clients who are uninsured, out-of-network, or prefer to self-pay.
Billing FAQ
What if I don't have insurance?
Self-pay rates are available and sliding-scale arrangements can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please ask. The worst I can say is no, and often we can find something workable.
Do you accept Tricare?
Yes. I’m a retired Navy chaplain and a Tricare-paneled LMFT, which means active-duty service members, veterans, and their families can generally use Tricare benefits for sessions with me. If you’re not sure about your specific plan, call and we’ll sort it out.
Will I owe a co-pay?
Co-pays, deductibles, and coverage limits vary by insurance plan. Please verify with your insurer before your first session. I’m happy to help you make sense of what your plan says.
How do I pay?
Payment is handled through the Upheal client portal. Credit card, debit card, and HSA/FSA cards are accepted. Superbills are available for clients seeking out-of-network reimbursement.
What about my Good Faith Estimate?
Under the federal No Surprises Act, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of the expected cost of therapy before you begin. I’ll provide one during your intake, and you can request a written copy at any time.
Trusted Resources for the Long Road
Therapy is one tool in the toolbox. Here are others — organizations, hotlines, and information sources I trust and often recommend.
Crisis Lines (24/7)
988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text)
988 (press 1) or text 838255 — Veterans Crisis Line
741741 — Crisis Text Line (text HOME)
1-866-488-7386 — The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth)
1-800-799-7233 — National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-866-4CRISIS — Washington State Recovery Help Line
For Veterans & Military Families
VA Mental Health Services — mentalhealth.va.gov
Give An Hour — giveanhour.org (free mental health care for service members and families)
Military OneSource — militaryonesource.mil (free non-medical counseling)
Wounded Warrior Project — woundedwarriorproject.org
WA Department of Veterans Affairs — dva.wa.gov
General Mental Health
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) — nami.org
SAMHSA Treatment Locator — findtreatment.gov
MentalHealth.gov — mentalhealth.gov
For Trauma, EMDR & Grief
EMDR International Association — emdria.org
ISSTD (Trauma & Dissociation) — isst-d.org
What’s Your Grief — whatsyourgrief.com
For Religious Trauma & Deconstruction
Reclamation Collective — reclamationcollective.com
The Religious Trauma Institute — religioustraumainstitute.com
Tears of Eden (spiritual abuse) — tearsofeden.org
For Mindfulness & MBSR
UMass Center for Mindfulness — umassmed.edu/cfm (the originators of MBSR)
Insight Timer (free meditation app) — insighttimer.com
Palouse Mindfulness (free online MBSR course) — palousemindfulness.com
LGBTQ+ Resources
Books Heinz Recommends
A short, rotating reading list — trauma, meaning, grief, mindfulness, and the surprisingly good literature on being human. Updated seasonally.
Your Work Between Sessions Matters Too.
These resources are here whether you’re a current client, a future one, or someone who just needs something steadying today. Use them however helps. And when you’re ready to talk, I’m here.