Thank you for reaching out to Holding Hope!
We're honored to be a part of your journey.

So, what happens next?

I will send you an email in the next 24 hours to set up a free phone consultation.

The phone consultation will help me understand the "big picture" of why you're looking for a therapist and your goals for therapy so I can match you with a therapist on our team who will be the best fit.  

 

You don't have to wait for my email, though. If you prefer, you can also click the button below to check my calendar and schedule your call now for whatever time works best for you. I look forward to getting to know you!

Mara Hirschfeld, LMFT

Mara Hirschfeld, LMFT
Founder, Holding Hope MFT

Finding an exceptional therapist is hard. Take it from someone who knows first hand.

That's why finding the right fit before your first session is important. I will listen closely to your story and work with you to recommend which one of us is the best fit to help you work through problems, achieve your goals, and maximize your personal and relational growth in therapy. Keep scrolling to read more about the exceptional therapists I am honored to work with and call my family.

Meet our family of world-class therapists

Each of our therapists is unique in their personality, style, and training. Click any of the profiles below to learn more about our highly trained therapists.

Mara Hirschfeld, LMFT

Certified EFT Couples Therapist

IFS Trauma Therapy

Melissa Pennica, LMFT

Couples and Sex Therapy (AASECT)

LGBTQ+ and Non-monogomy

Nicole D. R. Diaz, LMFT

Grief & Loss Counseling

EFT Couples Therapy

Brittani Ulloa, LMFT

EFT Couples Therapy

EMDR Trauma Therapy

Kate McConnell, LMFT

EFT Couples Therapy

Perinatal/Postpartum Counseling

Allise Galeano, LMFT

EFT Couples Therapy

Solution Focused Therapy 

Kerriann Chiaravalle, LMFT

EFT Couples Therapy

LGBTQ+/Identity Counseling

Dana Blackwood, MFT

Premarital Counseling

Young Adults/Life Transitions

Kristina Mumma

Practice Manager

Here's why you should work with Holding Hope

With thousands of therapy practices to choose from, it can be hard to know what makes a practice unique. Here are some of the qualities that set us apart from our peers. 

Teamwork

At Holding Hope, you get 8 brains in 1. All of our therapists participate in individual and group supervision every week. We collaborate as a team on cases to ensure every client is receiving the quality of care they deserve.

Expertise

Therapists at Holding Hope are actively pursuing advanced training and certifications. We are constantly learning and expanding our knowledge base so we can provide the best possible care for our clients.  

Self-work

Not only do we love our job, but we practice what we preach. We go to therapy, too! Know that behind the scenes, we’re hard at work, becoming the best versions of ourselves we can be.

Happiness

Holding Hope fosters a healthy and collaborative workplace culture. We promote self-care, shorter work weeks, and ample time off to ensure we're present, focused, and ready to help you tackle your biggest challenges.

Comments from our clients

We frequently receive feedback from current and former clients about how our therapists have helped change their lives. We are honored to be a part of their journey and we hope to be a part of yours, too.

"After months of searching for the right fit with a therapist, I could not have been luckier to meet Brittani. She has patiently guided me through a very difficult, transitional year, and has given me confidence in my ability to navigate the future. Brittani is professional, kind, and always takes an open-minded approach to our sessions. I am so grateful to work with her."

Client of Brittani UlloaClient of Brittani Ulloa

"Dana is non-judgmental, compassionate, empathic, insightful, and even funny, and she has done wonders for our relationship.  I never thought I would say this, but I actually ENJOY couples therapy, and I would highly recommend, and have, couples therapy to others, especially if they're lucky enough to have a supportive counselor like Dana."

Client of Dana BlackwoodClient of Dana Blackwood

"I am eternally grateful that I have had the privilege to work with Melissa for the better part of three years. She has helped me grow and change my behavior in ways I thought were impossible due to deep rooted bad habits and some role models that haven't been so positive. I sincerely recommend her guidance and friendship to anyone- but get ready for some deep (and sometimes difficult) introspection!"

Client of Melissa PennicaClient of Melissa Pennica

"Nicole is kind, warm, and working with her has been a great experience. I started
therapy to strengthen my relationship with my mom. I could feel Nicole's sincerity and patience as we continue to open up about parts of our relationship that are not always easy to acknowledge. After only a few months, I'm feeling more confident in my mom's and my ability to work through difficult issues together, whenever they may come up in the future."

Client of Nicole Dieterich Ruiz DiazClient of Nicole Dieterich Ruiz Diaz

"After a number of external life events introduced a lot of stress into our young relationship, my fiancée and I came to Holding Hope for support. Our therapist, Kate, helped us understand — and disrupt — our negative cycles, challenging us to identify our patterns and prompting us to ask for ourselves how we might change them. Her gift was in making both partners feel understood as individuals, building a foundation of trust from which we were able to do real work on ourselves and our relationship."

Client of Kate McConnellClient of Kate McConnell

"When I first met Mara, I immediately felt comfortable and at ease during what was a very tumultuous time in my life. Over the past few years, she has guided me on a productive and exploratory journey that has deeply affected the way I approach my life on a daily basis. Mara also helped me to fully understand the true value of therapy — in my own life and the lives of others."

Client of Mara HirschfeldClient of Mara Hirschfeld

"Initially, my husband and I were both a little hesitant to bring up our issues to a “stranger”. But all I can say is we have been so blessed to have found Brittani when we started our search for a therapist. She has made this whole process a comfortable experience; so much so we look forward to our sessions with Brittani. After working with Brittani for over 2 years she has continuously treated us both with respect, kindness, and compassion. I would highly recommend Brittani for any couple seeking advice or support."

Client of Brittani UlloaClient of Brittani Ulloa

"My now-wife and I began seeing Melissa in Fall 2019 after a vacation with friends went poorly. Since then Melissa has been a tremendous help to our relationship – she’s given us the tools to defuse future issues before they happen, she gives us a space in which we’ll both be recognized and treated fairly, and when issues do happen, she helps us walk through them to identify where we got lost. Having this toolkit and knowing we can deal with these issues made both of us more confident in the future success of our relationship together, and also means situations that previously may have led to a fight we’re able to identify and resolve it far more peacefully."

Client of Melissa PennicaClient of Melissa Pennica

Working with Nicole has given me a greater understanding of myself and my thought process. Our conversations have created clarity around emotions and experiences I've struggled to comprehend. I am proud of the work I’ve done with Nicole and am grateful for her patience, compassion and support.

Client of Nicole Dieterich Ruiz DiazClient of Nicole Dieterich Ruiz Diaz

"I’ve been seeing Mara for nearly 4 years. I’d never gone to a therapist before, and was skeptical and a little nervous at first. I’ve found Mara to be incredibly open and honest, insightful, and above all else- compassionate. She’s helped me to not only confront the challenges I was facing, but also to understand myself better. I look forward to our sessions every week, and now I trust Mara as much as I trust the people closest to me. I couldn’t ask for a better therapist."

Client of Mara HirschfeldClient of Mara Hirschfeld

Frequently asked questions

Who will I talk to during the free phone consultation?You will talk with Mara, the founder of Holding Hope.

How long does the phone consultation take?While I don't set a time limit on the free phone consultation, they typically take about 20-30 minutes. The most important thing to me is that you feel comfortable and safe sharing your story so I can match you with the therapist best suited to help you with what you are going through.

Can I choose which therapist I want to see?Yes! If you're interested in working with a specific person, please let me know during the initial call. While we can't gaurantee their availability, I will make every effort to book you with the therapist you're interested in working with. If that person is not accepting new clients, I can recommend another therapist who might be a good fit based on what you're looking for.

How much does therapy cost?Our sessions range from $200-350 for a 50 minute appointment. 

Do you accept insurance?We do not partner with any insurance companies at this time. However, insurance plans with out-of-network benefits may subsidize a significant portion of the cost. We can provide you with a receipt after every session that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

What forms of payment do you accept?We only accept payment by credit or debit card.   

What is your cancellation policy?If you can't make your weekly session time, you must notify your therapist at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled session. Clients will be charged the full fee for late cancellations or no show appointments. Clients will often (but not always) have the opportunity to make-up the cancelled session within the same week without paying an additional fee depending on the therapists availbility that week. Exceptions to this policy for extenuating circumstances are granted on a case-by-case basis.

Do you offer in-person therapy sessions?Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently only offering virtual therapy sessions. Given the positive feedback we have received from clients and the success we have seen using a virtual format, we will continue to exclusively offer virtual therapy for now.

Do you prescribe medications?No. Only psychiatrists are able to prescribe psychiatric medications (such as anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications). We we are happy to refer you to one of the many psychiatrists who we work and collaborate with on a regular basis if you're interested.

How long do people stay in therapy?It depends greatly on the circumstances of each individual person / couple / partnership / family. Clients with a single, often time-limited issue (e.g. anxiety about an upcoming event) are able to resolve their presenting problem with just a few months of treatment. But more often, the therapeutic process involves changing patterns or behaviors that are deeply ingrained in our lives and can take months or years to fully address.

To be human is to be a work in progress. Let's get to work.

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