Strategic Psychological Consultation
Insight-driven, confidential advisory for high-stakes challenges with strategic psychological guidance beyond the therapy room.
At a Glance: Strategic, Non-Clinical Consultation
I offer strategic consultation as a non-clinical service providing objective insight and decision support. This means we focus on clarity and actionable strategies rather than therapy or treatment. Available to clients nationwide and globally, these consultations are designed for leaders, professionals, and others in complex roles who want an outside perspective shaped by the science of human behavior and decision-making. In-person consults are available by request in the Sacramento, CA area, with travel to your location possible for an additional fee.
Quick Facts
Format: Online via secure, private video (nationwide); in-person by request (Sacramento area; travel available for on-site sessions)
Approach: Solution-focused, insight-oriented advisory based on psychological science (collaborative and goal-driven; no diagnoses or therapy)
Who I help: Executives, managers, and professionals in high-stakes roles; veterans, first responders, and security-cleared individuals seeking discreet, independent guidance; public-facing professionals under intense scrutiny; anyone facing a complex decision, transition, or dilemma needing strategic psychological perspective.
Availability: Consultation offered nationwide (distinct from therapy services) • In-person option in Greater Sacramento • International and travel-based in-person consultation by arrangement
Privacy: 100% confidential consultation (not part of medical records; no insurance reporting) • Self-pay only
Fees: $450 per 60-75 minute consultation (online) • Customized rates for extended or on-site engagements (travel fees additional) • Self-pay only
Start: Free 15-minute introductory consult to discuss needs, fit, and goals
Who I Help with Strategic Consultation
Leaders & Decision-Makers: C-suite executives, managers, and military or government leaders navigating high-stakes decisions or organizational challenges who want an objective sounding board and psychologically informed strategies.
Security-Cleared & Sensitive Roles: Federal, intelligence, and law-enforcement professionals seeking a confidential consultation to manage stress, navigate moral dilemmas, or gain clarity at key decision-points, distinct from therapy or clinical record-keeping.
Veterans & First Responders: Individuals accustomed to high-pressure environments (combat, emergency response) who are facing complex life transitions or ethical decisions. For example, transitioning to civilian roles, or seeking performance optimization beyond what medical treatment addresses.
Public-Facing Professionals: Politicians, healthcare leaders, educators, media figures, and others in the public eye dealing with intense scrutiny, burnout, or tough choices. Strategic consultation provides a private forum to work through plans and responses to these unique stressors.
Anyone Facing a Complex Dilemma: You might be at a crossroads in your career, unsure how to handle a sensitive family decision, or grappling with a personal challenge that doesn’t rise to the level of therapy. If you need psychological insight and perspective on a specific problem, without committing to ongoing therapy, this consultative service is designed for you.
(Not sure if your situation fits? In our free initial call, we can clarify whether strategic consultation will meet your needs.)
How Strategic Consultation Works
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Focused Problem-Solving:
Strategic consultation centers on the defined problem or decision you bring forward. I’ll help you clarify context, values, and psychological factors shaping your choices. We may reflect on relevant background as it informs the present, but the emphasis is on insight and strategy for forward movement, not therapeutic diagnosis or treatment.
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Clinical Insight:
As a licensed clinical psychologist providing strategic consultation, I draw on years of clinical expertise and evidence-based psychology to evaluate complex problems from multiple perspectives. I use structured methods, such as values clarification, cognitive re-framing, and decision-matrix tools, to illuminate blind spots and identify effective pathways forward. My role is to offer a clear, objective perspective that bridges psychological insight with practical decision-making.
My background in military history and diplomacy, combined with international teaching and field studies abroad, has shaped a multicultural and systems-informed lens. This perspective allows me to integrate behavioral science with cultural, organizational, and contextual awareness-bringing depth, precision, and cross-cultural insight to each consultation.
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Actionable Guidance:
We’ll brainstorm solutions and outline concrete next steps. By the end of the consultation, you can expect clear recommendations, strategies, or tools tailored to the unique circumstances and nuances of your situation. This might include communication approaches for a difficult conversation, stress-management techniques for high-pressure scenarios, values-informed leadership or performance tips, or simply a well-reasoned plan for your decision. I aim to ensure you leave with renewed clarity and a strategic roadmap you can put into action immediately.
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Short-Term and Flexible:
Strategic consultations are often stand-alone sessions or a short series of meetings. Some clients find that a single intensive session provides the insight they need, while others might schedule periodic follow-ups for continued guidance on evolving challenges. There is no long-term commitment required, our work is as brief or as occasional as fits your needs. And because this is not therapy, we stay laser-focused on practical outcomes and forward movement.
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A Note on Scope:
Strategic consultation is not a substitute for mental health services. If during our work I recognize that your needs would be better served by therapy or another form of clinical support, I will let you know. My priority is that you get the appropriate help, whether that’s strategic advice or therapeutic care. (If needed, I can provide referrals or help you transition into therapy services, either with Next Mission Recovery in CA/VA or with trusted providers in your area.)
Consultation vs. Therapy: What’s the Difference?
Strategic consultation Strategic consultation is advisory and educational in nature, whereas therapy is clinical and healing-focused. In consultation, we tackle a specific issue or decision using psychological knowledge grounded in behavioral science and evidence-based research, but we do not treat mental health conditions. There’s no diagnosis, no medical records, and no insurance involvement. Consultation is ideal if you’re feeling stuck on a problem, need a second opinion informed by psychology, or want to improve decision-making and strategy in a high-pressure role.
By contrast, therapy is appropriate for addressing diagnosed mental health disorders, processing trauma, or engaging in a structured treatment plan for symptoms that significantly affect your daily functioning. Therapy often involves a longer-term relationship and is restricted to states where the provider is licensed (for me, that’s California and Virginia). If you’re experiencing PTSD symptoms, severe anxiety/depression, or trauma-related difficulties that you want to heal, traditional psychotherapy would likely be the recommended path (and I can help you find the right resources for that).
In short: if you need insight, direction, or skills for a complex situation and you’re not looking for medical/clinical treatment, strategic consultation is a great option. If you’re seeking to recover from psychological trauma, manage mental health symptoms, or undergo psychotherapy, then one of my therapy services or another clinical provider would be the better fit. During our initial 15-minute call, we can further distinguish which route makes sense for you. My goal is to connect you with the right level of support.
How to Get Started
Book a free 15-minute consult. Begin by scheduling a complimentary 15-minute phone call. We’ll discuss what issue you have in mind, what you’re hoping to get out of the process, and ensure that strategic consultation is the appropriate service for you. This is a no-obligation, informal chat to answer questions and confirm a good fit.
Schedule your consultation session. If we decide to move forward, we’ll set up a full-length consultation. Sessions are typically 60-75 minutes via secure online video. (For in-person or on-site requests, we’ll coordinate logistics and any travel arrangements ahead of time.) Prior to the meeting, I will ask you to identify key points and complete a consultation assessment so we can hit the ground running.
Engage in the session and follow up. During the consultation, we’ll dive deep into your challenge using the approach described above. You are welcome to take notes, but I can also provide a summary of key takeaways or a brief written action-plan after the session upon request. You can then implement the strategies discussed. If you find you want additional guidance, you can schedule follow-up consultations at whatever interval makes sense (weeks or months down the line, or simply on an as-needed basis). There’s complete flexibility. And remember, if it turns out you need a different kind of support, I’ll point you in the right direction.
Add-On: Specialized Evaluation
For those seeking deeper psychological insight to strengthen consultation outcomes and better understand how personality influences judgment, influence, and relationships, I offer a private Specialized Psychological Evaluation as a separate, non-clinical service. This includes a structured interview, mood screeners, and MMPI-3, as a separate, non-diagnostic, non-clinical service. The evaluation concludes with personalized feedback session that translates your results into strategic, actionable insights, illuminating how your personality profile interacts with risk perception, communication under stress, trust/authority dynamics, and decision-making style.
This process integrates empirical data with individualized interpretation to clarify how your personality profile influences judgment, leadership, communication, resilience, and decision-making when it counts. My role is to help you translate these findings into practical awareness, linking personality dynamics to the ways you reason, lead, and relate to others.
Whether your goal is to enhance strategic effectiveness in professional settings or to gain personal clarity around the psychological factors shaping your choices and relationships, this evaluation provides a research-based foundation for self-understanding and growth. It is not a forensic or fitness-for-duty evaluation and is not intended for employment, legal, or clearance determinations. Rather, it offers a clinically informed understanding of your personality profile, how characteristic traits, coping styles, and interpersonal tendencies influence judgment, leadership, and emotional resilience, so that insights can be applied toward more effective functioning and intentional decision-making.
If the evaluation suggests a mental health issue, we can adjust so that you can obtain the treatment you need, either from me or another qualified mental health provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Consultation is advisory and strategic in nature. There is no diagnosis, treatment plan, or insurance billing.
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Yes. I offer non-clinical psychological consultation nationwide and internationally through secure online tele-consultation, and in-person by appointment.
For in-person consultations outside the Sacramento area, travel fees apply.
If therapy or evaluation becomes appropriate, I can help you identify licensed providers in your state or country.
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No. To keep boundaries and privacy clear, I do not issue diagnosis codes, superbills, or third‑party reports for non‑clinical consultation.
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Consulting services do not create a therapy relationship either during or after consultation. Furthermore, I provide therapy only in California and Virginia. If you wish to pursue therapy, we can discuss that separately.
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Yes. We can meet by request in the greater Sacramento area. I also travel for on‑site consultations by agreement.
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Share your goals; if therapy would better serve you, I’ll say so and point you to next steps. If not, I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction.
Have more questions? Visit my frequently asked questions about online trauma therapy page.