COVID-19 Safety Measures

(Last Update: May 6, 2023)

As of April 4, 2023 the State of Washington lifted the mask mandate for healthcare settings and that’s great news.  At the same time, I want my space to be a liberatory one for everybody, including people over 65 or those who are immunocompromised. The pandemic is not over for everyone. The policies and procedures below are designed to assure continued health and safety for all.

Vaccines and Boosters: I am fully vaccinated and up to date on boosters and ask that you be as well. Because I am immunocompromised, this is important to me, and I will be requiring proof of vaccination and booster status. Very limited exceptions may be made to this policy in the case of an evidence-based reason and note from a medical professional stating that you that you are unable to receive a vaccine due to a health condition. Unvaccinated clients will be asked to provide a COVID rapid test before sessions. If these policies feel too restrictive, virtual appointments may be a better fit for you, and I am happy to make those referrals with no judgement or hard feelings.

Please Stay Home If You Are Sick: Please do not come to my office if you feel sick or under-the-weather in any way. If you have allergies or a chronic health condition that mimics virus symptoms, we can talk about this and make exceptions if appropriate. If you’re unwell, we may be able to do a telehealth session. 

Masks: If it feels more comfortable for you, please feel welcome to wear a mask in my waiting room and office and I will follow your lead.  Clients who are not up to date on boosters or providing day-of negative tests will not qualify for unmasked sessions.

Waiting Room: Only one party at-a-time (individuals or families) will be permitted in my waiting room. Please do not bring unvaccinated people, regardless of age, into my waiting room or office.

Air Quality: There are 3 large windows and lots of ventilation in my office. Because the building is steam-heated, it’s still comfortable with the windows open on cold days. In addition, there is a HEPA air purifier in my waiting room and two in my office. I invested in a state-of-the-art Mila (https://www.milacares.com) air purifier that tracks 8 measurements of air quality in real-time.  If you’re interested, I can share these data with you.

Physical Distancing: I have arranged my office furniture to space us 9 feet apart

Hygiene: Although we now know that COVID is rarely - if ever - spread through surfaces, to be on the safe side I will be cleaning and sanitizing common surfaces daily and providing hand sanitizer. You are also welcome to wash your hands at the sink in my office when you arrive.

Exposure: Please do not come to my office if you know or suspect that you have been exposed to COVID. If I am exposed, I will suspend in-person sessions until I get a negative test ask you to do the same.  If you contract COVID please let me know immediately so that I can isolate and test myself and notify anyone you might have encountered at my office. Your confidentiality will be 100% respected and I will only share that there has been an exposure, not where came from. COVID is an extremely contagious virus, and there is no shame in contracting it – rest assured that I will not be angry or disappointed if you receive positive COVID test.