12-Week Program

Why I Recommend the 12-Week Surfing Emotions Therapy (SET) Program

After years of clinical work, I’ve learned that meaningful emotional change doesn’t happen by accident—and it rarely happens quickly. The 12-week personalized SET Program was intentionally designed to address the core issues many people bring to therapy: anger and reactivity, anxiety, depression, feeling stuck, trauma-driven patterns, and addictions of many kinds.

I recommend this approach for two primary reasons: (1) sequence and structure, and (2) time.

1. Sequence and Structure Get You Moving in the Right Direction From Day One

There are many paths to healing. Some people benefit from a more open-ended, organic therapeutic process, and there is real value in allowing themes to emerge naturally.

At the same time, many people come to therapy not only for support, but for guidance—for an approach grounded in clinical expertise that helps them make progress more efficiently. This is where a structured, clinically informed progression can be especially effective.

When you build a house, you don’t start with the roof. You start with the foundation. You can’t frame without the foundation, and you can’t put on a roof without the frame.

Emotional growth works the same way. Over time, my work has clarified an efficient, growth-supporting order—one that is now built directly into the SET Program.

The SET Program offers a clear progression designed to support deep emotional growth, not just short-term symptom relief. It integrates evidence-based therapeutic approaches, modern neuroscience, and mindfulness-based practices, helping you understand not only what to change, but why change has been difficult in the first place.

The process includes:

• Understanding emotions and the role they play in survival and coping
• Learning how the brain forms habit loops and emotional responses
• Developing mindful awareness of reactive patterns and triggers
• Identifying obstacles to emotional growth (without self-blame)
• Learning practical, effective coping tools
• Strengthening change through practice, feedback, and real-life application
   

This structure helps prevent a common trap: trying to “fix” behavior before understanding the system driving it. Instead, it builds a solid foundation for lasting change.

2. Lasting Change Takes Time—and 12 Weeks Matters

Research on habit formation and behavior change consistently shows that:

• New behaviors typically take months, not weeks, to become automatic
• Change improves with continued engagement over time
• Short-term interventions often produce insight, but not durable results

Whether the issue is anxiety, emotional reactivity, trauma responses, or addiction, therapy is ultimately about rewiring the brain—building new neural pathways and strengthening healthier emotional and behavioral patterns. There are no quick fixes. 

In my experience, twelve weeks is a clinically meaningful window: long enough for people not only to learn skills, but to practice them in real life—where stress, triggers, and old patterns actually show up. Lasting change doesn’t come from learning a tool once; it comes from repeating it until it becomes internalized.

Addiction research points in the same direction. Outcomes improve when people have enough time not only to learn new ways of coping, but to practice them, work through obstacles, and stabilize new patterns—something shorter time frames rarely allow.

The 12-week structure allows enough time for:

• New skills to be practiced repeatedly
• Healthier responses to become internalized
• Old, unhelpful patterns to weaken
• Emotional growth to stabilize rather than collapse under stress

This isn’t about rushing change—it’s about giving the brain the time and structure it needs to build what actually lasts.

In Short

The SET Program is designed not for quick fixes, but for real, durable change—built in the right order, over enough time, and grounded in how the brain actually learns and grows.

What You’ll Experience 

Sessions blend education, guided practice, self-reflection, and practical tools. Each week, we review your real-life experiences, discuss any homework, and explore how to apply the concepts to situations you’re currently facing. Reading and homework are fully individualized—matched to your time availability, goals, and preferred learning style. 

The 12-Week Path (Flexible & Personalized) Recommended Sequence

Weeks 1–3: Foundation — Understanding Emotions & the Brain

(Understanding emotions, survival, and habit loops)

Weeks 4–6: Awareness & Interruption

(Mindful awareness of reactive patterns and triggers)

Weeks 7–9: Cognitive & Behavioral Skill-Building

(Practical tools for clarity and choice)

Weeks 10–12: Identity, Relationships & Change Consolidation

(Strengthening change through practice and meaning)

Program Details 

• Format: Weekly 1-on-1 sessions (60 minutes) 
• Length: 12 weeks (flexible pacing available)
• Cost: $150 per session, paid weekly
• Commitment: No long-term obligation—you can pause or stop anytime
• Availability: By secure video

If you're interested in beginning or want to explore whether this program is a good fit, please reach out:

Confidential Voice/Text:
📞 (805) 262-7300

Florida and California residents located in these states only.