Working Together
Getting Started
Contact me here. We will set up a complimentary, 20 - minute, initial phone consultation. On the phone call, feel free to ask me any questions that you might have about my practice and approach to treatment. I will be asking you a few questions about yourself and what issues you would like to address in therapy. The intention of this phone call is for both of us to determine if we will be a good fit working together. At the end of the call, we can decide to schedule an intake appointment.
Intake Appointment
Before your intake appointment you can download the intake forms here. If you forget to do so I will provide them at my office. Please arrive about 15 minutes early in order to fill out the forms. During the intake, I will be getting to know you. I will ask you questions about your history, your current concerns and your goals. This will help me assess your needs and will help me to determine how I can best support you. We will decide together how to move forward with treatment.
Our Work
At the beginning of treatment, I typically work with my clients on a weekly basis. Appointments are 55 minutes long for individual adult therapy, 45 for child and adolescent therapy, and 90 minutes for couples, families and EMDR therapy. It is important that you are consistent with your attendance at your therapy appointments in order to get the most benefit. We will work together to develop goals for your treatment and will periodically review how we are meeting your goals. There may come a point in treatment where we decide to meet less frequently and we can decide together when that will be.
Termination
Because we are each unique and addressing different challenges, there is not a set number of therapy sessions that will be prescribed; we will end treatment when it is right for you. During our last appointment, I will review our work together, assess the progress that was made and the areas to be mindful about, we will set goals for the future and develop a plan for you moving forward.
Ongoing Support
After you meet your goals and decide to end treatment, there could be a time in the future that you want additional support. I am available to resume working together should need the arise.
Fees and Insurance
My standard fee is $200 for a 50-55 minute session and $275 for a 90 minute session. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. I offer a sliding scale for a limited number of individuals should you have financial challenges.
I am not a contracted provider for any health insurance companies. I am what is called an out-of-network mental health care provider. Therefore, I take payments each session and can provide a statement of services at the end of the month that you can submit to your provider for reimbursement. Many health insurance providers will reimburse for treatment provided by a licensed psychologist. Most insurance companies will reimburse you directly. Health insurance plans vary widely, if you are interested in receiving reimbursement from your insurance company, you are responsible for contacting your health insurance company to determine your benefits and what you might be reimbursed for. Here are some questions that might be helpful for you to ask:
Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
Is out-of-network mental health care covered?
What amount is covered for out-of-network providers?
Is there a limit to how many sessions are covered per year?
Do I need approval or pre-authorization from the insurance company or primary care physician before starting treatment?
What information is require for reimbursement?
Should you determine that you prefer to work with an in-network mental health care provider, the best way to find a provider is to contact your health insurance company and ask them to provide a list of in-network providers in your area. You can call these providers or go on their websites to determine if they will be a good fit for you. Another option for finding mental health care practitioners is to go on the website Psychology Today. You can search for providers using filters for specific insurance carriers.
Cancellation Policy
Once an appointment is schedule with me, you will be expected to attend and pay for that appointment. Please contact me as soon as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Unless you give me 24-hours notice, and without exception, missed or cancelled appointments will be charged in full.
Communications
I use email and text messages only with your permission. I have no way to ensure the confidentiality of our communication with one another over email and text messages. If you prefer to communicate this way with me, you are assuming all risks regarding the confidentiality of any information that you send. My communications with you via text and email will remain professional, will be used for scheduling and billing primarily and will be done during business hours. I encourage you to call me if you would like to talk about other issues.