FAQ’s

Psychotherapy is deemed a medically-necessary service for individuals who meet criteria for a mental disorder – meaning that someone is experiencing psychological distress to the extent that it interferes with their usual/normal daily functioning. I am out-of-network for all insurance companies.

• I encourage you to speak directly with your health insurance plan to understand exactly how much reimbursement you are entitled to – depending on your plan’s deductible, where you are in meeting a deductible, etc. You are responsible for knowing what this coverage will be.
• If your plan has out-of-network coverage, you may use that benefit to seek partial reimbursement for our sessions
• You may ask me for a monthly statement, which you can remit to your health insurance company for direct reimbursement.
• Payment is due at least 24 hours prior to the time of service, and can be paid electronically thru Zelle or PayPal.

• All therapy services will be offered virtually via Zoom, Skype or Doxy, or, when specified in advance, by phone (regular or WhatsApp).

My practice is a good fit for people who wish to:

• decrease depression or anxiety, including post-traumatic reactions
• build or enhance healthy relationships
• become more effective in personal roles (i.e., parenting, being a loving and supportive partner, caring for an aging parent)
• resolve long-standing areas of emotional pain
• process issues associated with addictive behaviors
• manage and create new roles during times of life transitions
• finding meaning and creating balance
• heal from burn-out, re/discover a sense of choice, agency, creativity or passion

My practice is not a good fit for people who experience recurrent panic attacks, extreme anger or violent outbursts, psychotic symptoms (hallucinations or delusions), suicidal ideation and/or have a history of suicide attempts.

If you wish to cancel or reschedule a session, please provide no less than two business days’ (48 hours) notice. Monday appointments need to be cancelled the Friday before.

Cancellation or missed appointments are charged in full, and a new appointment will not be scheduled until the cancelled appointment has been paid for. You will not be able to seek partial reimbursement for that date, as insurance does not pay for an undelivered service.

Usually technology works seamlessly. If you cancel via text, email, or voicemail, please await confirmation from me so that you know I received your cancellation. If you haven’t heard back from me within 24 hours, you’ll know I did not receive your cancellation. Please contact me again.

Mental health terms are used interchangeably so it can be easy to get confused. Here are the differences:

1. Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a physician (MD) who specializes in treating mental health disorders, through psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and/or prescribing and managing psychotropic medications.
2. Psychologist: A licensed psychologist (PhD or PsyD) has a doctoral degree exclusively for the purpose of providing therapy or counseling and/or working in a research or academic environment. Psychologists have four to 6 years of post-graduate education, followed by two years of full-time, supervised clinical service. Psychologists do not have prescription privileges. The terms “psychologist,” “counselor,” and “therapist” can be used interchangeably.
3. MA or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC): LMHCs and MAs have graduated from a two-year Master’s Degree program the emphasis of which is providing mental health services to the public. MAs and LMHCs are considered counselors and therapists.
4. Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): LCSWs also have a Master’s Degree, comprised of two years of post-undergraduate training in their field. Some social work programs provide therapy or counseling education and training.

• One hour (55 minute session): $250.00
• I may make a reduction in the hourly rate for sessions that go over 2 (two) hours
• Payment is due at least 24 hours prior to the time of service, and can be paid electronically thru Zelle or PayPal

Consultation is not deemed a medically-necessary service, and will not be reimbursable from your health insurance company. Like coaching or nutritional counseling or gym membership, consultation is considered a wellness-promoting service, not one to treat a mental health condition. You may have something like a flexible or medical spending account, or health savings account, for which you might be able to reimburse yourself. Check with the plan administrator to determine if this is possible.

• If you wish to submit for reimbursement from a personal HSA, you may ask me for a monthly statement, which you can remit for direct reimbursement.
• Please note that all fees are due at the time of service.

If the cost of services is a true hardship, please speak with me in person to determine if you qualify for a reduced hourly rate.

My office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM. The latest one-hour appointment time is 4:00 PM.

Extended consultation hours may at times be later in the day or on the weekend, if this is mutually agreeable and feasible.

Consultation is an effective means of addressing problem-solving and change in the here and now. Common issues include:

• Patterns of interaction/Conflict management
• New skills to address a phase of life issue in myself or others
• Building confidence
• Self-Reflection
• Self-defeating or ineffective behaviors
• Attitudes/beliefs that cause conflict with important people
• Emotional reactivity and/or responses to stress/unanticipated change
• Developing motivation for goals/projects
• Defining goals for the present and/or the future
• Defining values to guide important choices

Yes. I work with partners and/or spouses. I do not provide consultation for divorce, parenting plans, or custody evaluations.

I can consult with a family system if everyone in attendance is over 21.

If you wish to cancel or reschedule a session, please provide no less than two business days’ (48 hours) notice except for Monday appointments, which need to be cancelled the Friday before).

Cancellation or missed appointments are charged in full, and a new appointment will not be scheduled until the cancelled appointment has been paid for.

Usually technology works seamlessly. If you cancel via text, email, or voicemail, please await confirmation from me so that you know I received your cancellation. If you haven’t heard back from me within 24 hours, you’ll know I did not receive your cancellation. Please contact me again.

This is contingent upon what is appropriate for your goals. The frequency will be something we determine together, and could be weekly, biweekly, once a month, or, if there is some pressing decision or change, we could meet more than once a week. We also have the freedom to meet longer than one hour, so that we can truly dive into material.

• Sometimes, if you and I have an established relationship, one or two sessions is sufficient to get back on track, get unstuck, benefit from seeing things from another perspective and talking them through.
• Often, to reach new goals, we need a bit more time and some regularity of meeting. It is customary to book 4 or 6 sessions at a time, and then evaluate at the end of this period how much growth you’ve made and what the next step should be.