Find Your Answers

Insurance and Billing

Absolutely - I help clients use their out-of-network benefits from their insurance provider so they can get reimbursed for therapy (check your coverage here). I am not "in-network" with any insurance plans, so I cannot take insurance directly. 

To find out how much your insurance plan will reimburse you, use this out-of-network benefits checker. If you prefer to talk to a real human being, you can call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask a representative the following questions:

1. Does my plan include “out-of-network” coverage for mental health?

2. What is my annual deductible for mental health benefits?

3. What is my co-insurance? (What percentage does the plan cover?)

4. Is there a limit on the number of sessions my plan will cover per year?

5. How do I submit receipts for reimbursement?

Can I use my insurance for therapy?

How does payment work?

You'll receive an invoice at the end of every month that includes every session held that month. I accept payments bank-to-bank platforms (i.e., Chase Quickpay, Zelle, etc) or by check.

Insurance vs out-of-network?

Sometimes people wonder why therapists don't take insurance. I get it - paying out-of-pocket is a bigger financial investment and it may limit who you're able to see. That's why I want to be transparent and upfront about why I am not in-network with insurance providers.

Confidentiality. Insurance companies typically require therapists to submit claims using a platform called an Electronic Health Record. Sharing private information with this type of third party (or an insurance provider in general) raises the risk of your data being hacked, leaked, or exposed. Plus, if you ever require a federal background check (i.e. if you join the military, become a pilot, etc), your personal information may be accessed through these insurance records. Bypassing insurance helps ensure the highest level of protection for your private mental health information.

Humanity. Insurance companies also require therapists to submit their claims with a diagnostic code attached to each patient. That means that I would have to choose a code, even if it is not entirely appropriate or accurate. When you're separated from this code, you can be treated as a human being as opposed to a series of letters and numbers.  

Collaboration. Insurance companies can be very hands-on when it comes to how therapy is conducted. Sometimes, they dictate terms of treatment, such as limiting how many months we can meet, the number of sessions, or duration of each session. They can also determine when therapy is "no longer necessary" with little to no explanation or forewarning. Obviously, I want to avoid this. I'd rather collaborate with you on what kind of treatment is most effective, instead of working around the demands of a corporation.   

Focus. Insurance is a complicated maze to navigate. If a therapist submits a claim to insurance to be reimbursed, it's not guaranteed when that reimbursement will come, if at all. It's not uncommon for therapists to spend hours on the phone listening to hold music and sending faxes (yes, actual faxes) into the insurance abyss to track down payments and negotiate client care. This creates an undue financial strain for the therapist and a giant headache for both therapist and client. My goal is to focus on you as much as possible without the distraction and exhaustion of insurance bureaucracy creeping into the therapy room. 

Scheduling

I am only seeing clients virtually for the time being.

Are you seeing clients virtually or in-person?

What is your cancellation policy?

How often do we meet?

We'll meet once per week, ideally at the same time each week. It would be amazing if you could come to therapy once or twice and instantly have that lightbulb moment where you see everything in a new light. Unfortunately, that's only the Hollywood version of therapy and it's not realistic. Therapy takes time, consistency, and work.

In my experience, people see the best results when therapy is a weekly commitment. It might seem like if we meet every other week or monthly then you'll get the most bang for your buck, but it actually tends to just delay progress. It's harder for us to get into a rhythm of doing the work and it takes longer for trust to build between us.

How long are sessions?

Sessions are 45-minutes long unless you want to dive deeper and choose to come for two weekly sessions, or a longer 90-minute session.

Please give 48 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a session. If we're able to reschedule within the same week, there will not be a cancellation fee. If you do need to cancel and it's within 48 hours of our session start time, you may be charged for the full rate of the session.

Of course, I understand serious medical reasons or circumstances outside of your control happen, so these will be taken into consideration.

In Session

What can I expect from you in our sessions?

Finding the right therapist for you is one of the most important parts of the therapeutic process. I adapt my style depending on your needs, your preferred form of engagement, and what is most successful in gently guiding you towards your goals.

This means our sessions may be more conversational and active. Or, I may step back and give you additional space to unpack and work through what you’re feeling.

What does progress look like?

Sometimes progress will show up in distinct ways, such as a noticeable increase in mood or a decrease in depressive symptoms. Other times, it may be more nuanced. I adopt a strength-based approach to identify and bring attention to these positive changes, small or large.

After all, the small steps pave the way for larger ones. The evidence of growth and change will be most apparent when there is a trusting, authentic relationship between you and your therapist.

Getting Started

How do I know if I "need" therapy?

Maybe you feel stuck. Maybe you feel trapped or are constantly running away from certain issues. If you’ve tried to make changes on your own and found little success, therapy might be able to help.

You can expect our sessions to be collaborative and interactive – it’s an open conversation, not an interview. In the beginning, it will be helpful for me to understand what you’d like to achieve in therapy, your background, and what has worked for you in the past.

If you have questions about how therapy works or what to expect down the line, I’d be happy to discuss them so our work starts as transparently as possible.

Online Therapy

How does online therapy work?

I've found that the closer we can make online therapy to in-person therapy, the better and more satisfying our sessions will be. This means a few things:

Privacy
Please make sure you're in a quiet, private, space that is free of distractions. If others are around you or you're moving around, it can be distracting for both of us and keeps us on the surface.

Video vs Audio
If possible, please keep your video on for the entire session. If it is unavoidable, we can talk on the phone or have video off, but I do find that this creates a barrier to the communication that is critical in therapy.

Still Have Questions?

Feel free to email or text me and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.