I’m interested in therapy. How do I start?
I provide free 15-minute phone consultations in which we can discuss your concerns and goals, and you can ask me questions to determine if we may be a good fit.
Should you decide to move forward, the process of starting therapy begins with a thorough clinical intake interview, which allows me to ensure that I’m able to meet your needs. The process of gathering information and determining fit often continues for your first few sessions, at which point I provide feedback, preliminary diagnostic impressions (if appropriate and desired), and a proposed treatment plan.
Your treatment plan may draw from a number of evidence-based and effective therapies, depending on your unique needs. Working with me is a collaborative process. You are the expert on your own life and experiences, and I bring my expertise and knowledge about psychology from my training and clinical experiences. Together we will work to identify your goals and make lasting and meaningful changes.
What is therapy like?
At its core, therapy is a relationship, unique because of its boundaries and constraints.
Within the context of a therapeutic relationship, we will meet regularly (often weekly, though sometimes more or less) for 50-minute sessions that focus on you. I understand that the prospect of focusing your attention on yourself for nearly an hour may provoke anxiety. Sensitive to this, I do my best to make you feel welcome. I have been told I have a warm and authentic style. I will provide guidance and ask questions to help you if you are unsure of what to discuss.
How long will I be in therapy?
Some individuals come to therapy with specific, well-defined goals. In such cases, we may accomplish a great deal together in a relatively short period of time, perhaps over 8 to 20 sessions. Often, after initial progress is made, individuals choose to continue meeting to address additional concerns.
I do not aim to keep individuals in therapy indefinitely, and you can trust me to provide a recommendation when I believe we are at a good place to end our work together. That said, some clients benefit from longer-term treatment, which allows for deeper work and exploration of life history, patterns, and unconscious processes. My long-term therapeutic relationships are deeply rewarding, for both myself and my clients.
I am interested in a psychological evaluation. Where do I begin?
We will begin with a complimentary 15-minute phone consult to determine if I can meet your assessment needs. The next step is an hour-long intake session, in which I gather information about your background, challenges, and strengths. I also work with you to articulate goals and questions you may have that you want the assessment to answer. (I do the same when working with a child or adolescent on a developmentally appropriate level.)
This initial goal-setting phase allows me to better tailor the evaluation to your needs and interests, as well as allow me to provide targeted recommendations at the conclusion of the assessment. If needed or requested, I also speak with significant others, parents, teachers, colleagues, doctors, and/or therapists to provide a fuller picture and alternative perspectives.
The testing itself is conducted in-person in one or more sessions of multiple hours, depending on the presenting issues and your ability to focus or effectively participate. The nature of the testing sessions varies depending on the type of assessment (click here for more details on the types of professional assessments I offer).
Following testing, I prepare a comprehensive report, which details the results of testing, describes what the results mean in the context of your daily life, and outlines recommendations to help you in your personal, work, academic, and/or interpersonal life.
Do you take insurance?
I am an out-of-network provider, meaning that I do not directly work with any insurance plans, Medicare/Medicaid, or Tricare. However, many clients do obtain substantial reimbursements (often 65-85%) through their insurance companies if they have out-of-network benefits.
I have partnered with Reimbursify to make the process of obtaining reimbursements smooth and efficient. At no cost to you, you can upload your bill to the Reimbursify website or app (click the button below), and they will submit it to your insurance company for you.
Why don’t you take insurance?
Unfortunately, psychologists face several problems if they partner directly with insurance companies. Insurance companies require that a client receive a psychiatric diagnosis to obtain payment for services. This diagnosis then becomes part of that client’s permanent medical record. Some individuals who do not meet criteria for a diagnosis still wish to pursue therapy, and others who do have a diagnosis (or meet the criteria for a diagnosis) may not want this information to be widely available. I cannot guarantee the confidentiality of your records once insurance companies obtain your mental health treatment information.
Additionally, insurance companies often place limitations or requirements on the type and length of therapeutic treatment. I do not believe that insurance companies are in a position to make these important decisions.
How do I determine if I have out of network benefits?
Call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card. (If there is a separate number for mental health or behavioral health plans, call that number instead.)
Inform them that you are planning to see a clinical psychologist for individual therapy, and ask them the following questions:
- Do I have out-of-network benefits which I can use to receive reimbursement for individual therapy?
- What is the rate of reimbursement for individual therapy?
- Is there an annual deductible which must be met before reimbursement is available to me?
- Is there a maximum number of visits allowed per year? If so, how many?
- Can you describe the process for submitting claims for reimbursement?
- How long, on average, does it take to receive the payment after a claim is submitted?
What are your privacy policies?
I take confidentiality very seriously. Please click here for my comprehensive privacy policy notice, and feel free to contact me with any questions.