COMMON QUESTIONS

I mainly provide individual therapy. I might also do occasional family sessions or parent consultations when working with clients under 18. I do not offer family therapy or couples counseling.

The therapy process is different for everyone. I usually start by learning more about your concerns, needs, and personality. Together we'll create a plan to address your issues and help you improve your life. We will set goals that are feasible and relevant for you at that time.  

Usually, sessions start off weekly, then biweekly, then taper down to monthly. There is no set length of time or number of sessions where you're guaranteed to feel “better”. For some, therapy is a short term solution, while others continue therapy for months or years. There are ups and downs throughout the process, which is normal. Therapy involves being ready to look at your patterns, figure out what isn’t working, and learn new behaviors. It will take patience, honesty, and openness to trying new things.

While there's no quick fix with mental health, therapy can be an effective way to work through problems. The outcome of therapy largely depends on your willingness to commit to the process. I can’t promise a particular outcome, but the more you put into therapy, the more you will get out of it. For best results, you'll need to attend sessions regularly and work on yourself outside of sessions. 

Contrary to what some believe, seeking help does not make you weak or "crazy". It's actually a healthy sign of strength to  put time and effort into helping yourself. Talking to a therapist is not the same as talking to a family member or friend. Sometimes, we need a trained, unbiased professional to help us through tough times and provide a different perspective. 

Before we meet, I will have a brief phone consultation with you to see if we're a good fit to work together. This is to make sure that you get the best quality care for your specific needs. In this consultation, we can discuss fees, scheduling, and any other questions you may have. 

At our first appointment (called an intake or assessment), I will gather information about your current situation, your history, and other relevant background information. There are a few questions I have to ask, but I mainly use this time to get to know you and figure out the best way I can help you. We will figure out an initial treatment plan, which can include goals, frequency of therapy, etc. 

As a client, any information you share with your therapist is protected by strict privacy laws. I use secure software for documentation and telehealth services to preserve your privacy. Your information can only be disclosed to another party with your written consent. If you are under 18, I am NOT obligated to tell your parents/guardians what we discuss in sessions, with the exception of the situations below.

For clients of all ages, I am legally required to immediately report the following to the authorities: 

• If you are a safety threat to yourself
• If you are a safety threat to others
• If you inform me of  recent or ongoing child abuse/neglect, or abuse/neglect of a dependent adult or elderly person

The clients I work best with include (but are not limited to) people with anxiety, depression, trauma, low self esteem, or challenges adjusting to big changes/life transitions. I often help people with issues of communication, boundaries, and assertiveness. I work with teens 16+ and adults of all ages, including college students. I also really love working with other therapists who need counseling for themselves.  

(This is a very broad list, so if your issue doesn’t fit neatly into these categories, please still reach out!)

For mental health concerns such as personality disorders, recent/active addiction, or complex PTSD, I will most likely not be a good fit. I typically don't work with teens younger than 16, and I do not see couples or families. If we aren't a good fit, I will refer you to someone in town who can meet your needs. 

There are lots of misconceptions surrounding this question. The problem isn't so much what therapy costs, but rather that our healthcare system does not adequately cover these services. The cost of therapy is based on therapist experience, skill level, training, and the cost to run a therapy business. It takes into account the amount of money, education, and training it takes to become a licensed therapist, as well as the time and effort spent working in the field and completing continuing education to stay up to date in the profession. Our fees are proportionate to these factors, and must be in order for us to survive.

Although we set our out-of-pocket rates, therapists have no control over how much insurance companies pay for treatment, or whether they cover treatment at all. Therapy tends to be expensive not because of therapists, but because of our flawed healthcare system. In an ideal world, therapists would be fairly compensated for their labor, and therapy would be affordable (or even free) for everyone. Unfortunately, our system does not view mental health care the same way it does physical health. This results in a) therapists having to take huge pay cuts in order to provide affordable care, or b) patients paying large amounts out of pocket for services. It's important to understand that this is not a fault on part of therapists, but instead the system as a whole.

from EMDRIA website:  "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. It is endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association, the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, and the World Health Organization." To read more about the EMDR therapy process, visit https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/ 

You can contact me using my website contact form to set up an appointment. If my schedule is full, I may place you on a wait list until I have an opening.  

NOTE: If the prospective client is 18 or older, they must call or email themselves to set up services. If the client is under 18, a parent or legal guardian must set up the appointment. 

I use IvyPay to keep a credit card on file, which will be charged at the time of your appointment. Payments can be made using any major credit card, or your HSA account.

If I am unable to collect payment, this may result in the cancellation of your upcoming appointments until your balance is paid in full.

• All cancellations require 48 hours’ notice. You can call, text, or email to cancel or reschedule To avoid a fee, you may reschedule within a week, or switch to telehealth if you can’t come in-person. 
• Late cancellations/no shows incur a $102.75 fee. Some exceptions are possible for contagious illness, true emergencies, or unavoidable circumstances (i.e. jury duty). (NOTE: Forgetting or not planning ahead for an appointment does not count as unavoidable.) 
• If you are more than 15 minutes late, your appointment may be canceled and a fee will be assessed at that time. If you accrue more than 2 late cancels/no-shows in a row, you may be removed from my schedule or discharged.  
• If you are involved in a court-related case, phone calls or court appearances may incur additional fees. Letter writing or document preparation may also incur a fee.

This policy may be different from others you've seen, but unfortunately these boundaries have become necessary for my practice. Missed appointments can delay your progress, and also take up a spot that could be used to help someone else. Late cancels/no shows also cause me to lose income for that hour, which hurts the financial health of my business.