Common Questions
What is your Privacy Policy?
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Can I use my Insurance? What is the Rate?
For information on Rates/Insurance click here.
How can therapy help me?
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Developing skills for improving your relationships
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
- Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
- Improving communications and listening skills
- Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
- Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you’ve faced, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives.
What is therapy like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process – such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.
What about medication vs. psychotherapy?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important aspects in a therapeutic relationship. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (you’re your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:
* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
* If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person
Rates & Insurance
Rates
$140 per 55minute session
Insurance
In order to protect the confidentiality of my clients and provide the best therapeutic care possible I do not accept insurance at this time. Insurers require the release of your confidential records in order to cover your services. Additionally, although it is my goal to work as briefly as possible with my clients, many insurers pre-determine the length of therapy or specific number of sessions which may not effectively meet your needs and thus interfere with appropriate completion of therapeutic treatment. In many cases, insurance companies require re-authorization every few weeks, months or sometimes days in order to continue care. Finally, insurance companies require a mental health diagnosis which may or may not be a focus or even important to the issue for which you are seeking therapy services. However, if you do require services to be covered under insurance I will do my best to make a recommendation based on the providers listed on your insurance plan.
For those clients with a PPO insurance plan I can provide you with a Super-Bill which you can submit to your insurance in order to claim out-of-network benefits. This is usually a percentage of full bill amount. It is best to check with your insurance ahead of time to determine the out-of-network benefits are covered.
Reduced Fees & Packages
Reduced Fees/Sliding scale fees are available based on need on a limited basis. In an effort to reduce treatment fees, I also offer several Cost Saving Therapy Packages. These packages are especially beneficial to clients who are committed to therapy and plan on continuing care throughout the duration of the treatment recommendations.
Payment
Cash, check and all major credit cards accepted for payment.
Cancellation Policy
If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not provided notification at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.
Privacy & Confidentiality Policy
Confidentiality between a client and therapist is one of the most crucial elements of therapy. The law protects the relationship between a client and a psychotherapist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission. As mental health professionals, therapists should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement (aka: “Informed Consent”), which explains your rights to confidentiality concerning subject matters discussed in therapy sessions. Therefore, within the limits of the law, information revealed by you during therapy will be kept strictly confidential and will not be revealed to any other person or agency without your written permission. However, due to state laws and professional ethics, there are possible exceptions to confidentiality including: information revealed in therapy pertaining to (a) court orders, (b) fee disputes, (c) negligence suits against the therapist, or the (c)filing of a complaint with the licensing board. Other exceptions include:
- Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse, for which I am required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities.
- If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s, I must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
- If a client intends to harm himself or herself, I will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in ensuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, I will take further measures without their permission that are provided to me by law in order to ensure their safety.