Services

Confidentiality is a foundational aspect of treatment. As a general rule, all therapy sessions are confidential and anything you discuss with your therapist will remain between the two of you, unless you request otherwise. This is as per protection rules by law, which all therapists legally need to follow, and no information from the session can be disclosed without prior written consent from the client.

There are exceptions to this law however in which a therapist can or is required by law to disclose information including:

-Concerns regarding abuse to a child, dependent adult, or elder abuse. Psychologists are mandated reporters and are required by law to notify child/adult protective services and/or law enforcement immediately with concerns of abuse.

-If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.

I am in network with Aetna and United insurance.

For all other insurers, I can provide you with the necessary paperwork called a superbill, to submit your own claims for out-of-network reimbursement.

Please note that if you choose to use your insurance, I will be required to submit a DSM-5 Diagnosis code and your insurance company may require me to submit your therapy notes to ensure medical necessity and coverage.

Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Please check your coverage carefully by asking the following questions of your insurance provider:

-What are my mental health insurance benefits?

-What is my deductible and has it been met?

-How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?

-Is approval or a referral required from my primary care physician?

-Can I get reimbursed to see an out-of-network provider if my therapist provides a superbill?

-If so, what is my out-of-network deductible (this is the amount you must papy before the plan begins to cover services. You may have a separate deductible for in-network and out-of-network services).

-How much of my out-of-network deductible has been met so far?

-What is the cost for visits once my out-of-network deductible is met?

-How can I submit my superbills for reimbursement? Is there a timeframe in which I need to submit superbills (e.g. within 90 days of receiving services)?

Your first visit is an opportunity to get to know more about what brings you to treatment, to understand the context and history of your current difficulties, discuss further what you hope to get from coming to treatment and ensure I am a good fit for your needs.

I generally find it is most helpful to meet with clients more regularly starting out (weekly to every other week) and as things improve, start to spread visits out over time. Everyone’s circumstances are unique, so we will discuss a frequency of treatment that is practical for you in your life as well as needed to help meet your treatment goals.

The duration of treatment varies from person to person based on a number of factors and can be discussed further at your initial visit.

Medications can be a very effective tool for some people for things such as depression or anxiety but medication alone is not often effective as it does not help us to learn more effective ways of coping with difficulties. For milder difficulties, therapy alone is often sufficient. For others, the combination of medication and therapy is most helpful. This is something that can be discussed together in treatment to determine the best course of action. Psychologists do not prescribe medication, so if you would like to consider medication, we can discuss if it may be most helpful to talk with your primary care doctor, speciality medical doctor (e.g. OBGYN/midwife, oncologist), or if you may benefit from a referral to see a psychiatrist.