1st Consultation

20 minutes phone or face-to-face interview

 FREE!

This is a very good idea, for teens especially, as I believe teenagers need to choose and trust their therapist for therapy to work. If the fit is right, the initial consultation may proceed to a first session then, or an initial session may be scheduled for a later date, depending on availability.

FEES

Initial session: $150.00. This session will generally last 90-120 minutes

Subsequent sessions: $100.00 for a 60-minute individual therapy session.

I accept cash, personal checks, or credit cards—VISA, MasterCard, American Express & Discover. I am also FSA eligible and able to process your card, if you have a Flexible Health Spending Account. You may pay for initial and individual sessions in advance, through my website's PAYPAL feature, if this is more convenient. Payment is due at the beginning of each session and must be made before additional sessions can be booked.

 I am also happy to speak with you and provide referrals to non-profit agencies in the community, if you cannot afford my services and need help.

Insurance

I do not participate in any insurance plans. This enables you and I to steer the direction of your treatment together—without outside input from an uninvolved 3rd party. It encourages you to value your therapy as an investment in yourself. It enables me to keep my rates reasonable and affordable. It insures your treatment and diagnosis remain confidential, private and protected.

If you have a PPO insurance plan, they may cover psychotherapy from an out of network provider. I am happy to provide receipts that you can submit to your insurance carrier, so that you can be partially reimbursed for your treatment with me. Make sure to list yourself as the payee on the claim forms. Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan under a PPO.

Typically, PPO's tend to reimburse 50-60% of the fee to the claimant for my out-of-network therapy services, once the deductible has been met.  Please, check your coverage carefully, by calling the benefits number on the back of your insurance card for details.

Please be aware: All claims submitted to insurance companies must include an appropriate DSM V diagnostic code and meet medical necessity. This code becomes part of your personal health information (PHI) and is in your permanent medical records under HIPAA. Such a diagnosis can later be ruled a pre-existing medical condition, should you need to change insurance providers. You may also be asked to release your PHI in certain job application screening processes. This aspect of the confidentiality of your diagnosis is outside your providers' hands, once the claim has been submitted, when a third party payor is involved in your care.

Some clients prefer to pay for their psychological care out of pocket, even when they have insurance, for this reason. Some need to defray the costs of their therapeutic care through insurance. I understand, respect and support either decision.

Late Policy

If you are more than 20 minutes late for a session, it is difficult for us to delve into the issues you want to address that week and reach any satisfying resolution. That being said, it is your hour and your therapy dollar to use as best you can. Please, drive safely!

In cases of unforeseen emergency with another client, I may occasionally be late for a session or have to reschedule your appointment. A rescheduled appointment is complimentary and you will not be charged for your session, if it begins more than 10 minutes late, due to any scheduling problem on my part.

Cancellations

Please give me as much notice as possible by email or phone, if you need to cancel your appointment—preferably at least 12 hours. I like to be able to offer the time to someone who may be waiting to see me, and need my help that day. It also helps me plan my day and my commute, and is a very courteous thing to do. It's very much appreciated!

I do not initially charge for last minute cancellations. I try to be accommodating and understanding. I know sometimes things happen. However, when last minute canceling becomes a pattern, I must address it. After two last minute cancellations, I charge a $25 fee, for any cancellation made with less than 12 hours’ notice. If you cancel without notice or no-show more than four times, you will be billed a full session fee for each subsequent no show.

If a prospective client has received a special offer for a complimentary initial appointment with me, and cancels at the last minute or does not show up, that canceled appointment will count as the complimentary initial session and subsequent scheduled sessions will be billed at the customary rate.