FAQ's

There are several benefits to not using insurance.  First and foremost, it provides clients with additional privacy and confidentiality as no one else has to know you are in therapy or has access to your therapy records.  When working with insurance companies, the insurance company can obtain access to any and all of your therapeutic information including why you are coming to therapy, your goals for therapy, and what we discuss in sessions.  Given that therapy frequently involves discussing highly sensitive issues, such as sex, trauma, and relationships, it can be difficult for clients to be completely open in sessions if they are worried about who else might gain access to their information.  Also, as a therapist, once an insurance company has your information, I have no control over what they do with that information.

Second, not using insurance means I do not have to give anyone a mental health diagnosis.  For some people, receiving a diagnosis can increase the stigma of seeking therapy or have other negative impacts legally, socially, or relationally.  If you feel like a diagnosis would benefit you, this is still something we can discuss and I can provide if needed; however, by not using insurance you get to decide what is in your best interest, not an outside party.  

Third, no one else gets to dictate the structure of therapy.  Frequently, when using insurance, the insurance company dictates the length of sessions, how long someone can stay in therapy, the frequency of sessions, or what people are allowed to work on in sessions.  Insurance companies frequently do not cover sessions that focus on sexual or relational issues and may even limit how many sessions you are allowed to have.  They may also limit how many and what kind of providers you can have.  By not involving insurance companies, we can tailor therapy services to best meet your needs.  This includes being able to collaborate on session frequency, goals for sessions, length of sessions, and who is a part of sessions based on your individual needs and goals.  This also allows my clients to access individual and couples therapy simultaneously or to continue to meet with another therapy provider while also receiving the specialized care I offer.

Fourth, there are never any surprises regarding billing and costs!  Frequently, when utilizing insurance clients do not know how much therapy will actually cost them until they receive the bill.  Furthermore, insurance companies can initially pay for a service and then later decide they should not have done so and then take the payment back thus disrupting the therapeutic relationship.  By paying for the service directly, you know exactly how much therapy will cost and when it is due.  You also ensure that therapy can be focused on you and what you want to change in your life instead of dealing with insurance or payment issues.  

In short, not accepting insurance allows me to better protect and serve my clients by providing high quality, specialized services free from any outside influence that may not have your best interests in mind.

My sessions typically last 45-55 minutes depending on your needs and what we are working on. 

In a virtual appointment we meet via secure video call.  You will receive a video link from me via email prior to your session.  A few minutes prior to your session, you will click on the link which will allow you to join the meeting.  

Typically, clients meet with me once per week or once every two weeks.  As you make progress, we decrease session frequency until you are ready to be done with therapy.  Depending on the clinical issue we are addressing and your preferences, we do have the option to meet more or less frequently than that.  This could include meeting more than once per week, meeting monthly, or meeting for extended sessions.  If you are interested in any of these options, I am happy to discuss it in a session.

How long someone is in therapy depends on a variety of factors including what they are working on, their history, their ability to implement changes outside of session, and the broader context of their lives.  I have worked with clients for as little as a few months and for as long as several years.  Some people attend sessions regularly for an extended period of time, others have episodes of therapy where they attend sessions regularly for a while, end services, and return again if needed, and others only need a few sessions.  Whatever you need, I work collaboratively with my clients to determine how to best meet their needs and achieve their therapeutic goals.

Yes, I do offer 2- hour extended sessions and 3-hour therapy intensives.  An extended session is a therapy session that lasts two therapy hours (100 - 110 minutes).  Some clients find extended sessions helpful as they may need more time to process and explore concerns or issues or may need additional support around certain topics.  Certain clients may also find it easier to set aside longer blocks of time less frequently than the typical weekly or bi-weekly therapy schedule.  In a therapy intensive we typically meet for 75 minutes, take a 10-minute break, and then meet for another 75 minutes.  A therapy intensive is a way to make significant therapeutic progress in a condensed amount of time rather than spacing sessions out over several weeks.  I offer couples, IFS, and ART extended sessions and intensives.  Please contact me if you would like to learn more about extended sessions and/or intensives.