Sessions
Sessions are 45 minutes for individual sessions. I find treatment is most effective in meeting at least once per week. The frequency in sessions can change depending on your goals for treatment and progress in meeting your goals.
The first few sessions will be centered on getting more comfortable with each other and learning more about yourself and what brings you to therapy.
Sessions start at the scheduled time. There may be times when I can extend your session after a late arrival, but I cannot guarantee this. If I am running late I will do my best to provide notice, and you will have your full session time. Should you miss sessions on a recurrent basis, we will discuss the possibility of terminating treatment.
Payment
Fees are $200 per 45-minute session. Please contact me to discuss a sliding scale price as I usually have reduced fee appointments available. Payment is due at the time of the session. While the cost of therapy can sound daunting, I will do my best to make it affordable to you. I do have costs associated with offering my sessions, and this factors into the rate I charge. I can provide a monthly invoice for out-of-network reimbursement and/or deductible payments.
I accept payment by major credit card and debit cards, checks, or cash. I also accept HSA/FSA payments as these are usually issued in the form of a debit card. For each patient I keep a credit/debit card on file for payments, but you may opt to pay for sessions using another method of payment.
Please check the FAQ here regarding questions to ask your insurance company about out-of-network policies.
Cancellation
There may be times and circumstances when you have to cancel a session. I understand emergencies come up. I ask my patients to be mindful of attendance and promptness in our work.
Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are subject to payment of full fee regardless of your attendance. In the event you must cancel, I will do my best to reschedule the appointment to accommodate you. Please keep in mind that a session that is scheduled for you is meant for you, whether you attend or not.
If you have concerns about work, medical, or family obligations interfering with your ability to provide adequate notice, please discuss these with me so that we can navigate this together.
Confidentiality
An important cornerstone of our work includes protecting your privacy, but there are times I may have to break confidentiality. By law, I must break confidentiality if I have concerns about your safety. Should I assess that you will need an evaluation for harm to yourself or harm to others, I must breach confidentiality to notify the proper authorities in order to ensure safety.
I am also a mandated reporter regarding safety of minors (persons under the age of 18), dependent adults, and elderly adults (persons 60 or older). Should I have suspicions related to concern for safety of children or elderly persons, I will break confidentiality and contact the appropriate authorities.
In the event I receive a mandate issued by court to release information, I will ensure my best efforts to protect sensitive information; I cannot fully guarantee that this will be honored by the legal system and may have to disclose information.
Should you request information to be disclosed to a third party, I will require you to sign a HIPAA consent form allowing this disclosure. The information will not be released prior to signature on the document.
Benefits and Risks of Psychotherapy
As with any other form of treatment, psychotherapy has both benefits and risks. There are no guarantees about the outcome of treatment. The process of psychotherapy often includes discussing unpleasant aspects of your past and your life. Some risk of psychotherapy might include might include experiencing uncomfortable feelings such as sadness, anxiety, anger, guilt, or loneliness.
Psychotherapy has been shown to have benefits including:
– Significant reduction in feelings of distress
– Increased satisfaction in interpersonal relationships
– Greater personal awareness and insight
– Developed skills for managing stress and resolutions to specific problems
Psychotherapy requires a very active effort on your part inside and outside of the sessions. We might periodically review progress in our work and decide whether the format of our work is effective in addressing your goals. If I determine that treatment would be better met by another provider, I will provide referrals for you.