FAQs & Resources

Whether you’re doing individual, couples or EMDR Therapy, the typical recommendation is that you attend sessions at least once a week to start, and decrease frequency as progress is made. Doing so not only allows me to get a good sense of who you are and what you need while building momentum towards your goals, but it also helps us to develop a good working relationship. However, I recognize that sometimes this may not be possible or realistic for some people for a variety of reasons. I am always open to talking through your needs during our consultation call and/or at our intake appointment to develop a frequency that fits for you.

All sessions are 50 minutes long at a session rate of $175, paid at the start of each session.

Right to Receive a Good Faith Estimate of Expected Charges Under the No Surprises Act

You may obtain a good faith estimate of my charges upon request prior to scheduling with me.

The No Surprises Act is a federal law which provides you with the right to a good faith estimate of the cost of services at my practice. However, Ohio licensing board rules require me to provide you with the actual cost of my charges in a written informed consent form to which you must agree prior to my providing services. That will be available to you prior to you being seen for services and prior to any billing. In most cases it is impossible to estimate how many sessions you will need, and that will not be determined until your concerns are evaluated and will also vary based on the progress that you make, which depends in part on your efforts with the process. You will be free to discontinue services at any time or the services may otherwise be terminated in accordance with the informed consent form language.

Although the No Surprises Law says that you may initiate a dispute process if the actual charges are substantially in excess of the Good Faith Estimated charges, i.e. if you are charged $400 more than the estimated cost for a session or for the total estimate provided, that is unlikely to happen and would be a violation of licensing board rules, since you will be agreeing up front to actual charges per session prior to being seen. Dispute information is available upon request, however. Any changes to my fees will require a change in the informed consent form fees, which you must agree to prior to having them go into effect, otherwise the fees will remain in effect for 12 months.

The decision of whether or not to accept insurance is a complicated one. Health insurance companies can set certain limits on your services like session time or frequency, sometimes don’t reimburse for certain services or diagnosis codes, and tend to reimburse at lower rates for certain services, like couples therapy. This can mean that providers end up seeing more clients, spending their time and energy on documentation, or having to make efforts at tracking down reimbursement from the insurance companies. In not taking insurance, I am able to funnel all of my resources and energy into our work together, continuously pursue advanced training opportunities that fit my clients’ needs, and keep my caseload smaller so that I can provide you with more individualized services. Ultimately, in not taking insurance, I’m able to focus energy and resources on providing you the best standard of care.

Credit Cards or HSA/FSA Cards are accepted for payment at the start of session using IVY Pay. If you would prefer to pay via Cash or Check, let me know. We will work out the best process for this together.

I offer a set number of sliding scale/reduced fee spaces. If this is a need of yours, reach out and I can tell you my most up to date availability.

To see our HIPAA Notice of Policies and Practices click here for Ohio, and here for PA.

We’ll take a short amount time reviewing the forms you completed, and I’ll share about me and the therapeutic process. Then, I’ll spend the majority of our time getting to know you, your history, and your needs. We’ll both leave with a sense of what our work together will be. First sessions can come with some nerves, so if you’re noticing any tough feelings, that’s okay. If you want to talk about those nerves, that’s also okay. The first session is an opportunity for me to get to know you, but it’s up to you how much you share and at what pace. I’ll respect any boundaries you set for yourself.

As I’ve mentioned, therapy is a process and it can be experienced differently by different people. This means that there’s no “right” or “wrong” length of time. Sometimes people start noticing progress after the first session, while others may take a few sessions or longer. Your pace is your pace, and it can be entirely dependent on the type of work you’re doing. I periodically check in on how you’re feeling about your goals and progress, but it’s also totally okay for you to bring this up if you’re thinking about it.

We will do a free 10-15 minute consultation phone call (contact me if you want to set one up) before setting up your first appointment. I use this call to get a sense of what you’re wanting from therapy, and to discuss the services offered.

This call is also an opportunity for you to get to know me and ask any questions that you might want answered in order to decide if I might be a good fit for you. The relationship between a therapist and client is an important indicator of success in therapy, and I believe that it’s important for clients to be informed consumers of therapy. Because of this, I welcome any and all questions you might have in order to get a sense of if you want to work with me!

If the services I offer can meet your needs, and you decide it feels like a good match, we can set up a first appointment during this call.

I can relate! If you had told me before the pandemic I’d be conducting sessions 100% via telehealth, I would’ve laughed. I totally get any uncertainty, hesitancy, or skepticism, because I shared it (sorry, pre-pandemic telehealth therapists/clients).

Pre-pandemic, I worried telehealth would make connecting with clients in the same way that I did in the office difficult. I was concerned that it would be uncomfortable, or hard to engage and relate via telehealth. But, truly, it has not been at all what I had thought! Not only do people find it super convenient, they also find they can be just as engaged and get what they need out of our time together. Also, as a therapist, I’ve felt as engaged and able to do the work that I was doing in person. It’s really been a cool experience!

Now, I’m definitely not a sales person. I recognize that some people know for themselves or their situations that they’d prefer in person therapy. If that’s you, I respect that and I trust that you know yourself and what you need better than anyone. I never want you to do something you know doesn’t feel like a good fit, and there are options out there for therapists who are meeting in person!

If you’re on the fence, and would like to hear more, feel free to reach out! If you decide to give it a try, but then realize it just doesn’t feel like a fit for some reason, we can also have that conversation. The most important thing to me is that you’re getting your needs met, even if that means connecting you elsewhere.