If you are concerned about your relationship and you’re both open to attending therapy, you’ll find the greatest impact by working together. However, there are some circumstances where it’s not yet recommended to start couple therapy or one partner is not yet ready to attend. If you have any questions about how to begin, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we’ll help you figure out the next best step.

Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time you spend in therapy meeting your goals depends on your commitment to the process and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place. For many individuals and couples working with us, therapy spans 6-12 months, with some attending for shorter periods and some attending for longer. Factors such as broken trust, history of trauma, or multifaceted mental health symptomatology may take longer to respectfully untangle. Some people also choose to attend therapy less frequently once some improvements have been made.

Medication alone cannot solve all issues. What medication does is treat the symptoms. Our work together is designed to explore the root of the issue, dig deep into your behavior and teach strategies that can help you accomplish your personal and/or relational goals. Medication can be effective and is sometimes needed in conjunction with therapy.

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs.

The difference is between someone who can do something, and someone who has the training and experience to do that same thing professionally. A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, therapy is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing your business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of emotion, if you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.

Not at all. People who ask for help know when they need it and have the ability to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then.You already have some strengths that you’ve used before, and for whatever reason, they aren’t working right now.  Perhaps this problem feels overwhelming and is making it difficult to assess your past strengths. In our work together, I’ll help you identify what those strengths are and how to implement them again in what is happening now.

During our first session, you can expect to discuss therapy goals and expectations, as well as provide a history surrounding your desire to seek therapy. Another important aspect of the first session, is to determine if you and your Therapist are a good fit for one another. Having a trustworthy relationship and a good rapport is important in establishing the foundation for your journey together. 

You can use your insurance if your benefits plan offers coverage for out-of-network providers. Most plans provide this coverage.

*Couples/ family therapy will be self pay only.

You will need to contact your insurance company to determine your reimbursement coverage.

We recognize that filing insurance claims can be confusing at times, and, if you wish, we will provide a monthly statement containing all necessary information (coding, diagnosis, dates of service, signature, etc.) for that purpose. You may then file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement.

Please be aware that we have no control over the confidentiality of your information once it is received by your insurance company.

Confidentiality is the keystone to therapy; it protects your privacy to share freely and openly in our sessions together. Your sessions and all information you disclose are confidential. Except for the instances stated below, which are required by law, we will not share information or respond to inquiries of any kind from any source without your written consent:

1. If in our clinical judgment, you pose a threat to harm yourself, and you refuse appropriate treatment, we are ethically bound to notify the appropriate parties (those who can intervene to protect you).
2. If you indicate a serious threat to harm another person, we are legally required to warn the intended victim(s) and the police and/or to obtain a civil commitment to the state mental health system.
3. We are required to report any suspicion of child or elder abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities.
4. In some instances, the courts may subpoena our records or testimony. In most instances, we are forced to honor these subpoenas.

Private Pay 

You get the flexibility of choosing a provider. This is my favorite pro. It’s also what I would argue is one of the most important pros to private pay services. In short, you, as the client, get to decide who you work with, period. And that’s just it. While this may seem simple or not that big of a deal, research would show that having a good relationship with your counselor and feeling safe/heard/validated/seen is one of the biggest predictors of therapeutic success. Yes, seriously. In essence, if you feel especially confident in your clinician and you feel empowered to choose the ‘right’ one to work with, then your chances of “success” (whatever that looks like for you) are going to increase. Freaking amazing, right?!

Services Can Be ‘As Needed’ and Not “Medically Necessary”. This one is harder to explain, but short version is that insurance requires services be “medically necessary” for people in order for them to cover the therapy. So while it’s definitely the case that clients come in and services are medically necessary, it’s not a prerequisite to doing counseling/therapy. That’s the difference. As private pay, you (and your clinician) aren’t required to submit any information to a third party, like insurance, in order to justify to them that counseling/therapy is needed. It’s up to your discretion. And if you primarily feel good, but want a session to check in, then you’re in the clear and won’t be obligated to justify that decision.

Insurance

There’s no other way to say this than insurance requires a diagnosis. And soon. And if you’ve ever done any counseling or therapy before, then you might understand how tricky this is and how ridiculous it is that a diagnosis is required so quickly out of the gate. Mental health diagnoses aren’t quite the same as acute illnesses. For example, if you have an infection of some sort, you go to the doctor and they prescribe you with antibiotics. Seems simple and straightforward.

But what if you just feel “off” or have a general fatigue that won’t go away and it’s hard to pinpoint what the problem is? Then what? Well, then the doctor spends more time with you, might order special testing, might have you wait a little longer, or might usher you out the door with a “call if it gets worse.”

Insurance Can Dictate Length or Type of Treatment. In essence, your insurance provider has some level of control over how long you can see your clinician. Better worded is that they have control over how much they’ll reimburse you for you seeing your clinician. If they disagree or don’t see merit in your continued services, then it’s likely that they’ll not cover you attending.