I've never been to therapy. What can I expect?

The therapeutic process varies depending on the personalities of the psychologist and client and the problems requiring attention. I use many different methods to deal with problems, but you can expect me to be active in sessions, offering my thoughts and perspectives, and inviting you to be curious about your own experiences as well. What follows is highly dependent on your goals and the type of therapy we’re using, so the unfolding of the process will be as individual as you are.

Practically speaking, you will login to a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform, and sessions always begin with payment. Our first sessions together will include a comprehensive interview where I will collect relevant background information and learn about your goals for therapy. At the end of that process, I will make my treatment recommendations and review our next steps. If the initial interview reveals an area of attention that I am not trained to address, I may provide you with referrals to another therapist at that time.

How long are sessions and how often will we meet?

Psychotherapy sessions most commonly take place weekly and are 50 minutes in length (75 minutes for EMDR). Under certain circumstances, the length and frequency of appointments may be increased or decreased. All new clients, however, will begin with weekly appointments.

Do you accept insurance?

I am an in-network provider for Anthem/Blue Cross insurance. (If you have Blue Cross/Blue Shield, I would be considered in-network but not if you only have Blue Shield.) If you have any other insurance provider and have out-of-network benefits, some psychotherapy services may be covered by your health insurance provider.

What are your fees?

My standard rates are:

• 50-minute psychotherapy or EMDR session: $250
• 75-minute EMDR session: $375
  

During your phone consultation, we will discuss your needs, treatment options, and options for budgeting services. I am sometimes able to offer a reduced fee for psychotherapy services in the case of financial hardship. If you would like to be considered for a reduced rate, please determine what you could reasonably afford to pay for a weekly session, and we will discuss this during the phone consultation. If we determine that I am not an affordable option for you, I will give you referrals to providers who can offer low-fee or reduced rate services.

How do I know what my insurance will cover?

To utilize your health insurance plan for psychotherapy sessions, contact your health insurance provider by calling the member services number on the back of your insurance card.

Helpful questions to ask are:

1. Are mental health/behavioral health services covered under my plan? Is telehealth covered for these services?
   
2. Are any pre-authorizations required before initiating services? (This is sometimes the case with HMO plans.)
   
3. Is any coverage provided for seeing an out-of-network provider?
4. Do I have a deductible that must be met before the plan covers all or part of the session fees? How much of that deductible has been met already?
5. What is considered the customary and reasonable rate for a provider in the 90025 zip code who bills under the CPT codes 90791, 90834, and 90837? How much of that rate will be reimbursed after meeting the deductible?
   

What forms of payment do you accept?

All sessions may be paid for using a credit card or debit card.

Do I need a diagnosis to be in therapy?

The honest answer is “it depends.” From a treatment perspective, psychotherapy is not simply about symptom reduction but can also be about health, wellness, and self-care. Plenty of people attend therapy without having a diagnosis because they want a safe, consistent place to give conscious attention to self-inquiries into how they’re living their lives. In other words, you don’t need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy.
 
If, however, you need to use your health insurance to cover any portion of your therapy, a diagnosis is required to meet the medical necessity standard and for them to issue any reimbursement. That said, I will only give you a diagnosis if you meet criteria.
 
If you don’t need to use health insurance or would prefer that your carrier not be informed about your diagnosis, you can sign a form opting out of using your benefits and your diagnosis will only be shared with others with your express consent or in an emergency.

Sounds great! How do I get started with you?

Contact me by filling out the phone consultation request form. When I'm not currently accepting new clients, I'll send you some referrals. If I do have openings, we'll schedule a time to talk, and if we decide to move forward, I will collect some information from you so that you can set up an account in my Patient Portal. There you will find all of the paperwork that you would usually complete in the waiting room before an initial in-person appointment. When your appointment day and time arrives, you'll simply login to the video-conferencing platform, wait in the virtual waiting room for me to start your appointment, and then the journey begins!