How long does treatment last?

Research shows that many people improve with CBT after 3-6 months of weekly therapy (12-24 sessions), though this is highly dependent on the individual. Some need less time, while others need a year or more. Length of treatment depends on several factors, including willingness of the client to make changes, skills practice outside of session, level of complexity, severity of problems, frequency of appointments, ongoing stressors, and if the client would like to work on additional goals past the initial presenting issues. Treatment is time-limited, goals-focused, and involves active work. Our goal is to teach you to become your own therapist so that you don't have to be in treatment long term.  

How frequent are appointments?

Appointments are scheduled at a weekly frequency until we have achieved significant progress and are ready to begin reducing the frequency of appointments as we near the end of treatment. For clients desiring semi-weekly appointments to start, we will discuss if this is appropriate for you, but generally it is required to schedule weekly for at least the first 1-2 months for momentum and progress. There is very limited availability for semi-weekly slots at any given time, particularly for those who are towards the beginning/middle of treatment.

What are your hours?

Client appointments are Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 3 pm EST. Please be mindful of time zone differences.

Do you take insurance?

I do not participate directly with insurance. However, you may be able to receive partial reimbursement (50-90%) through your Out of Network (OON) benefits if you have a PPO plan. Fees are due at the time of service, and a Superbill is provided on the 1st of every month to assist with insurance reimbursement. Credit, debit, HSA, and FSA cards are accepted. I provide several resources below to make treatment more attainable financially. Feel free to contact me with questions if I can be helpful in this process. I am not a Medicaid or Medicare provider.

For clients requiring specialized anxiety treatment using exposure therapy,  you may inquire of your insurance about a network exception to receive reimbursement at an in-network rate due to the low availability of in-network specialists providing this treatment (see section below).

To easily check your OON benefits:
Create a free account with Thrizer and enter your insurance information. They will automatically show you the results for your OON benefits and reimbursement percentage. You don't need to be a client to check your benefits through this free service.

Network exceptions (receiving an in-network rate for an Out of Network provider):
If your insurance company does not have an in-network provider that specializes in the anxiety problems you are seeking help with (e.g., OCD, social anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, etc.), then you are entitled to obtain a network exception (also called a network deficiency exception or network gap exception). This would allow you to see an Out of Network provider at an in-network rate. An example of how you may advocate for yourself to your insurance company is described here (using an example of OCD). Note that I do not enter into single case agreements or contracts with insurance companies, nor do I negotiate rates with them. Any agreement you reach with your insurance is between you and the insurance.

For help with claim submissions:
Let Thrizer do the work for you to submit Superbill claims and advocate on your behalf if insurance hassles arise. It's $2/session. Just upload the Superbill PDF document that your clinician will provide and Thrizer will do the rest. They will do a direct deposit of the reimbursement amount into your account. Create a free account with Thrizer. See more information on how it works here.

What are your fees?

Therapy is an investment. Invest in you and your future.
Fees are consistent with other specialists with similar levels of training and experience. I prioritize quality over quantity, and invest in ongoing education and training to provide up-to-date services. Due to the specialized nature of treatment, clients often find that they progress much faster than if they were to attend traditional psychotherapy, resulting in the fraction of the cost in the long term. Thus, I view therapy as a short-term investment with a long term impact.

What is your cancellation policy?

I operate a small business to support my family and predictable income is important to me. I have a flexible reschedule policy, which means that you may reschedule (not cancel) to the week before, during, and after the missed appointment, even on short notice. This encourages consistency towards progress while providing space for those unexpected life situations (e.g., chronic illness, closed childcare). I limit my caseload to ensure high quality of work, and each client's recurring appointment time is reserved on my limited caseload.

Do you offer free consult calls before starting treatment?

If you would like a 10 minute consult call before booking an appointment, please specify this in the contact form or email me. Clients may also assess fit through the intake appointment.

Do you prescribe medication?

I do not prescribe medication, but I work with your psychiatrist or prescriber if you have one, and we may discuss if starting medications is a helpful option for you if your symptoms are moderate to severe. We work together to determine what is most effective for you, but I generally do not force medications and think that many problems can be effectively resolved without the use of medications.

Does telehealth work?

Research shows that treatment delivered through telehealth is as effective as in-person treatment. Furthermore, there may be unique advantages of having treatment delivered through teletherapy. These include the ability to conduct treatment where you face real challenges on a day-to-day basis, increased access to appropriate treatment, and choosing the provider of your choice. There are limited instances where I may recommend in-person services, but often it comes down to client preference.

Do you provide emergency services? Who are your services not a good fit for?

The center does not provide emergency services and is not appropriate for those with active self-harm or self-injurious behavior (within the past 2 months) or for whose who are seriously considering suicide. If you have an emergency, call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, and/or call/text 988 (National Suicide & Crisis Line). The center is also not appropriate for those with aggressive behavior.

Consultation appointments for providing treatment recommendations and other questions

If you have questions about starting or wondering if to schedule an intake appointment, are not sure if this is the right fit, and this conversation needs more care and attention than a brief (5-10 minute) phone call, I offer a 45- or 60-minute consultation appointment (charged at the rate of the respective appointment). Whereas phone calls are limited in length and content (e.g., logistics of scheduling), if you are finding that you need to provide more detailed background information, then a consultation appointment is appropriate.

The consultation appointment is not a diagnostic evaluation, and is a great time to ask questions, get my initial impressions and recommendations, or figure out next steps to see if setting up an intake appointment makes sense. This is also a great option for pastors seeking professional advice on working with community members with anxiety or depression, or family members and loved ones inquiring on someone's behalf for recommendations and next steps. Inquire further through the contact page.

What is the process for getting started?

Please complete the contact form to help determine if we are a good fit. Including the intake session, 2-4 sessions are dedicated to thorough and thoughtful assessment of your presenting problems to understand what is driving your symptoms, develop goals, and to tailor treatment to you. After this, we begin with the "active" part of treatment where we start to implement changes.

Good Faith Estimate information

Under the No Surprises Act, health care providers are required to inform individuals who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance, upon request or at the time of scheduling, of their ability to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.