Frequently Asked Questions

I only accept private pay. I do not accept insurance at this time. You are responsible for any and all charges incurred in our work together. I will keep your credit card on file and it will be charged at the end of each session. I utilize two HIPAA compliant payment systems, Stripe by Simple Practice and Ivy Pay. Your credit card information is stored only in these secure systems. I also accept payment via Heath Savings Accounts (HSA) and Medical Savings Accounts (MSA).

Rates for individual therapy are as follows: 

      Initial Assessment (75 min): the intake & initial assessment fee is $170

      Individual Psychotherapy (50min): $140 per session

      Individual Psychotherapy - Extended Session  (90 min): $190 per session

Rates for therapeutic groups are as follows:

for Therapeutic Healing Groups rates vary and are indicated in the information about the group and given ahead of registration.

Rates for community groups, agencies, and consultation are as follows: (please contact me at [email protected] for more information and consultation.)

for Community & Agency Group Expressive Arts Workshops fee will be negotiated depending on several factors.

for Professional Consultation fees for consultations related to my specialties or focus populations are $80 for 30 minutes.

for Professional Facilitation & Mediation fees vary depending on content, goals, time, preparation, and group size.

for Presentations fees vary depending on depending on content, goals, time, preparation, and group size.

*Please Note: I reserve the right to update my fees to be consistent with area averages, my training and skills, and the clinical services I offer. These may change at any time, and I will notify you in writing of these changes prior to going into effect. If any fee increase will pose a hardship to you, let me know and we will discuss your options.

I accept all major credit cards as forms of payment. I will keep your credit card on file and it will be charged at the end of each session. I utilize two HIPAA compliant payment systems, Stripe by Simple Practice and Ivy Pay. Your credit card information is stored only in these secure systems. If you need to pay with cash, I will still request to have on file a credit or debit card. You will received an invoice for services and monthly statement of your paid balance.

It is important to me to try to make my therapy services as accessible as possible. I maintain a limited number of reduced fee spots in my practice. By offering a reduced fee it is my intention to provide options for people who are uninsured, whose insurance does not cover mental health, people who do not meet the clinical criteria for reimbursement through their insurance, or people who would otherwise not be able to access private therapy services that offer the specialties and modalities that I offer. I also offer a reduced fee for therapy through Open Path Psychotherapy Collective (FAQs)

If you would like to request a reduce fee or would like more information please contact me to discuss.

PLEASE NOTE: My Reduced Fee slots are reserved for people who are uninsured, underinsured, or who do not wish to use insurance for reimbursement.

 

I do not accept insurance at this time. You may be able to claim a reimbursement for some of your payment towards therapy via "Out of Network". Depending on your provider some insurance companies will reimburse you for your therapy services from therapists who are out of network (do not accept their insurance plan). I can provide you with a superbill (a detailed receipt of services and must include a diagnosis) for an out of network insurance claim.

Please contact your insurance provider to verify if and how your plan compensates you for psychotherapy services out of network. Please note you will still have to pay at the time of service. I recommend calling and asking your insurance provider the following questions to help determine your benefits:

• Does my health insurance plan include mental health benefits?
• Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it and have I met it yet?
• Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
• Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?
• Will my health insurance plan reimburse out of network? If so, how much and what is the process for reimbursement?

**Please be aware that health insurance companies require a diagnosis with a mental health condition before they will agree to pay a reimbursement. Many conditions for which people seek counseling do not qualify for reimbursement. If a mental health diagnosis is made it becomes a permanent record of your insurance. If a mental health diagnosis is appropriate in your case, I will inform you of the diagnosis and what that means for you.

My services are considered out of network for ALL insurance plans for mental health services. Here some information about my decision not to accept insurance:

It is important to me that you are able to receive the most person centered, integrative, and confidential care as possible. My priority is working with you, meeting your needs, addressing all your concerns and tending to the complexity that is healing - I am NOT interested in working in modification of my services or against my training and/or clinical knowledge and practices to work with insurance companies.

To have mental heath services covered by insurance, as your therapist I am required to give you a diagnosis based off of a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) - 5. This book is a compilation of statistically compiled mental health concerns, addressing diagnosis for mental health condition from a clinical pathology framework that within a specific criteria that may or may not address all of the complexities of your mental health, your needs for care, or your concerns. I am trained in multiple trauma based modalities and work from a integrative and culturally responsive perspective -  highly regarded and effective trauma and healing frameworks that are not often viewed as valid or timely with various insurance criteria or concerns that do not meet the criteria as outlined in the DSM-5. A clinical diagnosis may imply something is wrong with you that needs to be fixed. I work from the framework of not what is wrong with you, but what has happened to you, what is still happening to you and how does this impact your wellness and ability to live the life you wish for. Though the DSM-5 and clinical diagnosis are useful in treatment planning, may be valuable for understanding and explaining the experiences and symptoms you are having, and necessary for accessing other forms of care and services, as a politicized therapist, I believe that a focus just on diagnosis and "fixing" you - within a set time frame - often disregards the complexities of a person's lived experiences of oppression, historical and systemic trauma, and social injustice and doesn't always support the deeper and more complex and succinct healing you deserve.

Another issue with insurance is confidentiality. When you use insurance your carrier has access to your therapist's session notes which contain your private health information. This allows your carrier to dictate the type and duration of care you receive.

My goal is to develop a treatment/healing plan in collaboration with you based on the life you imagine and live, based on your healing needs, your privacy concerns, and using the modalities that resonate most with you and NOT what an insurance company says is right for you.

Each appointment is an opportunity for you to take time with and honor yourself in your healing and growth journey with support. I understand life happens and things come up, and at times you may need to miss your appointment. If you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment you may do so via the secure client portal or by secure messaging or calling me. I require notification of cancellation at least 24 hours prior to your appointment time. Please understand that I set aside this time for you, and if you are unable to make it, I will have missed an opportunity to open the appointment time to another client. This policy is in place to give me enough time to ensure all my clients have access to the appointment times they need. If you fail to cancel within the 24 hours prior to your appointment a $60 fee will be charged to the credit card on file for you. If you re-schedule for another appointment in that same week, I will waive the $60 fee. After three violations of this agreement, meaning, you failed to notify me within 24 hours of your appointment time and/or were a no show to an appointment three times, I reserve the right to terminate your services with me.

Once you are an established client, you will be able to schedule your regular appointments through the Secure Client Portal. For extended therapy sessions, group therapy sessions, or all other appointments with me, you will need to contact me via phone or email to schedule. Please note if you do not schedule a standing time with me, available times are first come, first serve.

For existing clients go to the Secure Client Portal