Yes. If I cannot help, I will refer you to someone who can. Not every therapist is the right match for every client and that is ok. We both have a key role to play. I have many years of experience helping people and a keen awareness of the areas I am best able to help. I will make sure that my experience and training are a good choice for your needs. Your job is to decide if you want to choose me as your therapist.

When choosing a therapist, I encourage you to consider a few things.

-Do you have a connection with your prospective therapist?

-Does this therapist have experience successfully working with others who have similar struggles to mine?

-Is this therapist able to provide the kind of help that I need?

-Is this therapist able to offer me appointments that work for my schedule? I offer early morning appointments so if you struggle to make it to be up and moving before 9, then my early morning appointments will not set you up to succeed.

-Does this therapist accept insurance? I do not accept insurance.

There are a few big differences between talking with a friend and talking with a therapist. A therapist is objective, trained, and not involved in your life. This allows you to speak freely with someone who will not judge you. I think of therapy as a journey and a therapist like a tour guide. You will decide where you travel and how long you spend in each place. Your therapist will function as a tour guide, pointing out the things to notice and avoid on your journey.

There are several important components of successful therapy.

Do you connect with your therapist? That connection is the most important indicator of how successful your therapy will be.

Does your therapist have training and experience using evidence-based therapeutic approaches?

Prioritizing evidence-based interventions allows you to take advantage of years of research into how other people who are struggling with issues like you have responded to the strategies you are trying. What evidence-based therapeutic approaches do you use? I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Trauma-focused CBT. CBT strategies help you identify unhelpful thinking patterns. The idea is that by changing your thoughts, you can change your emotions which can change your behavior. I combine CBT with another evidence-based therapeutic approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In ACT, the focus is on helping you accept your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and the normal parts of being a human and helping you work through them.

A therapy session is 45-50 minutes long. Many problems or concerns can be addressed in 4-8 sessions. The timeline is determined by the complexity of your issues and your needs.

Ideally, seeing a therapist for your emotional health is like seeing a medical provider for your physical health. Seeing a therapist during times of stress and transition or to improve your emotional health is usually time limited. Just like you would see your doctor until your health is restored, the same is true for therapy.

You are also entitled to a “Good Faith Estimate” for the psychotherapy services provided to you. While a psychotherapist cannot know, in advance, how many therapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person, if we decide to work together, we will discuss it further.

My fee for a 50-minute appointment is $150. People often choose to meet with a therapist weekly or twice a month. I am an “out of network” provider, so I do not accept any insurance. I will provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your insurance provider.

I also reserve 25% of my sessions for clients who need a sliding scale. Please contact me for more information.

Clinically, insurance companies must be involved and can dictate the way a therapist provides services. Sometimes what an insurance company will pay for is not what will best help you. Without insurance intervention, it is only up to you and me to chart your course in therapy.

Confidentiality is another concern about billing your insurance. When you use insurance, your insurance company has access to your diagnosis and treatment plan. If you have a mental health diagnosis on your record, you will forever have a pre-existing condition that is accessible by insurance companies or government agencies. This could be important in situations that you may not have considered. For example, if you need security clearance for work, if you engage in a legal case like Workman’s Comp or divorce, if you apply for life or disability insurance or if you want to join the military.

A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) has earned a master’s degree and a clinical license. I am a licensed clinical social worker. l am trained to be aware of social networks and systems that impact an individual. This person-in-environment orientation along with focusing and building on an individual’s strengths are other hallmarks of social work.

Psychiatrists attend medical school and have special training in psychotropic medication. They most often evaluate the need for medication and prescribe medications. Some psychiatrists also offer psychotherapy (or talk therapy).

Many PhD psychologists are trained in psychological testing. They can evaluate a client using a specific battery of tests to help clarify a difficult diagnosis or pinpoint a learning disability. Many psychologists also provide psychotherapy.