Frequently Asked Questions
General
No, I do not provide emergency or after hours' care. In case of a life threatening or psychiatric emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
I'm in private practice on a part-time basis. Therefore, I only see clients during the week, typically between 8am-5pm, by appointment only.
Yes. Information cannot be disclosed without written permission.
Exceptions include:
- Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse
- If you are threatening serious bodily harm to another person(s)
- If you intend to harm yourself
Yes. I don't treat chronic or acute conditions, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. I also do not treat individuals with severe depression, current suicidal or homicidal thoughts/behaviors, or personality disorders.
If you are dealing with such issues, you deserve to be treated by a professional that specializes in treating those conditions.
Psychology Today is a great resource to help you find a mental health professional that specializes in these areas.
Online Therapy
Treatment can be short-term or long-term, depending on your needs. Some people benefit from a few sessions while others may be in therapy for a couple of months.
Fourty-five minute sessions are considered the common “clinical hour” in the mental health field. The remaining fifteen minutes are used by the psychologist to write session notes and complete any other documentation.
I typically recommend weekly sessions in the beginning, and as therapy progresses we may to move to biweekly sessions or once a month, check-in sessions. We will discuss together what might be the right fit for you.
Rates & Insurance
Insurance companies dictate things like length of treatment and sessions, and require that you are diagnosed with a mental health disorder for therapy to be paid for.
Insurance companies also have access to know why you are going to therapy and what progress you are making. They have the right to audit your therapy files and notes, and ask questions of your therapist about your treatment.
By bypassing insurance, I am able to keep your records secure and confidential, without limitations of an insurance company, ensuring you the quality treatment you deserve.
Psychological testing and assessment is time-consuming and requires significant specialized training. Several hours are spent "behind the scenes" in addition to our one-on-one time spent together. These hours include scoring, interpreting, synthesizing test results, and report writing. On average, it takes at least 9-10 hours (sometimes more!) to complete a psychological assessment.
All these factors are used when determining my prices for psychological assessments.
Yes. I reserve a limited number of sliding scale spots at $125 for a 45-minute session. I don't require any proof of income. The sliding scale rate does not apply to Single Session therapy. If you cannot afford this, openpathcollective.org is a great website where you can find a local mental health professional that offers reduced therapy rates ranging from $40-$70.
For psychological assessments, I split the cost into three payments (see Rates & Insurance). I also structure the costs as a flat fee package, so that you do not pay any additional cost if I happen to spend more time than anticipated on your assessment.