Deciding to seek help from a professional can be an overwhelming experience! It takes a lot of courage to recognize a problem and to try to work on making it better!
Your relationship with me as your therapist is an integral part of the success of treatment and I encourage you to get to know me and ask questions to make sure it feels like a good fit. It is important that you are able to trust my judgment and feel safe to discuss sensitive issues with me and with your partner. Some questions to ask your therapist may include:
- What is your philosophy on what makes a relationship work?
- How do you practice therapy?
- Under what circumstances would we discontinue therapy?
I am dedicated to providing an individual and collaborative approach to every person who seeks treatment with me based on your identified needs. Many people report feeling less distressed after the first few sessions, but that is not always the case for every couple. I will work with you on developing a plan that makes sense to you and we will continue to evaluate progress throughout your treatment to determine when therapy is no longer needed.
I typically start therapy with an assessment process that takes place over the course of four sessions. The first two sessions are with you and your partner to get a relationship history, set goals for therapy, and get a sense of where you are getting stuck in your communication patterns, intimacy discussions, disconnection, etc. After two couples sessions, I will meet with each of you individually. After our individual sessions we will have a much better idea of what you can expect in terms of length of treatment. Generally, many couples attend therapy for an average of six months, but this is not the case for every couple.
I am an out of network provider for all insurance companies. This means that you are responsible for the full fee up front, and depending on your plan you will either receive reimbursement for a portion of the fee or it will go toward a deductible. To determine if you have out of network benefits, contact the benefits number on the back of your insurance card and ask for out of network coverage for an outpatient mental health provider. I am happy to provide you with the documentation that you will need to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
Couples therapy may or may not be a provided benefit under your insurance plan. To find out if you have coverage, be specific and ask about covering the diagnostic code Z63.0 Relationship distress with Spouse or Intimate partner for procedure code 90847.
We will typically meet for 50-60 minute sessions unless we have agreed otherwise. 80-90 minute sessions are available by request. My standard rate for therapy sessions are $200 per 50-60 minute session and $300 for a 80-90 minute session.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.
Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.
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 expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services.
- You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a 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 or call (800) 368-1019