Frequently Asked Questions

The first step is to call me and set up a free phone consultation.  We will discuss what you are looking for, which service would be best for you, how the process works, and what you can expect.  We would then set up an initial session.

Yes!  Confidentiality is of the utmost importance to me and you will be provided with a privacy document prior to our first session.  Privacy in psychotherapy is protected by HIPAA and none of your information will ever be shared without express written permission unless there is an emergency in which your life or someone else's life is in danger.  In that case only the most minimal information needed to protect your safety or someone else's will be divulged.    

I apply the same rules of privacy to my life coaching clients.  

I strive to create a safe, accepting,  and welcoming environment for all people.  It is my honor and privilege to be allowed into your life.    I welcome any feedback along the way in our journey together that helps to further engender this feeling.  

LGBTQIA+ Safe Space

There are many benefits to therapy. Therapy, when attended regularly, can help reduce symptoms of mental health disorders and their impact on a person's life, build self esteem, decrease negative self talk, improve daily functioning, strengthen coping mechanisms, and improve social skills and relationships.   

As helpful as therapy can be there are potential risks to it. People may initially feel worse as the therapy progresses. Therapy can complicate your life. Therapy is often about making changes or about looking at yourself differently. Therapy can change how you live, and it can change how you feel about your relationships. We will help you to anticipate these changes and will let you decide what changes are best for you, and when. Finally, not all therapy is effective. If you have been in therapy for several weeks or months, and it does not feel like you are making progress, then we should speak about it. It may be that you would do better with a different approach to therapy, or even with a different therapist. As a therapist, I know that I cannot be everything to everybody, and I am comfortable helping you make a change if needed. 

You will be provided with a full list of benefits and risks when you enter therapy with me and all of them will be discussed in detail during our initial session.  

After more then 20 years of fighting with insurance companies on behalf of my patients I have decided to discontinue taking insurance.  This helps me protect my client's privacy and to ensure they are able to access the right to treatment in the ways that I think are clinically safe, effective, and helpful to them.  I am happy to provide a superbill so that you can seek insurance reimbursement or fill out paperwork that the insurance company is requesting for that purpose.    

Psychotherapy clients  have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your health care will cost.  Under the law, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have certain types of health care coverage or who are not using certain types of health care coverage an estimate of their bill for health care items and services before those items or services are provided. 

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any health care items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. 

• If you schedule a health care item or service at least 3 business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 1 business day after scheduling. If you schedule a health care item or service at least 10 business days in advance, make sure your health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 3 business days after scheduling. You can also ask any health care provider or facility for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you do, make sure the health care provider or facility gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within 3 business days after you ask. 

• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more for any provider or facility than your Good Faith Estimate from that provider or facility, you can dispute the bill. 

• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers, email FederalPPDRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov, or call 1- 800-985-3059.  

Therapy is an investment in yourself, your child, your marriage, and/or your family.  All fees are disclosed before the first session and agreed upon by you (please see the section on Good Faith Estimates above).  The initial session, which is an hour long, is $225.  Individual sessions are 45 minutes and are $200 per session.  Couple and family sessions are one hour in length and are $225. Reduced fees are available on a limited basis.

Life coaching fees are based on the plan that we develop during our initial consultation meeting and are billed on a monthly basis.