Rates
$150 for session of 1-2 hours. I have a unique practice and offer only a limited number of sessions per week. All sessions are one to two hours. My experience is that the money spent on effective therapy, counseling or coaching is some of the very best money you will ever spend.
Insurance
I have strong concerns regarding providing therapy involving insurance or managed care providers. The biggest issue with using your insurance is CONFIDENTIALITY. I'll be glad to discuss this with you. At this time, I do not accept insurance. In some instances, I will provide a flexible fee and I will provide a statement. I will not provide written treatment plans to insurance companies or request authorizations for therapy sessions. I explain why below.
A related concern is the insurance company's requirement of a medical diagnosis . Most insurance plans do not cover marital or relationship therapy, family therapy, etc. With most policies, there is a requirement for an "Identified Patient" - with a diagnosable condition. Otherwise, the insurance will not pay for the counseling.
Mental health insurance can be quite valuable and necessary for many patients. Services by other providers may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. If you wish to explore using your mental health coverage for therapy, I would suggest that you check your coverage carefully by asking the following questions and then make an informed decision for yourself:
- Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
- What is my deductible and has it been met?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?
I would also suggest asking what kind of therapy sessions are covered, who has access to my records and whether a medical (DSM-IV) diagnosis is required to obtain benefits? It is important to remember that a medical diagnosis for mental health services will be a part of your ongoing medical record . Most insurance companies and managed care require a medical diagnosis and often after only one session. Their general goal is to pay for counseling for your medical mental health issue - not to improve your life or your marriage, clarify goals or aid you with troubling issues.
While there should be no stigma regarding a diagnosis for mental health "disorder" or issue, I would suggest that you give strong consideration to whether you want to take the chance on having a DSM diagnosis in your medical records. If you decide to run for President one day...? My concern is that I do not know what happens to the information once it is provided to an insurance carrier. And I don't think you do either.
Bottom line for me is - PRIVATE PAY PROVIDES CONFIDENTIALITY - MANAGED CARE DOES NOT.
Reduced Fee
No sliding scale. Somewhat reduced fee services are sometimes available on a very limited basis. .
Payment
Cash or check is expected at time of session. Please ask me if you need to make other arrangements.
Cancellation Policy
Please let me know as soon as you possibly can if you cannot make a scheduled therapy appointment. Someone else can probably use that two hour window.
Schedule Online
I don’t schedule any client without talking first by phone. Please give me a call and let me know what your needs are and we will talk about it.
Contact
Questions? Please contact me for further information. I'll be glad to answer any questions you have.
