frequently asked questions
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Are you accepting new patients? Occasionally I have openings, but I never post them here because they tend to fill quickly. Please feel free to reach out via email to inquire if there are any current openings. You can request to be on my waiting list, if you'd like. With what age children do you work? Currently, I'm working with children ages 10 and up. Do you accept insurance? Yes, I am in network with Aetna, Cigna, and Optum (including United Healthcare & Oxford). I use a billing platform called Alma to handle insurance claims and billing. *Please note that co-pays are due at the time of your appointment, and you will need to have met your deductible first before your insurance will cover their portion of the session fee. If you have a different insurance than those I've listed above, you may want to check with your insurance company to see if they provide out-of-network coverage for psychotherapy. You would be responsible for paying me directly and filing claims to seek reimbursement on your own behalf. I can provide coded receipts for you to submit for reimbursement, or simply for your records (i.e. if you are using a flexible health spending account or want to itemize therapy as a medical expense on your income taxes). My billing platform generates coded receipts at the end of the month, but if you need them more frequently, just let me know. What is your fee for psychotherapy? My fee is $150 per 55 minute session. If you need a lower fee in order to be able to access support, please let me know. I have a limited number of sliding scale fee spots. Do you offer online therapy? Yes! My teletherapy office is via a HIPAA secure Zoom room. I will send you links in advance and help you troubleshoot any technical difficulties as best I can. Do you offer in-person sessions? Not typically, because I gave up my physical office during the pandemic. My sessions are now held online via Zoom. With established local clients, during agreeable weather, I occasionally offer in-person sessions outside in my garden or by my pond. It gives us an opportunity to meet "IRL," in 3 dimensions, if you wish. Please note that I ask anyone coming to refrain from wearing fragrances, as they unfortunately give me migraines. Do you offer family therapy? It depends on the circumstances, but I generally provide referrals for a family to get family therapy elsewhere while I continue to be the main provider for a child / adolescent. I value collaboration, and with a release of information from you, I would be glad to communicate with other members of your / your child's treatment team. What are your privacy policies regarding children and adolescents? By law, parents have a right to their children's medical records. However, I ask that parents keep in mind that in order to make progress in psychotherapy, their child needs privacy and trust in me. Their confidentiality is every bit as critical to me as the adults with whom I work. I generally ask that families respect this boundary, and trust me and trust the process. This is especially true of adolescents, whereas with younger children I'm able to be more collaborative. We can talk about all of this in more detail, and I'm glad to answer any questions you might have about the tricky balance of children's privacy and families wanting information. Why do you videotape your sessions? I record sessions only when there is explicit written permission by the client to do so. That said, the reason I prefer to tape is because having taped work is very useful for me, and clients benefit from the way that it helps me. It enables me to review sessions to supervise my work, to monitor progress, to consider future interventions. and to pick up on things I may have missed the first time around. Recording is completely voluntary. Consent can be given or revoked in writing at any time during treatment. All files, both written or electronic, are kept in accordance with HIPAA privacy laws. Do you use AI notes? Not currently, as I don't want to take any risks with your privacy; it's a technology that is growing so fast and becoming so ubiquitous that I have concerns about its privacy, security, and accuracy. Rest assured, if I decide to trial any AI note-taking software in the future, I will talk with you about it, and I would not proceed without your explicit written consent to do so. |
BILLING / OFFICE POLICIES
Do you take credit?
Yes! I accept credit cards via the Alma billing platform,
and via IVY (a HIPAA secure payment app),
I also can accept Square, Venmo, and Paypal,
as well as checks and cash.
What if I can't make it to my appointment?
I wish it wasn't necessary, but I have a 24-hour cancellation policy.
With less than 24 hours notice (unless it's a true emergency),
I may charge you for the full session fee if I am unable to fill the spot.
There is no fee for appointments cancelled with more than 24 hrs notice.