At this time, this practice is in network with the following insurance plans for individual psychotherapy only:

- Aetna
- Cigna
- CDPHP (PPO only)
- United Healthcare
- Oxford

We offer services for couples and family sessions, or individual sessions to those who have other insurance plans, on a private pay, sliding scale basis. The sliding scale rate is based on annual income, which you self-report. Please contact us for more information.

If you are seeking individual therapy, and your health insurance plan is not one of the above but offers Out of Network benefits, we can provide you with documentation to submit for reimbursement.

The Cash Pay Rates are as follows:

• Individual sessions (50 minutes): $145

• Couples/Family Sessions (75 minutes): $185

A sliding scale based on income/financial circumstance is available. Please contact us by phone or email to discuss your options.

As of January 1st, 2022, patients who plan to pay for health care services out of pocket or utilize their insurance plan’s out of network benefits are entitled to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” from their health care provider for the defined services associated with treatment for their identified condition. This “Good Faith Estimate” must be submitted to the patient and signed by them no less than 1 business day prior to the start of treatment.

If you receive a bill that is more than $400 above your good faith estimate, you are entitled to dispute your bill. Cancellation or no-show fees or collateral care fees (such as writing support letters for medical care or appearing in court) are not included in the Good Faith Estimate, as those are terms set outside of health care services. Please be sure to save a copy of your signed estimate for your records. More information about the No Surprises Act can be found here.

Psychotherapy or counseling is a dynamic professional relationship. Dialog is a big part of the process, but this practice invites all manner of expression and reflection in our shared space. Your therapist is not here to give you answers or explicit advice. They are here to help you listen to your inner wisdom, enact personal growth, and make the best choices for yourself and your well-being.

The process starts with you contacting our office. We set a consultation appointment so you can get to know me and the services offered and we can get to know you and your situation. If therapist and client both agree to proceed, you will meet for a multi-phase course of therapy. A proposed session number will be discussed, with the understanding that re-evaluation may indicate an extension of sessions is necessary.

Assessment: The first few sessions are devoted to your therapist getting a holistic understanding of you, your history, environment, relationships, values, strengths and growth areas, etc. This helps formulate the most appropriate understanding of the challenges that brought you to therapy and, together, you and your therapist collaborate on a treatment plan that is right for you.

Intervention: The next phase of sessions are where the plan goes into action. Sessions are either 50 minutes or 75 minutes depending on whether it is an individual or couple/family session. Practices or reflections will be assigned for time in between sessions. This is in service of keeping treatment on the more short-term. Your therapist will continually assess progress with you, and troubleshoot when needed.

Evaluation/Transition: When you and your therapist feel confident your presenting issues/challenges have improved significantly and you are implementing the treatment plan successfully on your own, you will look back at the treatment plan for what worked and didn’t, what work lies ahead for you, and develop a plan for maintaining the progress made. There may be times in the future when unprecedented challenges arise, and our door is open for re-engagement.

Psychotherapists, like all health professionals, have ethical and legal obligations to ensure that both personally identifying information of each client and aspects of their treatment is kept confidential within legally established parameters (such as HIPAA laws).

Under a few circumstances, a psychotherapist must disclose personally identifying and/or treatment information without a client’s consent:

1. If the client poses an imminent risk to his/her/themself or others.

2. If reasonable suspicion exists that a minor child or dependent elder adult is being abused or neglected as per applicable state law.

3. If the psychotherapist receives a judicial subpoena for records.

Under some circumstances, a psychotherapist may request the written consent of a client to disclose personally identifying or treatment information in the course of treatment:

1. To obtain or share medical records or collateral treatment information with another medical provider involved in the client’s care.

2. To submit supporting documentation on a client’s behalf for obtaining health services, public benefits, or as part of a legal proceeding.

3. To obtain expert consultation on a client’s treatment from a contracted psychotherapy consultant.

4. To prepare invoices for a client to submit to their insurance company for out of network reimbursement (such documents contain diagnosis, treatment codes, number of sessions, and potentially a treatment plan if required by the insurer.

As a client, you have a right to your own psychotherapy health record at any time, and to relinquish your consent for the four numbered circumstances listed above. For more information, please contact us with questions or we can provide you copies of our consent forms.

In the state of New York generally, minors ages 16-18, and adults 18 or older, hold the legal right of consent to medical and mental health treatment and parents may not override their wishes (except in circumstances such legal guardianship of disabled adults). Minors may also seek out mental health treatment without parental consent or knowledge under some circumstances.

When minors are subject to parental consent to treatment, it is the standard practice of this therapist that the minor be informed of the nature of therapy as well as the risks and benefits at an age and developmentally appropriate level.

When minors who hold right of consent (16-18 years of age) seek out individual mental health treatment, little treatment or progress information can be shared with the parents without child consent, unless the child is at imminent risk of danger to self or others.

In cases where there is family court involvement, such as divorce or loss of custody, it is standard practice if the judge authorizes mental health evaluations of the children or parents, that an unaffiliated psychiatrist or psychologist will conduct evaluation on a contractual basis. Please be aware your child's therapist is not an independent evaluator for this purpose, and only if compelled by a judge or with given consent, can provide the court with protected treatment information.

In the unlikely case a judge issues an order for your child's therapist to attend court or testify, you would be billed for that time at a pre-discussed sliding scale cash pay rate. Insurance plans to not cover such services.

While licensed clinical social workers are allowed to evaluate, diagnose, write and implement treatment plans, in both legal and civil settings, expert mental health evaluations are most often conducted by unaffiliated psychiatrists and psychologists contracted to do so. The treating clinician of an individual in civil or legal proceedings, for ethical and professional scope reasons, is not an independent evaluator.

Therefore, for the purposes of claiming disability benefits (whether it be short or long term) or to advocate for oneself in legal matters, this practice can only accommodate requests from independent evaluators for treatment information, with client informed consent, and cannot evaluate clients for these purposes. The only exception is letters of support for medical procedures, surgeries, or treatments, such as gender affirming healthcare. Clients must compensate their therapist for their time outside of sessions writing letters or if subpoenaed for court appearances on a private pay basis, as health insurance companies do not pay for those services. The rate of compensation per billable hour is based on client self-reported income. Please contact us for the table.