I believe therapy should be accessible. My practice is structured to allow me to take a number of sliding-scale clients. Before we begin our work, we will discuss the fee that is reasonable based on your financial circumstances.
Insurance
I am able to accept some insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, and a few others. If we jump through some hoops together, it’s possible that I can work with you under a Kaiser plan.
I am unable to accept Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans as they do not reimburse for therapy at a fair rate. I am not currently able to accept Medicaid or Medicare plans directly, though I am hoping to be able to do so in the future.
Pay out of Pocket
If you have insurance that I do not accept, you could pay me at my standard rate by credit card and I will provide a statement (called a “superbill” in insurance language) that you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.
For self-pay, my standard fee for a 53-minute session is $175 — in this economy?!? no. My rate was $175, and I am now reducing my standard fee to $150 to reflect my values. I am not interested in only working with the wealthiest people. If you can afford a higher rate, I encourage you to offer it, as my education, training, background, and results seen by my clients do warrant a much-higher fee. Paying more would let me serve more clients with fewer resources, and would be greatly appreciated if you’re able, and I also fully understand if you’re not. Therapy should not be something that only rich people can do. We’re in this together.
I also work with clients in need on a sliding scale as low as $60/session (limited spots available). If my standard fee would create a hardship that would prevent you from pursuing therapy, and if I have availability, we can discuss a rate that will allow you to commit to regular sessions. A portion of my practice is reserved for pro bono and reduced-fee work by design and I invite you to contact me to inquire if such arrangements would be beneficial to you at this time.
Weekly recommended; flexibility supported
I see the benefit to clients of consistent weekly sessions to support the in-depth explorations that are needed for repair and recovery from past patterns and hurts. Ideally, we will find a time that works for you where we can meet every week. This is a commitment to yourself, and to your potential for growth.
I also believe in flexibility to tailor our work to your needs. We can talk about what would support you the best, including the possibility of bi-weekly sessions or longer sessions (when my schedule can accommodate), or an ad-hoc arrangement where we meet as needed. Just note that for depth healing work, where we’re focusing intentionally together on the patterns that hold you back, weekly sessions at the same day and time, and even sometimes twice a week, are necessary.
Cancellations and rescheduling
Sometimes, we get squirmy around therapy, because we know that we are facing ourselves directly. There may be times where you are hesitant to come, or it feels too overwhelming to have a session that day. Or, a day gets interrupted by a broken down car, a sick child or pet, or flooded bathroom, making it impossible to join your therapy appointment. I get it!
Here is a quick introduction to my policies:
- With advance notice, your appointment can be rescheduled for another time that week (if I have availability) or canceled at no cost.
- If you do not come to session at all and do not contact me, you’ll be charged for the no-show at your agreed-upon rate.
Sometimes life just takes over and we aren’t able to juggle everything we want to, and that’s fine. However, if these scheduling disconnects become a pattern, we will talk about it, because sometimes it can be a way to avoid the tough parts. Instead, I want to see you finding new ways to face things, so we will be open and real in looking at whatever might be going on.
Traveling
If you take a trip and want to keep our session appointment, I can only do so if you’re in California, Washington, or Virginia where I’m licensed, or a limited number of other states that may offer flexibility. Otherwise, we won’t be able to meet until you’re back home again. This is due to how licensure operates on a state level for mental health clinicians. If you have upcoming travel planned, please let me know in advance so we can determine if we’ll be able to meet or not while you’re away. Sometimes, it makes most sense to plan to skip therapy for a week anyway, so that you can focus on the experiences you’re having in that time.
Before we begin together, all of these policies will be discussed thoroughly so we have a mutual understanding of our commitments to each other and how we will navigate the particulars of payment and engagement.
You have many rights as you seek care for your health. By law I am required to share with you the Notice of Privacy Rights (sometimes known as “HIPAA”). In addition, this Client Bill of Rights adapted from the California Department of Consumer Affairs may be a useful guide in understanding protections you have within the client-therapist relationship.