Practice Policies and Procedures
About Therapy
Most people attend behavioral health treatment because they are seeking change or growth in some area of their life. The effectiveness and perceived benefits of treatment depend on many factors including the particular problems you are experiencing, personality factors, establishing a good therapeutic alliance, and your ability and willingness to actively participate in your treatment.
While the prospects for change are exciting, giving up old habits or beliefs, no matter how destructive or painful, is difficult and can make people feel vulnerable and anxious. Some people will experience uncomfortable emotions throughout treatment. Exploring unpleasant aspects of one’s past can cause initial discomfort, but is often essential in working through and resolving experiences that impede the ability to reach your optimal level of functioning.
One of the benefits of therapy is having an objective, non-judgmental ally to assist you through these potentially uncomfortable emotions or memories. Together we will identify patterns or behaviors that are unhelpful and develop alternative ways of coping. While the benefits of treatment vary, clients often report gaining a better understanding of themselves and their goals and values, being able to access and tolerate a wider range of emotions, improvement in interpersonal relationships with improved ability to communicate with your family and friends, development of problem solving and coping skills, enhanced self-esteem and an increased confidence in their ability to manage problems and stress.
While there is no guarantee that treatment will create the desired changes or effects, most people find that the benefits of therapy outweigh any risks. In fact, sometimes there can be more risk associated with not participating in treatment and maintaining maladaptive behaviors and thought patterns.
By the end of our initial session, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work will include if you decide to continue. Together we will clarify treatment objectives and develop a plan to meet your goals. Throughout the treatment process we will periodically review your progress and make any necessary adjustments to best meet your needs.
Family and Couples Therapy Policy
Throughout the therapeutic process you may decide to include family members, spouses/significant others, or friends in your sessions. Including others in sessions can help us to explore different perspectives of current problems and shed light on how experiences from your past may be affecting you now. It is important that we communicate regarding information that you have shared in your individual sessions that you would like to maintain confidential when you bring others into the therapy room. It is also important to know how bringing others into your sessions may affect our therapeutic relationship. Typically, we would not change the format of our therapeutic relationship from individual therapy to family/couples of vice versa due to the dynamics of previously created therapeutic relationships. Therefore if you have someone join your individual session, the focus would still be on your individual needs with insight from your loved one.
When the focus of therapy is family therapy or couples therapy, it is important for us to explore additional limits of confidentiality as it relates to the therapeutic relationship of all members of the family that are involved in treatment. I believe that it is very important for there to be open lines of communication amongst everyone in order to assure all people feel heard and supported in sessions. I will not “hold secrets” for you from your family members. That being said I will respect your emotional needs and will work with you in a supportive manner on how to express emotions, needs or experiences with your family members/significant others as you are ready to share.
Termination and Premature Discontinuation of Services
Typically therapy will end once treatment goals and objectives have been met; however, you have the right to terminate therapy at any time for any reason. If you decide to discontinue services I ask that rather than just not returning, you schedule a final appointment so that we can review your progress and discuss any referrals that might be beneficial to you. You are, however, under no obligation to return if you are uncomfortable doing so.
Additionally, I have the right to discontinue treatment if:
If I terminate treatment I will provide you with referrals to alternative providers to meet your needs. If you are interested in resuming services with me and feel that the circumstances leading to your or my decision to discontinue services have changed, please contact me to discuss this.
If at any time during the course of treatment you feel I have violated your rights or feel I have acted in an unethical manner you have the right to file a grievance against me.
If I have reason to believe that you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of our session, I may end the session and require you to find a safe method of transportation to your residence. If a client is required to take a cab home they will be responsible for the full cost of transportation.
After Hours On Call
My practice is conducted on an outpatient basis, and designed to accommodate clients that are reasonably safe. Therefore, I cannot guarantee that I will be immediately available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If either you or I feel that this level of support is not adequate, we can discuss additional resources and/or a transfer to a higher level of care or a provider with 24 hour coverage. That being said, every effort will be made to respond to all calls and other forms of contact promptly during business hours.
If you feel your matter is an emergency and you cannot reach me please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also contact 988 if suicidal ideation is present for you or a loved one.
Financial Policy
My fee is $175 for an initial diagnostic assessment (typically lasting about one hour) and $145 per session for subsequent treatment visits (typically lasting 45-50 minutes). Currently, I am credentialed with: Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare/Oxford/Optum.
There are both positives and negatives to using insurance for counseling. Some clients will decide, regardless of coverage available to them, to pay for services out of pocket. If you would like to discuss the pros and cons of using managed care benefits, please let me know.
Please note, if you do decide to utilize your insurance to pay for services, ultimately the cost of services rendered is your responsibility, and not that of your insurance company. Therapy fees may constitute a tax deductible medical expense and you may request a receipt for such purposes.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, my professional services qualify for reimbursement under most plans accepting out of network providers.
If you decide that you would like to use the mental health benefits available through your insurance company, with who I am not currently in network, you will be responsible for paying in full at the time of service and I will provide you with the necessary documentation to be reimbursed through your insurance company.
You may want to contact your insurance company to ask the following questions:
• Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
• Do you accept out of network providers?
• How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
• What is the reimbursement rate for therapy sessions with an out of network provider?
• Is there a deductible and has it been met?
• Does mental health treatment require preauthorization or a referral from my primary care doctor?
• Are there any specific forms that are needed to submit for reimbursement by my therapist?
• Is approval and/or a referral required from my primary care doctor?
A sliding scale fee is available for a limited number of clients who do not have, or do not wish to use, mental health benefits through their insurance. A fee agreement will be established in such cases.
Additional Fees
I charge $100 an hour for other professional services you may need, however, I will break down the hourly cost (in 15 minute increments) if I work for periods of less than one hour. Examples of “other services” include:
Per the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and in order to maintain the positive therapeutic relationship that is built through my work with both you and your family, I will be unable to perform assessments regarding custody or visitation for either minors or adults and therefore will not be able to testify in court regarding either of these areas. I will be able to coordinate with the assessing professional regarding mental health treatment with your consent.
“Standard 7.7 – Separation of Custody Evaluations from Therapy - Marriage and family therapists avoid conflicts of interest in treating minors or adults involved in custody or visitation actions by not performing evaluations for custody, residence, or visitation of the minor. Marriage and family therapists who treat minors may provide the court or mental health professional performing the evaluation with information about the minor from the marriage and family therapist’s perspective as a treating marriage and family therapist, so long as the marriage and family therapist obtains appropriate consents to release information.”
No Show/ Late Cancellation Policy
Please allow at least 24 hours notice if you will not be able to keep a scheduled appointment. If an appointment is scheduled for a Monday, cancellations must be made by 3pm the Friday before the appointment. With sufficient notice I may be able to schedule another client in your appointment space.
Please be aware that if you do not provide at least 24 hours notice of a cancellation or you do not show for a scheduled appointment you will be charged $75, unless we both agree that you were unable to attend due to circumstances outside your control. If these cancellations happen too often, the $75 fee will be charged, regardless of the circumstances, and a discussion about your dedication to the therapeutic process will occur as consistency in treatment is an important part of making progress. You are solely responsible for any charges for late cancellations or failed appointments, as insurance will not reimburse for this.
If you do not log in or show up for your scheduled session at the time the session begins, a text message and/or e-mail will be sent. I will wait for you in the session for 15 minutes and if you do not show up during the 15 minutes, the session will be counted as a no-show at that time and the fee will charged.
Regular attendance is important for optimal treatment outcomes. Frequently missed sessions or prolonged absence from treatment are often signs that a person is not ready to commit to treatment or has concerns about the current treatment they are receiving. I encourage you to discuss any barriers to treatment with me directly in hopes of reaching a resolution.
*For clients utilizing a sliding scale fee, please note that the charge for late cancellations and failed appointments remains $75.
Confidentiality
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communication between a client and a licensed marriage and family therapist. I may only release information about your treatment to others if you sign a written authorization form. There are instances in which my professional, ethical, and legal duty overrides the right to confidentiality. These exceptions include, but are not limited to, informing appropriate authorities of suspected abuse of children and vulnerable adults, and of threat of serious bodily harm to self or others. Please see attached “notice of privacy practices” document for detailed explanation.
I sometimes consult other therapists or professionals about my clients. This helps me in giving high-quality treatment. During a consultation, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of my clients. The other professionals are also required to keep the information confidential. If you don’t object, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I feel that it is important to our work together. I will, however, note all consultations in your clinical record.
Technology Policy
There is no form of communication in the digital age that we live in that is 100 percent confidential. That being said, I will do everything within my power to maintain your confidentiality as we communicate regarding your scheduling and treatment both in and outside of session. I utilize Google e-mail with a BAA and Spruce for phone and text within my practice. This offers you different ways of connecting and communicating with me regarding scheduling appointments and coordination of care but it also leaves you somewhat more open to breaches of confidentiality. While I take every effort to maintain your privacy, nothing is foolproof and therefore I ask that you maintain awareness of these limitations as you communicate with me via e-mail and SMS text messaging. Therefore, I ask that e-mail and text messaging to be utilized primarily for scheduling and rescheduling your appointments. If you do choose to communicate with me via e-mail or text message, I will assume that you have made an informed decision and will view it as your agreement that you understand the limitations of confidentiality for these forms of communication. Additionally, I ask that you do not utilize e-mail as a form of communication in cases of emergencies as I do not check my e-mail with the frequency at which I would see a text message or hear a phone call. A phone call or text message would be the most appropriate way to get a hold of me during times of emergency.
Additionally, messaging on social media sites is not secure and not an appropriate way of communicating with me regarding your treatment. While I appreciate your interactions via social media and encourage you to access the resources that I provide via my professional Facebook and Instagram pages, you commenting, liking, or tagging me in posts via your Facebook or Instagram account may compromise your confidentiality. In order to protect and ensure your confidentiality, I will not accept any requests to “friend” or connect on any of my person profiles on social media platforms and ask that you only attempt to connect with me via my professional Facebook or Instagram pages.
Telehealth is available to you. A secure system will be utilized for these sessions via the TherapyPortal. Please note that if your insurance does not cover these sessions you may be responsible for the full session fee. It will be your responsibility to contact your insurance company to inquire about coverage for this form of treatment.
Most people attend behavioral health treatment because they are seeking change or growth in some area of their life. The effectiveness and perceived benefits of treatment depend on many factors including the particular problems you are experiencing, personality factors, establishing a good therapeutic alliance, and your ability and willingness to actively participate in your treatment.
While the prospects for change are exciting, giving up old habits or beliefs, no matter how destructive or painful, is difficult and can make people feel vulnerable and anxious. Some people will experience uncomfortable emotions throughout treatment. Exploring unpleasant aspects of one’s past can cause initial discomfort, but is often essential in working through and resolving experiences that impede the ability to reach your optimal level of functioning.
One of the benefits of therapy is having an objective, non-judgmental ally to assist you through these potentially uncomfortable emotions or memories. Together we will identify patterns or behaviors that are unhelpful and develop alternative ways of coping. While the benefits of treatment vary, clients often report gaining a better understanding of themselves and their goals and values, being able to access and tolerate a wider range of emotions, improvement in interpersonal relationships with improved ability to communicate with your family and friends, development of problem solving and coping skills, enhanced self-esteem and an increased confidence in their ability to manage problems and stress.
While there is no guarantee that treatment will create the desired changes or effects, most people find that the benefits of therapy outweigh any risks. In fact, sometimes there can be more risk associated with not participating in treatment and maintaining maladaptive behaviors and thought patterns.
By the end of our initial session, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work will include if you decide to continue. Together we will clarify treatment objectives and develop a plan to meet your goals. Throughout the treatment process we will periodically review your progress and make any necessary adjustments to best meet your needs.
Family and Couples Therapy Policy
Throughout the therapeutic process you may decide to include family members, spouses/significant others, or friends in your sessions. Including others in sessions can help us to explore different perspectives of current problems and shed light on how experiences from your past may be affecting you now. It is important that we communicate regarding information that you have shared in your individual sessions that you would like to maintain confidential when you bring others into the therapy room. It is also important to know how bringing others into your sessions may affect our therapeutic relationship. Typically, we would not change the format of our therapeutic relationship from individual therapy to family/couples of vice versa due to the dynamics of previously created therapeutic relationships. Therefore if you have someone join your individual session, the focus would still be on your individual needs with insight from your loved one.
When the focus of therapy is family therapy or couples therapy, it is important for us to explore additional limits of confidentiality as it relates to the therapeutic relationship of all members of the family that are involved in treatment. I believe that it is very important for there to be open lines of communication amongst everyone in order to assure all people feel heard and supported in sessions. I will not “hold secrets” for you from your family members. That being said I will respect your emotional needs and will work with you in a supportive manner on how to express emotions, needs or experiences with your family members/significant others as you are ready to share.
Termination and Premature Discontinuation of Services
Typically therapy will end once treatment goals and objectives have been met; however, you have the right to terminate therapy at any time for any reason. If you decide to discontinue services I ask that rather than just not returning, you schedule a final appointment so that we can review your progress and discuss any referrals that might be beneficial to you. You are, however, under no obligation to return if you are uncomfortable doing so.
Additionally, I have the right to discontinue treatment if:
- Cancellations and no shows become an issue and are unable to be dealt with in the therapeutic relationship, as described above
- If I am not, in my judgment, able to help or meet your needs either because they are beyond my scope of practice or because the severity of symptoms are not able to be safely managed at this level of care.
- If you act violently (verbally or physically), threaten or harass me, or others within the practice, I will discontinue therapy immediately
If I terminate treatment I will provide you with referrals to alternative providers to meet your needs. If you are interested in resuming services with me and feel that the circumstances leading to your or my decision to discontinue services have changed, please contact me to discuss this.
If at any time during the course of treatment you feel I have violated your rights or feel I have acted in an unethical manner you have the right to file a grievance against me.
If I have reason to believe that you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of our session, I may end the session and require you to find a safe method of transportation to your residence. If a client is required to take a cab home they will be responsible for the full cost of transportation.
After Hours On Call
My practice is conducted on an outpatient basis, and designed to accommodate clients that are reasonably safe. Therefore, I cannot guarantee that I will be immediately available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If either you or I feel that this level of support is not adequate, we can discuss additional resources and/or a transfer to a higher level of care or a provider with 24 hour coverage. That being said, every effort will be made to respond to all calls and other forms of contact promptly during business hours.
If you feel your matter is an emergency and you cannot reach me please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also contact 988 if suicidal ideation is present for you or a loved one.
Financial Policy
My fee is $175 for an initial diagnostic assessment (typically lasting about one hour) and $145 per session for subsequent treatment visits (typically lasting 45-50 minutes). Currently, I am credentialed with: Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare/Oxford/Optum.
There are both positives and negatives to using insurance for counseling. Some clients will decide, regardless of coverage available to them, to pay for services out of pocket. If you would like to discuss the pros and cons of using managed care benefits, please let me know.
Please note, if you do decide to utilize your insurance to pay for services, ultimately the cost of services rendered is your responsibility, and not that of your insurance company. Therapy fees may constitute a tax deductible medical expense and you may request a receipt for such purposes.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, my professional services qualify for reimbursement under most plans accepting out of network providers.
If you decide that you would like to use the mental health benefits available through your insurance company, with who I am not currently in network, you will be responsible for paying in full at the time of service and I will provide you with the necessary documentation to be reimbursed through your insurance company.
You may want to contact your insurance company to ask the following questions:
• Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
• Do you accept out of network providers?
• How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
• What is the reimbursement rate for therapy sessions with an out of network provider?
• Is there a deductible and has it been met?
• Does mental health treatment require preauthorization or a referral from my primary care doctor?
• Are there any specific forms that are needed to submit for reimbursement by my therapist?
• Is approval and/or a referral required from my primary care doctor?
A sliding scale fee is available for a limited number of clients who do not have, or do not wish to use, mental health benefits through their insurance. A fee agreement will be established in such cases.
Additional Fees
I charge $100 an hour for other professional services you may need, however, I will break down the hourly cost (in 15 minute increments) if I work for periods of less than one hour. Examples of “other services” include:
- Report writing (for lawyers, probation, Social Security Disability…)
- Telephone consultations with other professionals at your request
- Phone conversations lasting longer than 10 minutes that are not of an emergent nature
- Appearances at a court proceeding
- I will only appear at a court when subpoenaed to do so. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation there will be a fee for case preparation and my attendance. This charge will be determined based on the complexity of the case and the amount of time required.
- If you fail to make payments for which you are responsible within 60 days, your account will be charged an additional 1.25% interest fee.
- If your account remains unpaid and becomes delinquent and is sent to a collection agency, you will be responsible for additional fees incurred in the collection process.
Per the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and in order to maintain the positive therapeutic relationship that is built through my work with both you and your family, I will be unable to perform assessments regarding custody or visitation for either minors or adults and therefore will not be able to testify in court regarding either of these areas. I will be able to coordinate with the assessing professional regarding mental health treatment with your consent.
“Standard 7.7 – Separation of Custody Evaluations from Therapy - Marriage and family therapists avoid conflicts of interest in treating minors or adults involved in custody or visitation actions by not performing evaluations for custody, residence, or visitation of the minor. Marriage and family therapists who treat minors may provide the court or mental health professional performing the evaluation with information about the minor from the marriage and family therapist’s perspective as a treating marriage and family therapist, so long as the marriage and family therapist obtains appropriate consents to release information.”
No Show/ Late Cancellation Policy
Please allow at least 24 hours notice if you will not be able to keep a scheduled appointment. If an appointment is scheduled for a Monday, cancellations must be made by 3pm the Friday before the appointment. With sufficient notice I may be able to schedule another client in your appointment space.
Please be aware that if you do not provide at least 24 hours notice of a cancellation or you do not show for a scheduled appointment you will be charged $75, unless we both agree that you were unable to attend due to circumstances outside your control. If these cancellations happen too often, the $75 fee will be charged, regardless of the circumstances, and a discussion about your dedication to the therapeutic process will occur as consistency in treatment is an important part of making progress. You are solely responsible for any charges for late cancellations or failed appointments, as insurance will not reimburse for this.
If you do not log in or show up for your scheduled session at the time the session begins, a text message and/or e-mail will be sent. I will wait for you in the session for 15 minutes and if you do not show up during the 15 minutes, the session will be counted as a no-show at that time and the fee will charged.
Regular attendance is important for optimal treatment outcomes. Frequently missed sessions or prolonged absence from treatment are often signs that a person is not ready to commit to treatment or has concerns about the current treatment they are receiving. I encourage you to discuss any barriers to treatment with me directly in hopes of reaching a resolution.
*For clients utilizing a sliding scale fee, please note that the charge for late cancellations and failed appointments remains $75.
Confidentiality
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communication between a client and a licensed marriage and family therapist. I may only release information about your treatment to others if you sign a written authorization form. There are instances in which my professional, ethical, and legal duty overrides the right to confidentiality. These exceptions include, but are not limited to, informing appropriate authorities of suspected abuse of children and vulnerable adults, and of threat of serious bodily harm to self or others. Please see attached “notice of privacy practices” document for detailed explanation.
I sometimes consult other therapists or professionals about my clients. This helps me in giving high-quality treatment. During a consultation, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of my clients. The other professionals are also required to keep the information confidential. If you don’t object, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I feel that it is important to our work together. I will, however, note all consultations in your clinical record.
Technology Policy
There is no form of communication in the digital age that we live in that is 100 percent confidential. That being said, I will do everything within my power to maintain your confidentiality as we communicate regarding your scheduling and treatment both in and outside of session. I utilize Google e-mail with a BAA and Spruce for phone and text within my practice. This offers you different ways of connecting and communicating with me regarding scheduling appointments and coordination of care but it also leaves you somewhat more open to breaches of confidentiality. While I take every effort to maintain your privacy, nothing is foolproof and therefore I ask that you maintain awareness of these limitations as you communicate with me via e-mail and SMS text messaging. Therefore, I ask that e-mail and text messaging to be utilized primarily for scheduling and rescheduling your appointments. If you do choose to communicate with me via e-mail or text message, I will assume that you have made an informed decision and will view it as your agreement that you understand the limitations of confidentiality for these forms of communication. Additionally, I ask that you do not utilize e-mail as a form of communication in cases of emergencies as I do not check my e-mail with the frequency at which I would see a text message or hear a phone call. A phone call or text message would be the most appropriate way to get a hold of me during times of emergency.
Additionally, messaging on social media sites is not secure and not an appropriate way of communicating with me regarding your treatment. While I appreciate your interactions via social media and encourage you to access the resources that I provide via my professional Facebook and Instagram pages, you commenting, liking, or tagging me in posts via your Facebook or Instagram account may compromise your confidentiality. In order to protect and ensure your confidentiality, I will not accept any requests to “friend” or connect on any of my person profiles on social media platforms and ask that you only attempt to connect with me via my professional Facebook or Instagram pages.
Telehealth is available to you. A secure system will be utilized for these sessions via the TherapyPortal. Please note that if your insurance does not cover these sessions you may be responsible for the full session fee. It will be your responsibility to contact your insurance company to inquire about coverage for this form of treatment.