How frequent are individual therapy sessions?

Weekly individual therapy is most often where people start and is a great way to both address challenges and build skills. If more support is desired, even for just a particular transition or event, it is possible to step up to two or three sessions a week. Similarly, folks often step down to sessions every other week as they are coming to the end of services and feeling more confident that they have the supports they need outside of therapy. I am happy to adjust frequency up and down as needed and as my schedule permits.

How long do people work with you and is there a contract of services?

There is no predetermined contract length and anyone can terminate services at any time and for any reason. Some folks like to engage in therapy in shorter bursts of 3-6 months at a time to help adjust to a transition or manage a particular challenge. Other individuals prefer to keep therapy ongoing for 2 to 3 years or more. Both are valid. All people grow and change at a different pace. It is notable that if you are utilizing your insurance, they will likely reimburse for a limited number of sessions.

What platform do you use for teletherapy and is it secure?

For most sessions, my teletherapy platform is integrated in my Simple Practice electronic medical records system. For clients engaging in EMDR via teletherapy, I also utilize the RemotEMDR platform. Both platforms are HIPPA compliant.

What is your fee and do you take insurance?

My base rate is $205 per hour. I am happy to offer a small number of clients the option to pay on a sliding scale. I am not yet in-network with any insurance providers at this time, but am happy to provide the needed paperwork for reimbursement and accept payment through HSA and FSA.

If you plan to pursue reimbursement through insurance, you may want to contact your provider first and ask:

• Do I have out-of-network mental health benefits?

• What is my out-of-network deductible and has it been met?

• Once I hit my out-of-network deductible, what percentage will my insurance cover?

• What is the reimbursement rate for an individual psychotherapy session or a couples psychotherapy session?

Services also exist, such as Reimbursify https://reimbursify.com/, to help individuals navigate reimbursement.

What do you do to maintain your practice as a ‘safe space?’

I personally am a member of multiple alternative lifestyles, which gives me lived experience to thoughtfully approach Gender Sexuality and Relationship Diverse folks. While I do not believe that membership in these communities is required to provide quality support, I appreciate that it is a preference for some individuals that their therapist share membership in those communities. Similarly, I respect that many BIPOC will prefer to work with therapists who have the same or similar experiences. To that end, I share resources to support their preferences, such as https://therapyforblackgirls.com/, https://blacktherapistsrock.com, and https://latinxtherapy.com/.

I also engage in ongoing antiracism work to become a better human and also to best serve BIPOC who feel I am a good fit for them. I am aware that no amount of reading, podcasts, protests, or workbooks can fully heal us from our socialization and to that end I approach with humility and an open mind.

Are there any people or issues you don’t work with?

With regards to professional scope, I am quite comfortable supporting individuals with a wide array of presenting symptoms and challenges. That said there are a few symptoms and diagnoses that I consider out of my scope, as they require particularly specialized care. This includes psychosis, substance abuse, eating disorders, and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

You engage in Surrogate Partner Therapy. Does that mean you’re the therapist and the surrogate partner?

No. Surrogate Partner Therapy is a triadic model where work is done with a client, a surrogate, and a supervising therapist. In my role as a therapist, I can supervise the work by engaging in weekly talk therapy sessions with the client to process their experiences with the surrogate partner. Supervising therapists in SPT also collaborate with the surrogate partner directly to help shape their intervention for the particular client’s needs. For more detailed information about the SPT model, please check out the International Professional Surrogates Association and the Surrogate Partner Collective.