THE FOCUS OF THERAPY

 

As the client, you are in charge of your therapy, so you get to decide what we focus on. The topics I’m most comfortable with and have the most experience with include processing past trauma (especially religious trauma and abusive relationships), building self-compassion, improving communication skills, understanding and accepting your identity, understanding and handling emotions, addressing unhelpful thought patterns, and setting healthy boundaries in relationships.

 

DURATION OF THERAPY

 

The length of time that someone is in counseling varies based on a lot of factors, but most people attend counseling for about 10-25 sessions. Some people stay in "maintenance" therapy for years, others just come for a few sessions to work through something specific. There’s no pressure to keep investing in something that doesn't feel helpful to you, so you can quit therapy any time. I won’t take it personally if you decide to take a break or choose to switch to another therapist. If you have concerns, though, talk to me about it so we can problem solve together.

 

Circumstances under which I might have to terminate services with you include: (1) I feel you're not benefiting from treatment, (2) you attend sessions while intoxicated, (3) you don't pay overdue fees, (4) you miss three or more appointments, or (5) you act in a sexually inappropriate way or make threats toward me.

 

FEES

 

Individual therapy sessions are $150, and relationship/couples sessions are $175. Late cancellations and missed appointments are $75. I operate on a private pay basis, meaning I don’t take insurance. However, I can give you documentation to submit out-of-network claims to your insurance for reimbursement if you request it. If cost is a barrier to therapy for you, talk to me so we can figure out a solution. I offer a limited number of reduced rates based on financial need. I don’t have anything available, I'll help you find someone else.

 

SCHEDULING

 

All appointment scheduling and canceling is done through the secure client portal. You'll be able to view my availability and choose a time that works for you. I welcome my clients to make several appointments in advance if they have specific availability needs. Regarding session frequency, therapy is usually most effective when you put in consistent time and energy. Weekly sessions are usually ideal, especially if you’re just getting started. Busy schedules and financial limitations can make weekly therapy unrealistic for some, though, so I’ll trust you to schedule at whatever frequency works best for you.

 

TELEHEALTH 

 

I conduct all sessions via a secure Telehealth platform. Research shows that in most cases Telehealth is just as effective as in-person therapy. It also offers a lot more flexibility. To minimize the risk of connectivity issues and privacy violations, I ask all clients to log in from a private place with a strong wifi connection. If we have connection issues during a session, I'll call you from my work number to troubleshoot. If for any reason, you feel that telehealth isn't a good fit for you, I can help you find a therapist who offers in-person sessions. 

 

CANCELLATIONS

 

Canceling or rescheduling is easy to do in the client portal. Sessions that are cancelled with at least 24 hours notice don't have any penalty. When you miss or cancel an appointment last minute, however, I can’t schedule anyone else and I don’t get paid for my time. So unless there’s been a medical or family emergency, I charge $75 for all missed appointments and late cancellations. If you miss three or more sessions within a 6 month period, I may need to talk with you about your investment level in therapy. To make things equitable, if I have to cancel an appointment with you at the last minute for any reason, I’ll waive the $75 fee for you if you have to miss or late cancel a future appointment.

 

CONFIDENTIALITY

 

Your privacy is very important to me. Anything you tell me in therapy is protected under HIPAA  privacy laws and the ethics of my profession. I won’t disclose your identity or discuss your case details with anyone unless I have a signed release form. I might consult with other therapists about your treatment but I’ll never use any identifying information.

 

I’ll only contact you using the information you save in the client portal. Neither you or I are permitted to record any part of your sessions unless we’ve both given written consent. To protect your confidentiality, I won’t accept any social media requests from you or knowingly attend social events with you. If I run into you in public, I won’t acknowledge you unless you address me first.

 

The only situations where I would be ethically or legally forced to break confidentiality are: (1) if you’re actively planning to harm yourself or someone else, (2) if you tell me about current abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a minor, elderly, or disabled person, or (3) if there’s a court order compelling me to disclose information.

 

PERSONAL + PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

 

The counseling relationship needs to have professional boundaries and it’s my job to make sure we’re focusing on you, not me. I might choose to tell you things about myself if I think it will be beneficial, but if I decline to answer personal questions, know that it’s for a good reason. To protect my work-life balance I don’t discuss therapy issues between sessions. I’m fine with getting therapy-related messages from you through the portal or my secure email; just know that I'll wait until our next session to discuss it with you. 

 

EMERGENCIES

 

I don’t offer crisis services and I'm not available outside of work hours. If you’re in a mental health crisis, go to the closest emergency room, call 911, or call/text the mental health hotline at 988.

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THE NO SURPRISES ACT

 

You have the right to receive a good faith estimate explaining how much your therapy will cost. Under federal law, mental health care providers must give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the total expected cost of any nonemergency services. You may ask Empathy Paradigm Therapy to give you a good faith estimate in writing, which will be provided at least one business day before your service. You can also ask your therapist for a good faith estimate before you schedule a service. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your good faith estimate. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your good faith estimate, you can dispute the bill.