About » Private Practice

Please note: The description of services below relate to the in-person practice of psychotherapy.

Therapeutic Services

Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personalities of the therapist and client, and the particular problems you bring forward. I have written about it in some length in my blog. Reading it will give you a good idea about my views on treatment. There are many different methods I may use to deal with the problems that you hope to address.

Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Since therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may sometimes experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. On the other hand, psychotherapy has also been shown to have benefits for people who go through it. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress. But there are no guarantees of what you will experience.

Meetings

I normally conduct an evaluation that will last from 2 to 4 sessions. During this time, we can both decide if I am the best person to provide the services you need in order to meet your treatment goals. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select, just as I am invested in the clients I choose to work with. The fit between a therapist and client is important, so before you decide whether to continue your work with me, you should carefully evaluate the information I give you from my initial evaluation. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with me. I am also more than willing to help you set up a meeting with another mental health professional if you would like to interview another person before deciding. Feel free to ask questions about my professional practices. I am happy to discuss these with you whenever they arise.

If psychotherapy is begun, I will usually schedule one 50-minute session (one appointment of 50 minutes duration) per week at a time we agree on, although some sessions may be longer or more frequent. Once an appointment is scheduled, 24 hours advance notice of cancellation is required [unless we both agree that you were unable to attend due to circumstances beyond your control] . If you don't provide this notice, you will be expected to pay for this time.

Contacting Me

I am often not immediately available by telephone. I don't answer the phone when I am with a client. When I am not available, my telephone is answered by voice mail that I monitor frequently. I will make every effort to return your call on the same day you make it, with the exception of weekends and holidays. If you are difficult to reach, please let me know some times when you will be available. If you are not able to reach me and feel that your situation is an emergency, contact your family physician or the nearest emergency room and ask for the psychotherapist on call. If I will be unavailable for an extended time, I will provide you with the name of a colleague to contact, if necessary.

Professional Records

The standards of my profession require that I keep treatment records. You are entitled to receive a copy of your records, or I can prepare a summary for you instead. Because these are professional records, they can be misinterpreted and/or upsetting to untrained readers. If you wish to see your records, I recommend that you review them in my presence so that we can discuss the contents.

Confidentiality

In general, the privacy of all communications between a client and a therapist is protected by law, and I can only release information about our work to others with your written permission. But there are a few exceptions.

There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect others from harm, even if I have to reveal some information about a client's treatment. For example, if I believe that a child is being abused, as a mandated reporter, I must file a report with the appropriate state agency.

If I believe that a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another, I am required to take protective actions. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalization for the client. If the client threatens to harm himself/herself, I may be obligated to seek hospitalization for him/her or to contact family members or others who can help provide protection. If a similar situation occurs, I will make every effort to fully discuss it with you before taking any action.

Professional Fees

50 minute face-to-face private practice session - $100.00

In addition to weekly appointments, I charge this amount for other professional services you may need, though I will break down the hourly cost if I work for periods of less than one hour in 15 minute intervals. Other services include report writing, telephone conversations lasting longer than 15 minutes, and attendance at meetings with other professionals you have authorized.

Insurance

I accept all Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance plans. If you have other insurance plans, please check with them to see if your plan reimburses out of network providers.

Billing and Payments

You will be expected to pay for each session at the time of service, unless we agree on an alternative method of payment . Payment schedules for other professional services will be agreed to when they are requested. (In circumstances of unusual financial hardship, I may be willing to negotiate a fee adjustment or payment installment plan.)

Clients wishing to pay for their sessions online may take advantage of this option by clicking here.