Do you offer telemedicine?
Yes, I do offer virtual sessions by video conference or phone.
What insurances do you accept?
I accept the following insurances : Blue Cross Blue Shield , MESSA, Blue care network, Medicare, Priority Health and Aetna. If you have any other insurance, contact me.
You can use your out of network benefits, or Flexible Spending Account to cover health care expenses. I will provide you with an itemized statement to submit to your health care plan or FSA coordinator so that they can reimburse you directly for your expenses.
Some people prefer to pay out of pocket, to ensure complete confidentiality.
What is your fee per session?
My fee per session is $150.
What is your missed appointment policy?
Regular attendance helps facilitate the therapeutic process and will expedite your treatment. Missing appointments is highly discouraged unless absolutely necessary. Cancellation of an appointment with less than 24 hours notice will incur the full the missed session.
Do you accept credit card?
Yes.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
Please fill and sign my intake form , consent to telelmedicine, consent to meet face to face during the pandemic, and consent-to-treatment . Please read carefully my Notice of Privacy Practices. This would save us valuable time in our first encounter. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me
Can you ensure complete confidentiality?
Information shared in psychotherapy will not be disclosed to anyone without your signed authorization. You have the right to revoke such authorization at any time. There are some exceptions to this:
- Therapists are legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child, or a vulnerable adult.
- Therapists have a legal and ethical obligation to warn appropriate authorities, family members, etc., when a client is at risk of harming him/herself or others.
- Client case notes and records may be subject to subpoena when a client is involved in civil or criminal legal proceedings.
- Therapists may be required to release client information to an insurance company that is paying for treatment. You can restrict disclosure of your information to a health plan if you have paid for the service out-of-pocket in full.
- You will be notified if any breach of confidentiality occurs.
- In couple counseling, anything you share with me individually by phone or in an individual session, may not be held as confidential, and at my discretion may be shared with the spouse/partner during a subsequent couple session.
What is Psychotherapy? How does Psychotherapy Work?
Psychotherapy (or Counseling) is a form of talk therapy. The purpose of psychotherapy is to help you manage life’s challenges effectively, improve your quality of life, and overcome those barrier that impede you from enjoying your life fully. The experience of talking freely without shame or fear of judgment is healing in itself; psychotherapy has the capacity to open up resources in yourself, that you were not aware of, and to tap your own inner wisdom.
In counseling we will move freely from the present to past, and back to the present. I will want to know what shaped you in the past in order to help you with today’s challenges. We also will explore the present: Your emotions, your relationships, and the triggers that brought you to therapy in the first place, your behavior patterns, thought processes. The more insight and awareness you gain, the more freedom you will have in your present. You will be able to make better choices for yourself, to jettison behavior patterns that were developed in the past and no longer serve you.
We will work together. In counseling you are not a passive patient as in a medical procedure. It is a joint effort, at times difficult and painful. Your role is to be as honest as you can. My role is to bring my professional knowledge and skills. Psychotherapy requires active participation on your part, including attendance at scheduled appointments, a willingness to discuss personal problems openly and honestly, and compliance with “homework assignments”.
When should I seek psychotherapy?
If you feel a deep and prolonged sense of sadness, hopelessness and helplessness; if you feel you cannot function in your daily activities; if you have repeated problematic patterns in your relationships; if you engage in harmful activities to yourself or others, or you simply feel you do not live up to your potential – all these are indications that therapy is needed and can be helpful.
What can I gain from psychotherapy?
Talk therapy brings concrete results for many people. Psychotherapy can effectively decrease depression and anxiety, improve your relationships and can have a positive effect on your physical health. Many times therapy brings about unexpected personal growth.
Why see a therapist? Why can’t I just talk to my friends?
Family and friends can be very helpful and supportive, but they can’t always meet your needs. Psychotherapists are trained mental health professionals, skilled in solving problems like yours, whose approach is both informed and unbiased. Therapy is completely confidential, so you can be sure that anything you tell a therapist, stays with him/her.
Why is medication not sufficient?
Medication can be helpful. In some cases, it is necessary. However, studies have shown that the combination of psychotherapy and medication is the most effective treatment. In addition, the benefit of medication only lasts as long as the medication is taken. The benefit of therapy often remains after the termination of therapy, as it is essentially a learning process. In the long run, therapy is a very cost- effective treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate depression, anxiety, or life challenges.
Recent studies have shown that the benefit of common medications for depression (SSRI) is much lower than previously thought, for people that suffer from mild to moderate depression. Unfortunately, some of the common side effects (weight gain, sexual dysfunction) do not contribute to your well being and mental health.