What is therapy LikE?
"Talk therapy" is a process of discussing and exploring your life, as it relates to a challenge that you might be having. Imagine sharing your challenges with a confidant, only this confidant is a highly-trained, objective professional and is able to provide tools for you to apply in your daily life. Therapists work hard to listen to you, and usually (depending on their orientation) provide observations, insights, and reflections to support your development of self-awareness during therapy. Another part of therapy includes setting agreed-upon goals for therapy, so that you and your therapist can work towards the outcomes you're hoping for. It can be a bit scary to share your challenges with someone you've never met before, but we work hard to create a warm and safe environment for you to explore your life and to express yourself. Therapy relationships are just like any other; they take time to build. For most, it takes about 3-4 sessions to form a trusting relationship with their therapist and to know if the fit is the right for them. A good fit is very important!
Prior to therapy, we offer a brief (15 minute), free consultation over the phone to see if we might be a good fit to work together based on what you are hoping to achieve from therapy and your current challenges, as well as our schedule availability, fees, etc. We might ask you things like "what are you hoping to get out of therapy?" to get a sense of what you're looking for.
Our first session together in person is called an "intake," in which we gather more detailed information about your history and current challenges. We also provide information about our practice, including policies and procedures. This is not what a typical session looks like, but is more of an interview and information-gathering process to understand your concerns and get a sense of what you'd like to get out of therapy. Sessions beyond the intake are more open, allowing you to bring in concerns that you'd like to discuss.
What makes therapy "work?"
A big part of what makes therapy successful is you! People who are motivated, ready for change, and open to feedback/insight tend to find therapy to be very helpful. Even if you struggle with some of these things, therapy can still be beneficial. In today's hectic environment, it's rare to have someone fully present, listening to all that we have to say and reflecting thoughts, feelings, or observations back to you, and for some people, having one's own set space and time to be listened to can be healing and restorative. Others find that the therapeutic relationship, a therapist expressing empathy, and "goodness-of-fit" with their therapist can also lead to positive outcomes. Another benefit for many is having a therapist who can support you in setting and monitoring your goals, including completing small tasks between sessions to make incremental changes in your life that help you reach your larger goals. These and other factors support growth and help make therapy more effective.
what are the payment options?
We currently accept checks and credit card payments; payment is due at the time of service and will be collected the day of the session. We are considered "out-of-network" providers to insurance companies. If you would like to know whether your therapy sessions can be partially reimbursed for out-of-network services, please contact your insurance company for more information.
No Surprises Act Notice
YOUR RIGHT TO A “GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE”
You have the right to receive a ‘Good Faith Estimate’ explaining how much your medical care may cost.
Under the law, health care providers need to give clients/patients who do not have insurance, or who are not using insurance, a cost estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
You have the right to receive a ‘Good Faith Estimate’ for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
Your health care provider must give you a ‘Good Faith Estimate’ in writing for scheduled services within designated timeframes. You can also ask your health care provider for a ‘Good Faith Estimate’ before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your ‘Good Faith Estimate’, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit: www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.