Services Offered
In addition to individual, couple, and family therapy,** I offer the following:
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Clinical Supervision*
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Teletherapy**
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Executive Functioning Skills Coaching*
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Life Coaching*
For most families, my standard fee is between $150 and $200 (as of 1/1/20). I offer a sliding scale if finances are such that you cannot afford my full fees. I offer rate reductions adjusted family income levels on their previous year IRS-1040 form.***
Please contact me with at least 48 hours notice if you need to reschedule your appointment. You will be billed for any missed appointments--including cancellations made within 48 hours of your appointment time--at my standard rate for one session.
I no longer accept insurance (except for Blue Cross Blue Shield) and choose to not participate in reimbursement with insurance for the following reasons:
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Insurances often do not support alternative evidence-based practices that are on the cutting edge of behavioral health research as they must be vetted over the course of many years. Self-pay allows for these cutting-edge/alternative methods to be used without insurance companies denying payment for these services.
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Insurance companies often request (through third-party companies) any and all paperwork and individual client notes (this is called auditing, and is a common practice among therapists that take insurance) in order to report back the information to insurance companies for various reasons. This may seem like an invasion of privacy to some who seek therapy and can involve the disclosure of details clients may wish to remain solely between the therapist and client. With self-pay, there are no audits by insurance companies or the third parties they hire to review therapists' notes and assessments.
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Counseling and therapy should be accessible financially and without stigma. A diagnosis informs treatment and can provide context to understand the symptoms you may experience. However, a diagnosis is required by an insurance company for therapy to be covered as it helps the insurer judge whether to pay based on "medical necessity." (This means that if you seek therapy for personal growth, talking through an issue, challenge, or other situation and do not meet symptom criteria for a mental illness, the therapist should not be billing insurance and you would likely need to pay for services in full anyway.)
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Therapy and counseling can be about growth for positive outcomes or as part of ongoing mental wellness and health. It does not have to be limited to an intervention during the most difficult mental health crises, but can be part of preventative care. Unfortunately, there are no mental health wellness checks authorized by insurance.
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Therapists who are paneled with insurance companies are also unable to offer sliding scale rates as insurance contracts prohibit them from that practice.
NOTE: Sometimes people pay for out-of-network care and later submit to their insurance company and request what is called a "superbill" from their therapy provider. This option is not available to clients who receive services on a sliding scale and is only available for those paying the standard therapy rate for a 50-minute session. If you pay the standard rate for a session, please discuss this prior to requesting a superbill. The superbill must list a diagnosis as this is required for the treatment to be considered for coverage. Additionally, since the insurance company may request additional treatment records, you will need to sign a release as oftentimes the insurer wants to establish medical necessity for counseling. A superbill can only be provided if your symptoms meet the criteria for a diagnosis, so discussing this as early as possible in treatment is essential. It is recommended that this is discussed in an introductory call or the first session if it will be requested so that clear communication is established around charges/billing, diagnosis, and treatment.
*These services are NOT bound by state borders. This means I can see you regardless of your location or my own (we would still use a locked and private teleconferencing room to communicate).
**These services are bound by state borders (MASSACHUSETTS ONLY)
Standard Individual Session Rate: $150.00/50-minute session
Standard Family/Couples Session Rate: $175/50-minute session
Standard Diagnostic Session: $200/60-minute diagnostic session + outside session write up and treatment plan
*** Sliding scale base amounts on the following family income (IRS Form 1040):
Adjusted Family Income Sliding Scale:
Adjusted family income 50k - 100k x 0.0015
(e.g. 50k x 0.0015 = $75/session)
--Fees will not be reduced beyond $75/session--