What is your therapy style? I take a compassion-focused, direct and warm approach. I believe that we are much more complex than a collection of symptoms, and my approach to our work keeps you in mind, as a whole person with a unique set of experiences that have made you who you are. My goal is to help you know, understand and take good care of yourself. Your sessions will be uniquely suited to you and what makes sense in your life and circumstances. I believe that learning to care for and treat ourselves with respect takes consistent effort and practice, and you will leave each session with a strategy or skill to practice, or an idea to reflect on in between sessions.
Whether you could benefit from short-term focused support or more in-depth investigation of deep-rooted patterns, I will help you find solutions that best meet your needs. You will come away from therapy with specific skills to be able to move through life feeling more centered and compassionate toward yourself.
So, you work with trauma; how exactly can you help? I can help by working with you to recover your sense of well-being. Maybe you're having trouble managing emotional or physical reactions while trying to make sense of your past experiences. These are normal and expected after experiencing trauma. In our work, you will learn:
Grounding, mindfulness and stress management skills
To use your strengths to cope with overwhelming emotions, memories, and physical responses
How to regulate emotions and take care of yourself
How to relate to others with healthy and safe boundaries
How to let go of unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors
To practice self-compassion
What if I want to learn the above-mentioned skills but I haven't experienced a specific traumatic event? We have all had profound and affecting experiences from which we need to heal. I recognize that you are a unique individual, and I will treat you with that respect by helping you learn the skills that make sense in your own life. Together, we will find useful and effective solutions for you.
How do I know if you're the right therapist for me? The only way to truly know is to sit in a room together (or in a video session), and see what it feels like to talk to me. It's very much your right to "shop around" and find the correct match for you. All people and relationship structures are welcome in my practice, and I will do my best to foster a sense of safety and trust.
What are your credentials and experience? I am a licensed psychotherapist and LCSW in both New York and Pennsylvania. Having received my Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University, I have provided therapy and support services in private practice, schools, mental health clinics, and non-profit agencies serving families. I also have experience supervising and training other therapists and graduate-level interns in clinical social work.
Post-Graduate Professional Development/Training:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Training
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Training
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) Level 1 Certification
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with the Penn Program for Mindfulness
Utilizing Mindfulness Practice in the Therapy Setting
Neuro-Science Informed Treatment for Anxiety, Panic and Worry
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)
Attachment, Self-Regulation and Competency (ARC) Treatment: for youth and families with complex trauma
Session Information: The initial consultation is 60 minutes, and is an important step in deciding if we are the best match for therapy. We can speak briefly over the phone before we meet, but I believe that it's most helpful to have a full session so you may determine your comfort level. I offer 50 minute individual sessions. Sessions are usually on a weekly basis.
Rates: My rate is $250 for individual sessions. Payment is due at the time of each appointment. I am an out-of-network provider with most major insurance carriers.
48-hour Cancellation Policy: Your weekly appointment is reserved for you in advance to ensure that you have a consistent and continuous experience in treatment. Therefore, there is a full-fee charge for missed or broken appointments with less than 48-hours notice.
Insurance: Your out-of-network benefits may allow you to be eligible for reimbursement for each session. I'll provide you with the necessary paperwork to submit claims to your insurance company for reimbursement. You will be required to pay for therapy at the time of the appointment and then get reimbursed by your insurance provider.
Please call me with any questions; I can walk you through this as it can be confusing!
Here are some helpful questions to ask when you contact your insurance provider:
Do I have out-of-network behavioral health benefits that cover outpatient psychotherapy (CPT code 90834)?
Typically a plan with out-of-network benefits is referred to as a Preferred Provider Organization Plan (PPO) or Point-Of-Service Plan (POS).
Do I have an out-of-network deductible that has to be met first before I get reimbursed? What is that amount and have I reached my deductible this year?
Deductible: the amount you pay each year for most eligible medical services or medications before your health plan begins to share in the cost of covered services.
What is my co-insurance amount?
Co-insurance: the portion of the medical cost you pay after your deductible has been met.
For a $250 session, you may be reimbursed between $150-$200/session by your insurance company. Co-insurances typically range between 20%-40% of the session cost.
Do I need to fill out a medical claim form to attach to my therapist’s statements to send in for reimbursement?
Where do I submit claim forms for reimbursement?
No Surprises Act/Good Faith Estimate: You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a GFE of expected charges. I will provide this GFE to you upon scheduling your first session, and annually as needed.
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services.
You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a 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 (800) 368-1019