FAQ
Where is your office located?
I provide teletherapy for Individuals and Couples+ in Minnesota.
Do you take insurance?
Health Insurance Companies are for-profit corporations whose priorities have little to do with clients’ mental health. Insurance companies impose limits on significant parts of therapy – types, length, and frequency of sessions – to name just a few. Payouts are delayed, and bureaucratic headaches abound for the therapist.
That said, I do not take insurance as a form of payment for service in this business.
Many people submit my detailed receipt for service to their health insurance provider for reimbursement. The receipt has all the necessary codes that insurance companies use for billing. See the detailed receipt and discuss with your insurance provider.
Are there benefits to therapy outside of my insurance provider?
Yes. In treatment with me, we are careful about diagnostic labels where insurance companies demand diagnostic labels as soon as a second or third session.
Insurance companies usually only approve a certain number of visits with a practitioner, and our work may need more thoughtful decision-making around number of visits and length of sessions.
Do you accept payment plans?
Yes. If a payment plan works for you, we can expand your payment periods by the month. Also, if you would like to pay for a number of sessions up front, the price can be lowered by 10% or 20% depending on the number of sessions purchased.
Do you have a sliding fee?
Yes. 20% of my practice is dedicated to a sliding-fee clientele. There is usually a waiting list for these spots, but please inquire if this is a need for you, or you and your partner(s).
I’m already taking medication – do I really need therapy?
The research tells us that medication and psychotherapy, together, bring the fastest and longest lasting recovery from serious mental health conditions or life crises.
Medication offers some symptom relief; but combined with psychotherapy, healing may include insight and growth in important ways that enhance strengths and minimize challenges in life and relationships.
I’ve never been in therapy before – what if it doesn’t help me?
That’s a pretty understandable fear. You want the most improvement you can find in your unique situation. So why put money and time into psychotherapy? Why not a massage and day at the spa?
Especially if you have never been in therapy, you may not realize the good help you are missing out on. I fell into this profession from a life-long stance of listening, wondering, exploring ideas and ways out of difficulty.
I studied more and more in college and graduate school, and even advanced training – so I really feel like I have something special and unique to offer: natural talent combined with expertise with a passion for new work as each individual brings something special into the office. There is rarely a quick fix.
How long will therapy take?
Depending on your situation, we will decide together what makes sense for our work together. Working on personal growth and life-changing insight development can take from several sessions to much longer.
What method or approach do you use?
In addition to Graduate School in Social Work, I completed a two year psychotherapy training program with the Minnesota Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.
My work focuses on relational concepts such as attachment theory, the intersubjective space, and also the awareness of our unconscious behaviors which may effect our daily lives. Overall, I work with a psychodynamic lens and a a focus on early relationships. Early attachments and experiences have great import in our daily lives
As a new client, how do I get ready for therapy?
Part of therapy is trying to trust that a therapist has good intentions – and sometimes that is hard for people. It’s important to note that as an experienced therapist, I believe that it’s important to have experienced short- and long-term therapy myself, and I have done that over many years. So I understand what it’s like to be a client, a patient, and also a therapist.
Are you a safe place for the LGBTQIA community?
Absolutely. I look forward to being brought up to speed about exactly who you are and what your path in life has been this far. Together we can navigate the issues particular to you, your partner(s), your lifestyle, your hopes, and your dreams.
*What does LGBTQIA stand for? The acronym LGBTQIA encompasses a greater number of individuals within the queer community. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersexual, asexual, and aromantic are terms that relate for folks who want to specify understanding of their own sexual orientation or gender identity. Some consider the “A” to stand for “ally” as well as “asexual” and/or “aromantic”. Many choose not to include allies in the acronym as “ally” is not a gender identity or sexual orientation. [source: www.goodtherapy.org]
See Below, Time Magazine : ‘Social Forces Change Language.’ Merriam-Webster Adds Gender-Neutral Pronouns to Dictionary
https://time.com/5679132/merriam-webster-gender-neutral-dictionary/
Where did you go to school?
I received a BA from Vanderbilt University in Human Development. I went on to earn an MSW from the University of Denver. I also earned a two-year certificate in Relational Psychotherapy from the Minnesota Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.
Are you affiliated with professional organizations?
Yes. I am a member of the following professional organizations:
National Association of Social Workers: www.nasw.org
Minnesota Psychoanalytic Society and Institute: www.mpsi.org
I am licensed through the Minnesota Board of Social Work – license number 10748: https://mn.gov/boards/social-work/