What is the cost of counseling?

Sessions typically run the therapy hour which is 53+ minutes. My fee per hour is $150. Some families and couples often find that one hour isn’t quite enough time for them so they prefer the 90 min sessions which are a rate of $225. If you are hoping for two siblings of the same family to be seen, I offer a 90 minute rate of $225, giving them both an individual 45 minute session. This is discounted from having them do the traditional hour each and cuts down on time in the waiting room for you.

What if I can’t afford counseling?

If you are ready to start counseling, and you feel we may be a fit, let’s talk. I have a Fee Reduction Form that you can fill out and I have multiple reduced fee appointments on my schedule. I do not want finances to hinder your goal of receiving help. If my reduced rate appointments are filled, I will do my best to refer you to colleagues who may be a good fit.

I also ask clients to consider their budget. Are there ways you can make room for investing in your mental health for a few months? I heard a friend once say that paying for therapy was a monthly cost that she initially felt afraid wouldn’t be worth the cost. Then, walking out of each session, she felt like it was money well spent. She was only upset about money when she showed up late and didn’t get the full benefit of the hour!

How often will I come in for appointments?

As a society we are used to going to medical or dental appointments infrequently because they are physical check ups or acute illnesses. If you think of it though, if you had a continuing issue that meds didn’t heal, or perhaps a longer term need like doing physical therapy the appointments would be much more frequent. The norm in counseling is to start weekly. This will give me the opportunity to assess what’s going on and make a treatment plan. As your symptoms decrease we will discuss moving to biweekly sessions then to monthly check-ins. I do not offer monthly sessions unless you have already been in counseling for sometime as it genuinely is really a check-in. For some, their symptoms are mild and they feel comfortable doing biweekly after a few weekly sessions; we can absolutely discuss that too!

Will virtual counseling be okay for me?

Virtual counseling does have his limits, but it can also be a great help to have access to therapy. There’s a lot to be said about being able to be in the presence of another while doing deeper work on your story. If you are in the area, but need to do virtual for your schedule, if it’s possible, I recommend doing your intake in person. Certainly if you are not in the area you are welcome to do therapy from start to finish virtually. There are times where virtual therapy would not be appropriate such as if your symptoms are severe and I discern that meeting in person would be most beneficial. If this is the case we can work on finding a referral.

Do I attend sessions with my child?

If you are a parent bringing your child to counseling I will want you to fully attend the first session. In this session I will want to hear your perception of the problem as well as theirs. You can also split this into two sessions, the first being a parent session and the second being for the student to share their perspective, often with you present. It’s important to consider what your child feels comfortable with as some student’s want their parent in there for the first few sessions and others are ready for their independence. Typically, if the student is in middle school I ask that you fully attend the first one and do check-ins at the end of each session. If your child is able to drive (ages 16+) they will want more independence in their counseling relationship. In this case I provide general updates over the phone after a few sessions and always for safety concerns. I always appreciate when parents communicate with me; you can let me know how much you want to be involved as well.

Do you see children?

I typically see ages 11+ but have had success with ages 8-10 if they are dealing with existential crisis questions, fears, anxiety or OCD. If you are looking for a traditional play therapist I know so many and am happy to provide them to you! In my work with children ages 8-11 we will keep things fun, creative and usually do some workbook style sessions. Problems I typically see in those ages are: anxiety due to OCD, phobias (sickness, vomit), and/or perfectionistic tendencies (troubling making mistakes, fears about school success) if any of these or other anxious behaviors are occurring I’m always glad to talk to you to see if I’m a fit or help point you to someone who may be a fit in the area.

What therapeutic modalities do you use?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills, Psychodynamic Approach, Marriage and Family Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Gestalt, Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD treatment, Grief Therapy, Mindfulness Training

What diagnoses do you treat?

If you or your child already have a particular diagnosis I primarily treat the following: Anxiety Disorders, OCD, and Depression. A lot of my clients also have a diagnosis of ADHD. The scope of my practice isn’t limited to these areas. I’d be glad to have a call to discern if we are a fit.