Do you do initial free sessions?
Finding a therapist that YOU like can be an intimidating experience. No one wants to pay for something they don’t want. For that reason, there is no fee for the initial session if you let me know that you are currently interviewing different therapists, or if we decide not to work together at the end of the session. If we do decide to continue to work together, that first session will be billed as the first session.
What is your hourly rate, and what form of payment do you accept?
I charge $225 an individual session. Most of my clients pay me with a credit card – MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover – and I also accept HSA cards, checks and cash.
Do you accept insurance?
I am not in network with any plan. However, as a fully licensed psychotherapist (“Licensed Professional Counselor”, or LPC) in the District of Columbia, many insurance providers will reimburse you for my services. This varies not only from insurance company to insurance company, but from employer to employer. In general, a PPO is going to cover more than an HMO, but even that varies – sometimes a good HMO plan will cover more than a bad PPO plan!
How do I find out what my insurance plan will pay?
First, call the customer service number on your insurance card. Tell them that you want to find out what your benefits are for out-of-network psychotherapy sessions – if they ask you for a procedure code (or CPT code),it is 90834. They will then tell you that after your deductible, they will pay a certain percentage of their acceptable rate. Ask them what your deductible is, and what their acceptable rate is. At the end of the conversation, you want to be able to fill in the following blanks: “After paying a deductible of $___, we will pay __% of $___ per session.” Contact me if they ask you for information that you don’t have.
What is your cancellation policy?
I ask for 48 hours cancellation notice unless it’s for illness, in which case I ask for 24 hours notice. For weather emergencies, there is no charge. If you call or email without the 48 hour notice, I will do my best to reschedule you so you won’t be charged. I ask that you respect this policy.
Do you have weekend hours?
In general, no. I frequently teach on weekends, so it’s difficult for me to establish an on-going weekend schedule. However, on occasion I will do a make up session on a weekend, or even schedule an initial session for a weekend.
Do you have a sliding scale?
At any time, I have limited openings during the day for people who cannot pay my full fee.
How do I know if I need medication?
I can help with that decision, and let you know all your options. Often, for mild or moderate symptoms, making life style changes (and sticking to them!) can greatly help. For severe depression, medication can get to you to the point that you have the energy and motivation to implement the life style changes.