Frequently Asked Questions

What is an LMFT and what age groups do you see?

The credential LMFT stands for licensed marriage and family therapist. Just like LCSW (licensed clinical social workers), clinical psychologists (PsyD or PhD), LMFTs complete 3000 clinical hours with supervision from a licensed therapist before licensure. They are trained in treating individuals, couples, families, adults, and youth, but services provided vary in specialties depending on their training and interest.

The biggest misconception is that LMFTs only see couples and families. At this time, I only provide individual therapy for adults (18 and older).

How long does therapy take?

The duration of therapy depends. In general, the first session is an initial assessment and treatment plan will be discussed. The progress of therapy will depend on how much you participate in practicing coping skills and work on the assignments provided to you in between your visits. Sometimes additional issues may arise after a few sessions and you may have additional goals to bring into therapy to work on. Therapy is a collaborative process, so there will be periodic discussion about your progress to determine if the work done in sessions align with your goals.

How frequent are therapy sessions?

Therapy is typically once a week. Usually if you are making significant improvement and close to termination, we can meet bi-weekly.

How do I know if the therapist is a good fit for me?

The therapeutic relationship is important in therapy. Your therapist should be someone who makes you feel safe, comfortable, and heard; but it may also take a couple or few sessions to connect with your therapist. It is always helpful to let your therapist know if there is something you are not ready to talk about or ask for clarification if something your therapist mentioned or explained is unclear. Being open about how you feel about the session or giving feedback is welcome. If you do not feel connected or decide that you need some more time before committing to therapy, you can also let your therapist know and there is no obligation to continue.

Can I see more than one therapist at once?

It is clinically not recommended to see more than one therapist at a time. Each therapist will conduct a treatment plan with you and having multiple therapists does not mean that it’ll expedite your progress in therapy. If you saw a therapist and you’re unsure about continuing, you can let your therapist know, see another therapist for second opinion or until you find a therapist who is a good fit for you.

Session Fees and Methods of Payment

Initial assessment (60 mins) and individual therapy session (50 mins) are each $200 a session. This applies to office visits or virtual visits. Sliding fee scale is offered to a limited number of clients and eligibility is based on the individual’s circumstances to be discussed during initial phone consultation. Checks, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), debit cards, HSA, and FSA are accepted.

Do you accept insurance?

At this time, I am not accepting insurance. If you have coverage through Modern Health you can reach out to them to be matched with me. For Lyra or Spring Health, you may contact me directly. I’d also be happy to provide free 15 min phone consultation to answer any questions to help you determine if I’m a good fit before you schedule an initial session.

If you have a PPO plan for medical insurance, I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company. Please contact your PPO plan to inquire about your out-of-network (OON) coverage if you would like to know specific details about how much your insurance reimburses for out-of-network mental health services.

Cancellation policy

There is a 48 hour cancellation policy. If you decide to reschedule, cancel the scheduled appt in less than 48 hours prior to the session, or do not attend the appointment, you will be charged for the full session. There are exceptions to unexpected and urgent situations in which the session fee would be waived, but this is based on a case by case situation.

Do you provide ESA letters?

No, I don’t write/provide ESA letters. You would need to contact a therapist who provides ESA letter and be in treatment for at least a 30 day period before the therapist determines if you meet criteria for one.

Good Faith Estimate (GFE)

Starting January 1, 2022, The No Surprises Act requires healthcare providers to inform their uninsured and private pay patients that they have a right to a “Good Faith Estimate” to help them estimate the estimated charges they may be billed within a 12 month time frame. This includes medical and psychotherapy services.

You have the rights to request for a GFE from your therapist prior to starting services. Typical information included in the GFE are diagnoses (after assessment), estimated cost of each individual service and number of sessions or types of services received for 12 months. If you receive a bill that is $400 more than the amount estimated in the GFE, you may dispute the bill. Make sure to keep a copy or picture of the GFE.

For questions or more information about your right to a GFE, please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.