FAQs

Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Yes! Finding the right fit for therapy is important. You want to make sure the investment of your time, energy, and resources will be productive for you in reaching your goals.

To that end, I offer a free 30-minute consultation, which allows us to visit about your needs, answer any questions, and determine if we’re a good fit for working together.

We can meet in-person at my office or via teletherapy. The consultation gives you the chance to get a sense of who I am and how I work. This allows you to make the best choice for you. If for any reason we aren’t the right fit, I am happy to provide you with referrals.

I work with individuals age 18 and up. I enjoy working with adults across their lifespan, and my current caseload spans the gamut from 20 to 80 years of age.

My fees are $140 per 50-minute session and $210 per 80-minute session.

The Federal No Surprises Act – Good Faith Estimate

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, the “No Surprises Act,” you have a right to receive a “good faith estimate” explaining how much your therapy services will cost. Healthcare providers are required to provide clients who do not have insurance or who choose not to use their insurance for therapy services with an estimate of the cost of those services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total cost of therapy services. A Good Faith Estimate will be provided before your first appointment. The estimate is based on information known at the time it is created. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that might arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill. 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 http://www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call HHS at 1-800-958-3059.

I am considered out-of-network with most insurance companies. This means I do not work with insurance companies directly.

If you would like to utilize out-of-network insurance benefits, I am able to provide you with a monthly “superbill” with the appropriate information to submit to your insurance company.

You may want to contact your insurance company ahead of time to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits.

There are some things to consider about using your insurance for therapy. First, insurance requires a mental health diagnosis to justify therapy. While sometimes appropriate, I am not always a fan of diagnosis.

Not all of our challenges are ‘disorders,’ and diagnosis may become a part of your permanent health record. This can result in you having a pre-existing condition.

Second, insurance can limit the number of sessions that are covered, and some companies request copies of your therapy notes.

When deciding whether to use your insurance for therapy reimbursement, please keep these factors in mind.

Life can be unpredictable, and things can come up unexpectedly. If you must cancel or reschedule your appointment, I ask that you give me at least 24 hours’ notice.

Cancellations with less than a 24-hour notice will be charged the full session fee.

Yes. There are several forms to be completed, including a Notice of Privacy Practices, Informed Consent, Practice policies, and an Intake Questionnaire. These will be sent to you electronically after scheduling your first session.

I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Texas – License # 73138.

I have an M.A. in Counseling from St. Edward’s University in Austin, where I maintained a 4.0 throughout graduate school. (That’s one of the positive things about going back to school as a ‘mature’ student. My GPA from my undergraduate degree, well, it wasn’t that…)

I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), which means I completed a three year training program to practice Somatic Experiencing therapy, which is a neurobiological approach to understanding and healing trauma.

I am constantly working to expand my knowledge and experience, and I am trained in additional modalities for alleviating distress from trauma including Interpersonal Neurobiology, Attachment Theory, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

That depends on your goals and what you’re in therapy to address. Some people get their needs met in 3 to 6 months. Individuals living with severe and persistent mental health issues, or dealing with severe trauma, will likely be in long-term therapy.

You may start off with weekly sessions and over time change to every other week. It is not uncommon for someone to graduate from therapy, and then come in for an occasional ‘tune up.’

Rest assured, I will check in with you throughout the process to make sure your needs are getting met, and we will discuss when your time in therapy is nearing an end.

Yes! All of your beautiful self is welcome here.

#@%&!! Yes! I get asked this fairly regularly early on, so to be clear, your whole self is welcome in my office. So whether it’s a timid, whispered, single curse word or an unabashed full-on blue streak, bring it on.

Always! I’m constantly reading to keep up with research or to deepen my clinical understanding, so there’s always at least one article or book having to do with therapy in rotation.

When I was in grad school, I discovered audio books. Listening in the car or when doing household chores allowed me to get my fiction fix, while I spent most of my time focused on school.

I’ve kept up the habit. For pleasure reading, I enjoy an eclectic mix – historical fiction, science fiction, humor, murder mysteries, and contemporary and classic fiction.

Some of my favorite authors are Douglas Adams, Isabel Allende, Maya Angelou, Sarah Bird, Michael Chabon, Colleen McCullough, Diana Gabaldon, Larry McMurtry, Ann Patchett, Sharon Kay Penman, John Sanford, David Sedaris, Lucia St. Clair Robson, Alice Walker, and Jennifer Weiner. I could go on…

My latest goal is to not come home with any new books until I’ve read all the currently unread books on my bookshelf. I’ll give you three guesses how successful I’ve been.