Question 1

What are your office hours?

Accepted Answer

I have office hours Monday and Tuesday, 8 am - 5 pm, Wednesday 11 am - 8 pm and Telehealth hours on Thursday, 8 am - 5 pm.

Question 2

What modalities do you use?

Accepted Answer

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkfln-ZtWeY

• Trauma Focused CBT: Trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) helps people who may be experiencing stress related to a traumatic event in an effort to return to a healthy emotional state.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented therapy that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, helping to identify and change negative patterns to improve their emotional well-being and functioning.

• Attachment-Based: Attachment-based therapy is form of therapy that applies to interventions or approaches to help develop a sense of security and stability

• Strength-Based: is an approach that focuses more on internal strengths and resourcefulness to build a positive attitude in overcoming challenges.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Exposure and Response Prevention (CBT-ERP): is CBT with approaches aimed at helping a person confront the thoughts, images, objects, and situations that make you anxious and/or provoke your obsessions.

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Focuses on the emotional experiences and responses of individuals by helping them understand and transform their emotional responses, improving relationship dynamics and fostering secure emotional bonds. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/emotionally-focused-therapy

• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: combines traditional CBT with mindfulness to increase awareness of thoughts and feelings in the present moment.

• Humanistic: talk therapy focusing on a person’s inherent positive characteristics and potential for growth and wellness.

• Compassion Focused: helps people develop compassion for themselves and others for kinder ways of thinking and feeling.

• Culturally Sensitive: therapy that is sensitive and respectful to each individual’s backgrounds including values, practices, beliefs.

• Person Centered: uses a non-authoritative approach because the client is the expert in their life and through the process of discovery, and compassionate facilitation, the therapist will guide the client to find their own solutions to the challenges they face.

• Relational: therapy that focuses on the importance of interpersonal relationships and how they are impacting a person’s life.

Question 3

Are you accepting new clients?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I am currently accepting new clients who reside in Florida or Alabama. I am licensed only in the state of Florida or Alabama, so you must be within the state of Florida or Alabama during therapy sessions conducted via Telehealth.

Question 4

Is it really confidential?

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of the therapeutic relationship between a mental health counselor and their client. However, there are specific limitations to this confidentiality that are important for both counselors and clients to understand.

These limitations are generally guided by ethical standards, legal requirements, and professional guidelines.

Here are some of the key limitations:
Duty to Warn and Protect
Imminent Danger to Self or Others: If a client poses an imminent danger to themselves (e.g., suicidal intent) or others (e.g., threats of violence), the counselor may need to break confidentiality to warn potential victims or notify authorities.
Child or Elder Abuse: Counselors are mandated reporters, meaning they must report any suspected abuse or neglect of children, elders, or other vulnerable populations to the appropriate authorities.

Legal Requirements
Court Orders: If a court orders the disclosure of client information, the counselor must comply. This could occur in legal proceedings where the client's mental health is a pertinent issue.
Subpoenas: Similar to court orders, subpoenas may require counselors to provide information or testify in legal cases.

Consent by the Client
Written Consent: Clients can provide written consent for their counselor to share specific information with designated individuals or organizations. This might be necessary for coordinating care with other healthcare providers, insurance companies, or family members.

Question 5

Do you accept insurance?

Accepted Answer

I do not submit claims for insurance and require fee payment at the time of service. 
I am an Out-of-Network (OON) provider or private pay. I am certified Out-of-Network for Tri-care making me an authorized provider to treat Tri-care beneficiaries. 
For private pay clients, I choose to work with you, not for insurance companies, so I can offer a personalized approach without the constraints of insurance that often dictates the duration, frequency, and type of treatment. This approach also provides for a higher level of confidentiality.

For those who wish to use their insurance benefits, I am happy to provide a detailed receipt called a “Super Bill,” which you may submit to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement if you choose to do so. However, If your insurance covers ‘out-of-network providers’ (typically PPO insurance plans) they may reimburse you for part of my fee. I encourage you to contact your insurance provider to determine the reimbursement rates for your plan.

Question 6

What are your fees?

Accepted Answer

Diagnostic Intake ~ $155

Individual Sessions ~ $125

Couple Sessions ~ $135

*Payment is collected on the day of service. I require a credit card on file and charge it the day of the session through a HIPAA compliant state-of-the-art service designed to protect the privacy of clients.

All traffic uses a SSL (Secure Socket Layer) with 256-bit encryption.

Question 7

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

I reserve your appointment time specifically for you. I have found that consistency is a critical element in the success of treatment. If you need to cancel or reschedule your session, please contact me during business hours and AT LEAST 48 BUSINESS HOURS PRIOR to your scheduled appointment to avoid a cancellation fee equal to the full fee amount of your session.

FOR MONDAY APPOINTMENTS, YOU MUST CANCEL BY 12:00 PM ON THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY, so that I may offer that time to another client. If you cancel without providing the proper notice, or if you fail to show up for a scheduled appointment, you must pay any cancellation charges prior to resuming treatment.

If you do not cancel your appointment more than 48 business hours in advance, you will be billed the cancellation fee equal to the full fee session rate, and will be required to place a credit card on file in the client portal in order to reschedule.

Question 8

What can I expect during the first session?

Accepted Answer

The first session will include a comprehensive assessment to help me understand the client’s condition from multiple perspectives to include biological, psychological, and social.

The intake session typically involves having the client complete standardized assessment tools or questionnaires to gather more detailed or quantifiable information.

The intake and subsequent sessions are approximately 55 minutes in length and we will collaborate on frequency that best fits the circumstances.

Question 9

How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

The duration of mental health counseling can vary widely based on several factors, including the nature of the issues being addressed, the goals of therapy, the approach of the therapist, and the client's individual progress.

Short-term counseling, 6-12 sessions, may be sufficient for addressing acute problems, such as coping with a recent loss or managing stress related to a particular situation. Chronic or complex issues may require long-term therapy lasting several months to years for issues such as long-standing depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, or personality disorders.

Other factors influencing the length of therapy include goals of therapy, client’s engagement, attendance, motivation, frequency of sessions, client’s pace, and life circumstances.

Question 10

How can I prepare for therapy sessions?

Accepted Answer

It is helpful for clients to think about the main issues or concerns that they want to address in the session. It might be helpful to jot down a few key points or situations that have been on your mind as well as identifying emotions that are impacting the client can help guide the session.

Taking a few notes on your phone or in a journal reflecting on your situations, thoughts or feelings can be especially helpful in mining the direction of therapy.

Question 11

What qualifications and experience do you have?

Accepted Answer

I have training in various therapy modalities such as:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (Trained and Certified)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• CBT for Couples
• Exposure and Response Prevention (CBT-ERP) for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Panic Disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Social Anxiety, and Phobias
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals (EFIT) 
• Mindfulness Therapies

Question 12

Good Faith Estimate

Accepted Answer

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. 
Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical services or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. 
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 www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059

Disclaimers & FAQ's