How do I know if I even need therapy?
How can talking to a stranger help?
Will you tell me what to do?
What can I expect in our sessions?
What is Restoration Therapy?
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
What is Trauma Focused CBT?
What is Seeking Safety?
What is FOCUS?
How much will it cost?
Do you accept insurance?
How do I know if I even need therapy?
Therapy is often helpful when the challenge you are facing is interfering with your normal functioning or emotional well-being. When the things that normally help aren’t working, it may be time to seek help from someone with a new perspective and professional training.
How can talking to a stranger help?
It can be beneficial to talk to someone who is further removed from the situation than a friend or family member. As an example, put your nose very close to this screen and try to read it. Not as easy to do as when you are a little further away, right?
Will you tell me what to do?
No. My approach is to ask the right questions and to help you look at the situation from a different point of view so that you can decide what is right for you. My job is to teach you this process and work myself out of a job, not make decisions for you.
What can I expect in our sessions?
All sessions will be interactive and focus on you. Our first session will involve information gathering. We will discuss your expectations for therapy and clarify goals and procedures. Following sessions will focus on your presenting issues and depending on the model of therapy used, will involve various interventions individually designed to help you reach your goals.
What is Restoration Therapy?
Restoration therapy is a new approach to assessment, treatment and healing in individual, marital and family therapy. It uses techniques and theory that help individuals gain clear insight about their identities and perspectives on relationships as well as moving individuals into responsible change of persistent and long standing patterns.
The Restoration approach also uses sound mindfulness strategies to produce real and long-lasting systemic change.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the few forms of psychotherapy that has been scientifically tested and found to be effective in hundreds of clinical trials for many different disorders. In contrast to other forms of psychotherapy, cognitive therapy is usually more focused on the present, more time-limited, and more problem-solving oriented. In addition, patients learn specific skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. These skills involve identifying distorted thinking, modifying beliefs, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors. (Source: BeckInstitute.org)
What is Trauma Focused CBT?
Trauma Focused Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based treatment model designed for individuals and their families to help in overcoming the negative effects of a traumatic experience.
This evidence-based method has been proven effective for treatment after multiple traumas or a single traumatic event, and a therapist trained in TF-CBT is frequently able to help those experiencing the emotional effects of trauma address and resolve these effects. This is achieved by engaging in the following:
- Psycho-education
- Relaxation
- Emotional regulation
- Cognitive processing of the trauma
- Trauma narrative
- Mastery of trauma reminders
- Sharing your story
- Enhancing future safety and development
What is Seeking Safety?
Seeking Safety (Najavits, 2002) is an evidence-based model that can be used in group or individual counseling.
Seeking Safety stays in the present, teaching a broad array of safe coping skills that may never have been learned if growing up in a dysfunctional family. There are 25 topics, each a safe coping skill. Each topic is independent of the others so they can be used in any order and for as long or short as the client’s time in treatment. The topics address cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal skills. Examples of Seeking Safety topics include, Honesty, Creating Meaning, Setting Boundaries in Relationships, Taking Good Care of Yourself, Compassion, Coping with Triggers, Healing from Anger, and Recovery Thinking.
What is FOCUS?
Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS) is a resiliency training program for families with children and couples facing adversity and traumatic stress across a variety of situations. FOCUS is a short-term intervention delivered in eight to twelve sessions. Some sessions are for the parents, some for the children, and others are for the entire family. FOCUS Family Resilience Training allows families to build their own stories about their life experiences. This helps families to:
- Identify, manage, and discuss emotions
- Clarify misunderstandings and respect individual points of view
- Build on family strengths
- Feel closer and more supported
- Use problem-solving and goal-setting skills to empower the entire family
How much will it cost?
My standard fee is $165 for a 50-minute session for individuals, $200 for couples, and $240 for families. Some individuals and couples benefit from longer sessions. Ask me about prorated rates. Due to the nature and length of the first session, the initial fee for intakes is $195 for individuals, $240 for couples, and $290 for families. Therapy can and should be affordable. Depending on one’s need, 30-minute sessions and less frequent sessions can all be utilized to lessen the cost of therapy. I accept all major credit cards. Payment is due at the beginning of each session. You may also prepay.
Cancellation Policy
If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy session, and you have not notified me at least 48 hours in advance, you are required to pay the full cost of your session.
Do you accept insurance?
I am a contracted provider with TriWest and I am also an in-network provider with Cigna. In addition, I am considered an out-of-network provider for some other insurance plans. Depending on your current health insurance provider or employee benefit plan, it might be possible for services to be covered in full or in part. Some plans will reimburse you directly after you submit a bill that I can provide to you upon request. Please contact your provider to verify how your plan compensates you for psychotherapy services.
I’d recommend asking these questions to your insurance provider to help determine your benefits:
- Does my health insurance plan include mental health benefits?
- Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it, and have I met it yet?
- Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
- Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?
- When I do see an out-of-network provider how much of my cost is reimbursed?
- If applicable, does my plan cover couples counseling?
In addition, it's important to note that using insurance has risks and benefits. While it can lower costs, it requires me to make a clinical diagnosis. This is something that will become part of your medical record and can have current and future implications.
It’s also important to know that using your insurance can impact your ability to control your therapy, as your insurer may limit the number of sessions or what you work on in sessions.