Individual Psychotherapy
People seek out therapy for a wide variety of reasons - stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, addictions, past traumas, or some combination thereof. Whether it's these, or just simply the stuff of life that keeps getting in your way, it is a courageous decision to enter therapy.
Therapy begins by acknowledging this decision and getting to know you. Listening to your story and what brought you into my office sets the stage for our work together. As a therapist, I know that our relationship is the most important factor in determining the outcome of our work – I value the level of trust and faith that you place in me.
"What is your approach to psychotherapy?"
This is a frequently asked question of any therapist. I consider my approach as integrated. This means that I will integrate from different schools of thought as clinically indicated for the person with whom I'm working. Two of the dominant schools of thought in working with individuals are:
- Psychodynamic Therapy. Psychodynamic theory originated with Freud, and focuses on the importance of childhood and family issues as being the determinants of our personality.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral approaches have strong research support for the treatment of anxiety, depression and other conditions. They focus on identifying the underlying negative thoughts and assumptions which lead to our emotions and behaviors.
Another way that the integrated approach comes into play is in looking at the person holistically - recognizing that physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and relational aspects all interact in one's make-up. I like to look into each of these areas to see how they can be supports to one's overall health. Growth comes from health, and health comes from balance. Developing a balanced lifestyle is an integral piece of achieving health and growth in one's life.
One of the reasons I sought training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is that it too is an integrated approach. Click on EMDR for more information.
Getting Started
The fee is $150- for a standard 50 minute session. Fees are collected at the time of service.
The initial session is 80 minutes long to provide time to more fully assess your presenting concerns, learn about your background, and address initial questions that you may have. The fee for the initial session is $225 (based on my $150/hour fee).
For the initial session, I ask that you complete three forms that will help us begin our work together. You may download and complete each form (attached below in Adobe Acrobat). Completing these will give you time to reflect upon the concerns that have led you to seek help and provide me with some background information about you. If for any reason you cannot download these forms, you may come to my office 30 minutes prior to your initial appointment and complete them there.
Sessions are generally held weekly, and last for 50 minutes. Changes in the frequency and duration of sessions can vary based on your needs and clinical recommendations.
Forms you can download & complete prior to the initial appointment:
About fees and insurance
Deciding the best course of treatment is a decision that should be made between you and I. So that such decisions are not influenced by an insurance company, I have chosen not to be an in-network provider for any carrier. This further protects my clinical independence and your confidentiality.
As a licensed clinical psychologist, my services are covered under most insurance plans for which you can utilize out of network coverage. Should you wish to bill your insurance, monthly statements are provided with the necessary information for you to be reimbursed. You may want to consult your insurance provider as reimbursement rates vary from plan to plan, and may change based on diagnosis.
Please contact me directly via phone or e-mail for further information or to set up an initial consultation.