services, rates, & Insurance:
Free 15-minute phone consultation to explore your counseling needs and our compatibility. If I am unable to help you, I will provide appropriate referral sources for someone qualified to meet your therapeutic needs.
60 minute individual therapy session online or in-person (self-pay): $150
Sliding scale therapy available through Open Path Collective
What is Open Path Collective? Open Path is a collective of therapists who have generously agreed to provide in-office treatment for $60 to $75 a session. Open Path clients pay a one-time membership fee to access this national directory. In an effort to make services more accessible, I participate in Open Path and hold a certain number of spots to see individuals. This way people who have financial need can still access a therapist of their choice that specializes in the issues or approach they are seeking. Availability is limited; contact me to find out more.
Insurance:
I am currently IN-network and accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield NC insurance. It is your responsibility to contact your insurance company prior to our first appointment to determine what your co-pay and deductible are, and whether or not you need pre-authorization for my services. Co-pays will be collected at the time services are rendered and can be paid in cash, check, or debit/credit card. You are responsible for any balance or portion of the therapy session that insurance does not cover.
Beginning January 1, 2025 I will be IN-network for most Aetna insurance plans, specifically with the plan that the NC State Health Plan is transferring to. I am not in network with Optum or Aetna plans that are obtained through the Marketplace insurance. If you are unsure if I accept your plan, please contact your insurance company to confirm eligibility.
I am considered Out-Of-Network for all other insurance plans, including Medicare and all Medicare Supplemental Plans. If you are self-pay, I'm happy to provide a Superbill/Invoice for you to submit to your insurance company for possible partial reimbursement. This will be between you and your insurance provider.
No Surprises Act & Good Faith Estimates
Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, and in compliance with the No Surprises Act that went into effect January 1, 2022, I am required to notify all clients of your Federal rights and protections against “surprise billing.” This Act requires that I notify you of your federally protected rights to receive a notification when services are rendered by a non-participating provider and provide options to receive care from an in-network provider if one is available.
These rights are also outlined at https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/ and particularly at https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers/new-protections-for-you .
Clients Forgoing Use of Their Insurance or Uninsured Clients: In most cases I am required to forward you a Good Faith Estimate shortly before our first session that will provide an estimate for the cost of out-of-pocket services if you choose to work with me. You are under no obligation to accept it, but I may need to decline treatment if you do not agree to the cost.
A realistic preview of what the length of therapy will cost is difficult to assess ahead of time. Providing a per session fee is reasonable and already ethically required and conveyed, as you will see in my Professional Disclosure Statement and Informed Consent. There are variables that can impact the length of treatment including (but not limited to): your schedule, therapist’s schedule and availability, commitment to therapy, acuity of symptoms, personal finances, and frequency of treatment to name a few. Therapy is not a one-time procedure like a broken leg that can be easily quoted — and physical medical procedures that the Act originally aimed to apply to.
Under certain circumstances, clients can enter a dispute resolution process if costs go too high above the Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Therefore, I need to quote a GFE for an entire year with the highest likely costs factored in. While this has the advantage of helping clients think through and budget for longer-term therapy, it may also create sticker shock for potential clients at the time when they are most in crisis, possibly causing them to forgo the help they seek. Many clients see relief of their original condition in less than a year, and sometimes remain in therapy longer to work on other therapeutic issues. Clients always have the right to discontinue therapy at any time. Please discuss budgeting options with your therapist.
