Question 1

I’m interested, how do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Let’s book a free phone consultation so we can discuss your needs, see if we are a good fit and I can answer any questions you have.  If/when you are ready to meet, we will book our first appointment and I will send you a link via email to my client portal to complete intake forms.  If you are seeking help for your child, we will talk about the best way to plan the first appointment, but generally I will meet with you and your child together at the first session.  If you are calling for an appointment for your child who is 18 or over, they will need to speak with me before we book a first session to ensure they are open to participating in the therapy process. I will also need to have them sign some consents and fill out the adult questionnaire.  They may prefer to see me for the first session on their own and I encourage that independence!

Question 2

What can I expect at my first session?

Accepted Answer

Your first session starts before your first session! When you book your first appointment, I will get some basic contact information and send you an email with a link to my client portal for you to fill out/sign intake paperwork. This is all done paperless online. The forms will include my practice policies, informed consent, HIPAA policies, a new client questionnaire, telehealth consent, and payment information.  I do this so we can make the best use of our time together.
You will receive appointment reminders at the time we make our appointment, 48 hours before, 24 hours before and 15 minutes before (for telehealth).  During our initial intake appointment, I will take a few minutes to review the forms you signed, and discuss my confidentiality policy more in depth.  Then, we will discuss the reasons why you are seeking therapy, get some background information and history, and set goals and expectations for therapy.  You are free to ask me any questions about how I work, my experience or how I treat your particular presenting concerns.  I am a partner in your path to healing and we will always work together to plan your therapy. 
Toward the end of the session, we will review your goals and look at our schedules to plan the next session or find a time that works for a regular appointment.

Question 3

What are your fees?

Accepted Answer

Our initial brief phone consultation is free. 
Once you are ready to get started, the first intake appointment is $180 and subsequent therapy appointments are $160.
In order to remain respectful of your time, and so that I may be as “on time” as possible for our sessions, we will generally meet for 50-55 minutes, which includes approximately 45 minutes of therapy, then spend the last 5-10 minutes wrapping up and scheduling our next session.
For your convenience and to save time during our sessions, I will collect your credit card, debit card or FSA/HSA card in your initial paperwork, which I keep on file in my secure encrypted client portal and fees will automatically be charged the evening of our session.

Question 4

Do you take insurance?

Accepted Answer

I am out of network with all insurance companies. I do accept Lyra, an Employee Assistance Program.  If you company provides you with Lyra benefits, please reach out for more information. If you have health insurance and are considering using it for therapy, either using In netowrk or Out of network benefits, here are some things to consider.
 
If your insurer provides out-of-network mental health coverage, we can work together for you to file for reimbursement.  I will collect the fees directly from you and then I can provide a receipt for you called a “Superbill” to file with your insurer.  In order to make the best decision about filing insurance, check your coverage carefully by calling your health insurance representative and asking the following questions:
Do I have out of network mental health coverage?
What is my deductible, is mental health coverage subject to the deductible and has it been met?
Is there a limit or cap on how many sessions per year my insurance will cover?
What is the coverage amount per therapy session for an out-of-network provider? Insurance companies base the reimbursement rate on the service code (CPT code) used and what they consider “reasonable and customary” rates for the geographical area where services are provided. The CPT codes that I most commonly bill under are:
90791 (Initial Assessment)
90837 (Individual Psychotherapy 53-60 minutes)
*90834 (Individual Psychotherapy up to 52 minutes)
90847 (Family psychotherapy)
90846 (Family psychotherapy, without patient present)
* Note: I generally don’t use this code as I provide 55’ish minute sessions but many insurance companies will only reimburse for shorter sessions so you should find out that reimbursement rate if they don’t reimburse for 90837.  However, I do not prorate sessions and bill for the full hour.
Is telehealth covered for mental health services?
If so, find out what the “modifier” code your insurance company requires.  The most common are -GT and -20.  Though some companies use other modifiers. 
Keep in mind that insurance companies require a mental health diagnosis in order to consider reimbursement.  Once you submit a Superbill to them, this diagnosis is filed with the Medical Information Bureau. It will remain on file as part of your medical records for the rest of your life.  At any time, your current or a future insurance company can request that I release your mental health records to them. In some cases, a mental health diagnosis can affect benefits or your premium.
If you prefer to use to use your in-network benefits, your insurance company can provide a list of in-network providers for you. 
Fortunately, tax laws have created new programs that may help you pay for your therapy, even if you pay out of pocket. These include Medical Savings Accounts and Pre-Tax Flexible Spending Medical Accounts. You may also be eligible to deduct the cost of therapy from your taxes if you itemize. It is a medical expense. Ask your Accountant or Compensation and Benefits Administrator if you qualify for either program.

Question 5

Where is your office? Can I switch between in-person and telehealth?

Accepted Answer

My office is in Roswell, just a few minutes from the Holcomb Bridge exit off GA 400, and within 15-20 minutes of most spots in Roswell, Alpharetta, East Cobb and Sandy Springs.

I am located in the Wilton Center office complex at 515 E. Crossville Road, Suite 130, Roswell, GA  30075.  If you are coming West down Holcomb Bridge/Crossville Road, make a U-turn at the light at Mansell Road, or if you are coming East down E. Crossville, you can turn right directly into the  Wilton Center.  I am in Building #100 on the right.  Walk through the entryway and enter through the second door on the left, Suite 130.  Have a seat in the waiting room and I will come to get you.  Feel free to wait in your car if you prefer, simply text when you have arrived and I will text you when I'm ready.

You are more than welcome to come in person or see me through telehealth and I invite you to switch it up as needed.  If you live far from the office or prefer not to come in, we can stick with telehealth.  Or, if you generally like to come into the office, please do,  I would love to see you!  However, life happens, so if we have an in person session scheduled, and you aren't feeling well enough to come in, or you have a sick family member, or a meeting that was just scheduled right before or after, or traffic is looking very "Atlanta-like", or the weather has taken a turn, please feel free to switch to telehealth.  I do ask that you tell me as soon as possible so I can be prepared, as it may save me a trip to the office if I was going in just to see you.  I will send you a telehealth link and then you can log on at your appointment time.  This is a great way to avoid a late cancellation fee, if it's less than 24 hours before your session, but you just can't make it into the office, just see me over cyberspace!

Question 6

How does telehealth work?  Can we really do effective therapy through a screen?

Accepted Answer

Yes! When COVID first came around and we were suddenly under stay-at-home orders, I was forced to quickly switch over to telehealth.  At first, I was dubious, thinking it would be so difficult to connect and communicate over the screen, that it seemed so impersonal.  Since then, I have done incredibly effective work through telehealth and have seen people transform their lives over the course of their treatment.  There are some presenting concerns that are not appropriate for telehealth and we will discuss those in order to determine if telehealth is right for you.

Benefits of telehealth include the convenience of not having to battle traffic, only needing to set aside the one hour for therapy versus additional time for driving to and from the office, having the option to keep an appointment even if you’re not feeling up to coming into the office, being able to sign in from wherever you are (as long as you have privacy and are located in a state where I am licensed), enjoying the comfort and familiarity of your home while getting the help you need, are all benefits of telehealth. Also, with so many parents working from home, your child can sign in for their appointment from home without parents having to interrupt their work day to drive them to therapy.

I use a couple of different telehealth platforms which require no special software or downloads (unless you use your phone, there’s an app for that!), they are HIPAA compliant and have very stable connections.  You just click on a link in my email or text appointment reminder, and the website lets me know you’re there and I’ll pop up on the screen!  It’s pretty much just like Zoom or FaceTime.

Question 7

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

In general, I have a 24-hour cancellation policy.  Appointments can be cancelled through my client portal (for established clients), by voicemail, email or by text. I charge the full session fee if the appointment is cancelled in less than 24-hours or if a client no-shows.  I will set clients up to receive email/text reminders 24 and 48 hours before appointments, but ultimately it is the client’s responsibility to keep track of when appointments are scheduled.  Of course, life can be unpredictable, and while I do make exceptions for emergencies and sudden illnesses, I encourage clients to be mindful of their schedule when making appointments, look at their schedule for the upcoming week to see if any potential conflicts might arise and plan accordingly.
 
For telehealth appointments, the convenience of being able to do a session from wherever you have an internet connection (and a private space) is helpful for avoiding cancellations, and we can even do a phone session if you are having trouble connecting. If you do need to cancel, you can avoid the fee by rescheduling later that day or week. If you are experiencing financial difficulties and are concerned about being able to pay for your next session, please reach out and discuss this with me so we can work together on coming up with a plan.  I will avoid allowing clients to build up a balance, and after one unpaid invoice, I will reach out and arrange for payment, but I cannot book further sessions with an unpaid balance.

Question 8

What is your compliance with the Federal No Surprises Act?

Accepted Answer

YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS
(OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)
   
When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.
 
What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?
When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs,     such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.
“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.
“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care - like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.
 
You are protected from balance billing for:
 
Emergency services
 
If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable  condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.
 
Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center
 
When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections  not to be balance billed.
If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance  bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.
You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.
When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:
You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
Your health plan generally must:

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact: 
The Office of the Secretary of State of GA
Professional Licensing Boards Division
214 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA  30334
404-424-9966
Visit https://www.cms.gov/files/document/model-disclosure-notice-patient-protections-against-surprise-billing-providers-facilities-health.pdf for more information about your rights under Federal law.

Frequently asked questions