FAQ

We will briefly discuss what has led you to seek out therapy at this time, so that I can better understand what you are looking for. 

I will share with you how I may be able to help and discuss steps moving forward, which may include: scheduling an intake appointment, or adding you to a waitlist, or providing you with referral options in the community.

Most people could benefit from therapy at one time or another. It’s nice to have a safe, supportive, and judgement-free space that exists to benefit you. It’s a place for you to share the parts of yourself that maybe you’ve never been able to share with others or don’t understand.

If you are ready to take steps to make change happen, you don’t have do to it alone.

Each person or family is unique in their reasons for seeking therapy, and together we will tailor a plan to meet your individual needs. While therapy will look different from person to person, or family to family, it generally follows this process:  

Initial contact – We will schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone call to see if we are a good fit for each other and discuss next steps.

First session or “intake” appointment – During this first appointment, we will complete any necessary paperwork, collect pertinent psychosocial information, create a treatment plan together, discuss scheduling and begin our work together.

Follow up visits – (50–60-minutes) visits that are spent working on your individual goals. I will keep our session moving forward and will provide a combination of education, processing, and goal-directed coaching techniques during our visits. You set the tone and direction we explore.

At any point, you may be seeing me weekly, biweekly, or monthly. I take a collaborative approach to scheduling, taking into consideration your therapeutic goals as well as your financial and scheduling needs. 

After we’ve worked our way through your original goals, we will explore decreasing frequency and make that decision together with you taking the lead.

Length of therapy depends on many variables, including past trauma, attachment disruptions, previous experience with other therapists, and frequency of therapy.  My goal is to help you reach your goals, and ultimately to work myself out of a job with you.  This could be in a few months or years. 

Therapy is like many things in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.  If you are meeting with me weekly, and putting in the work between sessions, likely you will spend less time in therapy than if you meet monthly and do minimal work between sessions. 

Everything shared in our visits is considered private health information and will remain confidential between just us. Yes, parents, that includes your children also.

Some exceptions to confidentiality include:

• Someone is hurting you
• You want to hurt yourself
• You want to hurt someone else
• You give me permission to share

Therapists are mandatory reporters of child, elder or vulnerable adult abuse. 

Maintaining your child’s confidence is key to effective treatment for numerous reasons, including building a strong therapeutic alliance, increasing engagement, and improving the parent-child relationship.

Prior to your scheduled intake session, you will receive a link to a client portal, where you will have access to review and complete all intake paperwork. 

It is helpful to complete your paperwork at least a day prior to our intake session so that I can be prepared, and we can make the best use of our first session together. 

If you are unable to complete the paperwork prior to our intake, please let me know.  

Yes! Please reach out to me for a 15-minute consultation so we can discuss telehealth.

Life can get busy, and it may be tempting to drop your teen off for their therapy appointment and use the hour to run errands.

If your child is new to therapy, under the age of 12, processing traumatic memories or content, or has difficulty regulating themselves, please ensure that you are present and available to join us as needed during appointments by waiting in the lobby.

However, if your child is mature enough to attend their appointment by themselves, we can discuss a plan together for you to be offsite during your child’s therapy sessions. 

Unfortunately, I do not have evening or weekend appointments at this time.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Alaska, I am licensed to provide therapeutic services to Alaskan residents while they are in Alaska.  Unfortunately, there is no reciprocity between states to allow me to see you while you are out of state for a vacation or a move.  We would have to take a therapeutic break for the time you are out of Alaska on vacation, and I would help provide referrals if you were to move out of state.

I am an Out-Of-Network provider with ALL insurance companies. 

Please verify your benefits, and out-of-network coverage.  As your insurance contract is between you and your insurance provider, I cannot make any guarantees about the level of reimbursement you may be eligible for. 

It is important to note that in order for your insurance to pay for your care, I must tell your insurance company what your diagnosis is. Based on your diagnosis, your insurance company will determine if, and how many sessions insurance will cover. 

Insurance companies also archive your medical history, this includes your mental health diagnoses. Certain job opportunities may require you to disclose any diagnoses you have ever had (such as in government or highly secure positions).  

If you plan to use your insurance out-of-network benefits for therapy with me, I will provide you with a Superbill or I can submit a courtesy billing to your insurance company for reimbursement direct to you.  I do not share treatment plans or progress notes with insurance; however, your diagnosis and treatment codes are required to be listed on the Superbill or courtesy bill for reimbursement.

If you still have questions, please reach out to me. 

By being an Out-Of-Network provider, I am able to maintain my focus and energy on you and your family as well as the treatment plan we have established together rather than meeting an insurance company’s agenda. 

Courtesy Billing – You pay me at the time of service, and I submit paperwork on your behalf to your insurance company so that you get reimbursed directly from your insurance company.

Superbill – You pay me at the time of service, and I provide you with an invoice which you then submit to your health insurance for direct reimbursement from your insurance company.

There are some apps available that are very helpful for those that choose Superbill – one is called Reimbursify (they act as a ‘biller’ on your behalf and take a small percentage of what you get back and help if any issues arise).

Here are some questions to ask your insurance company to better understand your benefits. Please make sure you ask these questions regarding your out-of-network benefits.

Do I have out-of-network benefits for mental health services?

Are services rendered by a licensed professional counselor (LPC) covered?

Is pre-approval required before obtaining mental health services with an out-of-network provider?

Do my out of network benefits cover Telehealth as well as in-person?

Do I have a limited number of therapy sessions covered in a calendar year?

If I use out of network benefits, what I be reimbursed?

• Will I be reimbursed for the full amount or a portion?
  • Will you send the reimbursement to me directly?

Do I have a deductible?

• If so, what is it?
  • Is my out-of-network deductible different from my in-network deductible?

What is my co-pay for out-of-network mental health services?

Are any of these CPT Codes NOT covered?

CPT Codes: 

• 90791 Intake Assessment (60-120 minutes)                     
  • 90837 Psychotherapy, 60 mins (53+ minutes)
  • 90846 Family without patient (50 minutes)
  • 90847 Family with patient (50 minutes)

I accept credit cards, debit cards, FSA/HSA cards, cash, or checks.

Clients are required to keep a working card on file.

Unfortunately, I do not have any sliding scale slots available at this time.

However, these resources connect clients with therapists who have low-fee slots available:

Open Path Collective

Therapy Aid Coalition

See page: Play Therapy

The use of play in therapy uses the “language” of children: play. 

Play is used for: anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), autism, learning disabilities as well as behavior problems, such as anger management, oppositional, grief and loss, divorce and abandonment, and crisis and trauma.

Additional information on play in therapy can be found at Play Therapy Makes A Difference

I do not provide couples therapy, however, I would be happy to help get you connected with a therapist that does. 

I do not see high-conflict divorce or court mandated co-parenting, but I would be happy to help you get connected with a therapist that does. 

I’m not able to provide custody evaluations for court.

Please visit Alaska Court System: Family Law – Parenting & Custody Plans for more information about parenting and child custody laws in Alaska.

I am a Master’s level clinician, and not a prescriber.  If medication seems like something you would like to explore, I’m more than happy to help you identify an appropriate provider. 

I can also coordinate with your provider, if desired, as I have extensive experience coordinating with medical teams. 

Medication can be effective, but medication alone does not solve all issues.  Sometimes, medication is beneficial in conjunction with counseling. 

Our work together is designed to explore and unpack the problems you are experiencing and expand on your strengths that can help you accomplish your personal goals.

To avoid fees, please cancel with at least 24-hour notice.  Opting-in for appointment reminders via the client portal is a helpful way to avoid late cancellation or missed sessions.

Late Cancel Fee – partial session rate will be charged to card on file.

No Show Fee – full session rate will be charged to card on file.

Please note that insurance will not reimburse you for late cancellation or no-show fees.

If you have any more questions, please reach out to schedule a 15-minute consultation so that we can address the questions you have.