“Happiness is not something readymade, it comes from your own actions." Dalai Lama
GENERAL
Which insurance plans do you accept?
The surest way to check eligibility is to speak directly with your insurance. You will need my NPI number for that, which is 1881215788. You can also ask for a cost estimate. Please note I am unable to give you a cost estimate for insurance claims. Plans differ greatly with costs as low as $10 and as high as $150.
If your insurance is not listed below, please know I can provide superbills that you can then submit for reimbursement from your out-of-network benefits.
Currently Accepting: Aetna, Optum, Unitedhealthcare, Oscar, Harvard Pilgrim, Oxford, UMR, Health Plans Inc, Surest (Formerly Bind)*, Premera Blue Cross Washington
Do you accept self-pay? What is your fee?
I charge between $145 and $200 per session. Standard processing fees may apply.
I also offer sliding scale. Let me know if you need financial assistance.
Do you offer phone, video, or in-person therapy?
I am currently only offering teletherapy via zoom or phone call.
How long will therapy last?
Some clients stay in therapy for a few months while some stay on for years. Duration depends on what your goals are. If you have a specific, short term goal like ‘I want extra support while I transition into a new job’ then you may engage in therapy for about 6-8 months. On the other hand if you have a goal of exploring your childhood issues or family dynamics or if you are working on self reflection and development, you might find it useful to continue for a couple years or longer. Many people who enter therapy with a short term goal often find other issues they want to work on and want to stay for longer.
How soon can I see you? When do you schedule sessions?
The intake process, including verifying benefits and mode of payment, takes about 3-5 business days after you submit the required forms and information. After that, scheduling will depend on both of our availability but I am typically able to get you in within two weeks.
My schedule and availability varies from week to week depending on how many clients I am seeing at the time.
How often will I see you?
I recommend starting with a weekly cadence for the first 3-4 months, which is found to be ideal in terms of rapport building and continuity. In time we may switch to meeting once every two weeks, based on need.
How can I make best use of my initial consultation?
This is a good time to discuss your goals, check on availability and schedule match, and ask any questions you may have about my approach and style. I do encourage you to read through all the FAQs so you have the chance to have some of your questions answered and you can use the consult time for more focused questions.
Does insurance cover couples therapy?
I do not bill insurance for couples therapy.
I charge between $160 and $200 per session. Standard processing fees may apply.
CLINICAL
What can I expect in a therapy session?
In our initial session, I am trying to understand what brought you to therapy. I am also developing a framework for our work together and getting to know you better. You can expect to discuss what you’ve done to manage your mental health so far, what your goals for treatment are, your past experiences of therapy, if any, and what worked well or didn’t work so well, and so on. I will answer any questions you may have for me.
Ongoing sessions with me are typically free-flowing conversations around what’s relevant to you at the moment. I might start the session by asking you what you would want to talk about today and go from there. Some clients choose to use the space as a way to process life events and get things off their chest and other clients prefer to have an agenda of items to cover. I am happy to support you either way and will ask questions, share my observations, and provide feedback as needed.
I’ve never done therapy before and don’t know how to set goals. Will I be successful?
You may come to therapy not knowing what your goals are or not even really knowing why you’re here. That’s perfectly normal! Success in therapy does not depend on past experience, it depends on your investment and earnestness in the process, and in finding the right fit with your therapist.
How do I know if we are a good fit?
Knowing if therapy is working for you will take time and self-reflection. A healthy therapeutic relationship is one in which you feel comfortable talking to me, you feel like we are on the same wavelength, my questions and feedback make sense to you, and you feel like I understand you well. I have often heard from my clients that they feel better even after the first session - this is a great indication that we will work well together. Of course, it isn’t always so obvious. You would typically be able to gauge fit after the first few sessions.
Have you been to therapy yourself?
Yes! Therapists are human too and doctors can fall sick! Therapists are, in fact, more likely to engage in their own therapy as they are aware of the benefits and do not have the usual hesitation or doubts about the process.
CLINICAL - Couples therapy
Do we attend all sessions together?
It is standard practice for me to hold some sessions separately with each partner or family member, especially during the intake process. This is to ensure everyone gets an equal opportunity to speak up and share their perspective or ‘their side of the story’. This is also a useful time to discuss how to bring up difficult topics with your partner/family member.
How do I get my partner to go to couples therapy with me?
It’s pretty common for one partner to be more open to therapy than the other but it does create a difficult situation. Therapy does not work very well if a participant is resentful or forced to be there. Here are some helpful approaches you can adopt.
One is to look for a therapist together so you are both comfortable with the final choice. It is also possible to bring this hesitation up during the intake process and I can help with answering questions and setting all individuals at ease.
It is useful to talk about how you will want to convey the whole picture of what’s going on and therefore your partner is needed to share ‘their side of the story’. As your therapist, I need a comprehensive picture of what’s going on to accurately assess the situation and provide unbiased feedback.
A partner might think, “Going to a therapist means admitting we/I have failed.” It is helpful to remind your partner that the therapist is not the person solving your problems for you. I am providing you with perspective and tools but it is you who will use the tools to effect change. Therefore, at the end of the day, it is still going to be them solving the issue, only with some assistance.
The problems in our relationship are not really my fault; why do I need to participate in therapy?
Couples therapy is not about who is right and who is wrong; it is not a blame game. It is about teaching you tools and providing you with helpful perspectives so you can work on developing stronger, more fulfilling relationships.
Is couples therapy the same as sex therapy?
Couples therapy is not the same as sex therapy. There are therapists who provide both services, however it is not something you can assume. I do not offer sex therapy and would refer you out for issues with intimacy. The topics do sometimes overlap, however, and it is natural for us to discuss the quality of your sex life as it impacts your relationship.
Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations, you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation. - Dalai Lama