My Policy

My normal practice is to conduct a thorough evaluation in the initial interview. This comprehensive assessment is necessary whether I will provide therapy, medication management or both, as it will allow me to better understand your history, symptoms and reasons for seeking treatment. 

Before the end of the first visit, I will determine whether or not you will benefit from further evaluation or treatment. In some cases, an additional visit may be necessary to complete the initial evaluation (e.g., for someone  with an extensive psychiatric history or complicated presentation) as extra time may be needed to gather information, speak to family members or loved ones, review past medical records or order any necessary lab work. If this is the case, I will schedule additional time with you to complete your initial evaluation. During this time, as well as in the next one to two sessions, we can both decide whether I am the best practitioner to provide the services you need.

If psychotherapy is initiated, I will usually schedule one 45 minute session per week at a mutually agreed time. We may agree to vary session length and frequency.

Once your appointment is scheduled, you will be expected to pay for your session unless you provide at least 48 business hours advance notice of cancellation. Business hours are considered the weekdays between Monday and Friday. This means that if you have an appointment on Monday January 10 at 4 pm, you must cancel by Thursday January 6 at 4 pm to avoid being charged. 

If you do not provide at least 48 business hours notice or fail to show for a scheduled appointment, you will be responsible for the full cost of the session. Please note, insurance companies will often not reimburse for missed sessions or sessions that are cancelled late. 

You will be expected to pay for each session at the time of the appointment. Credit cards, personal checks and cash are accepted. 

Please note there is a fee for any returned check or declined credit card.  If your account has payment overdue for over 60 days, I have the option of using legal means to secure payment, including collection agencies or small claims court. In most cases, the only information I would be providing would be your name, nature of services provided and amount due.

I do not take insurance and am considered an “out of network provider” for PPO plans. If you have a health benefits policy, it will usually provide some mental health coverage. However, you, not your insurance company, are responsible for full payment of the session fees. I will not bill your insurance directly. 

If you plan to use your insurance benefits, I will provide a standard receipt and form that can be submitted to your insurance company. Many PPO plans do provide some reimbursement for mental health provided by an out of network provider, so you may get a substantial portion of my fees back from your insurance company, depending on your specific plan. I recommend that you contact your insurance provider to inquire about your out of network benefits if insurance reimbursement is an important issue.