Frequently Asked Questions
Who do you provide treatment for?
I specialize in providing evidence based treatment for adult women who have experienced psychological trauma.
I am not trained in evidence based treatments for depression, marriage/couples or family therapy, and do not provide child therapy.
What is trauma?
A a person’s lasting emotional response to to an event or events that is/are perceived as seriously harmful or life-threatening to oneself or loved ones.
It is important to remember that people process experiences differently, and not everyone has the same reaction to any event; what one person experiences as trauma may not cause distress for another.
How do I schedule an appointment?
You can schedule an appt via the "contact me" page on this website.
Upon contacting me, I will scheduled a 15-minute consultation call with you to discuss your treatment goals and needs and determine if the services I provide are a match for your needs. If it is determined that I may be a match for your needs, we will schedule an intake appt (please see below on information about the intake appt). If it is determined that I am not a match for your needs, we will discuss treatment options that may be more appropriate for you.
Please have your insurance/payment information ready during this call, as it will be needed in order to schedule an appt, if one is indicated.
If an intake appointment is scheduled, I will send you, through a secure client portal, information and policies about my practice and questionnaires to fill out prior to coming to your first appointment. In order to make best use of our intake appt time, it is important you fill out this paperwork prior to your first appt.
What will my first appointment be like?
The first session is an intake appointment. During this meeting we will review the paperwork you received through the client portal and you will be asked to fill out a HIPPA form, release of information for and an agreement to participate in services with me. We will complete an intake evaluation in which I will ask you several clinical questions regarding the concerns that led you to seek treatment and we will then discuss diagnostic impressions and recommendations for treatment.
Please note, an intake appointment does not guarantee that ongoing treatment together is indicated.
An intake appointment is one in which we discuss your history, current treatment needs and the treatments I can provide. If, upon completion of the intake evaluation, it appears that I may be a suitable fit for you, we would then discuss scheduling appointments for ongoing treatment. However, if, upon completion of the intake evaluation, this does not appear to be the case, we would then discuss more appropriate options to meet your treatment needs.
When do you offer appointments?
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Monday- Thursday: First appointment beginning at 9:00 am, last appointment beginning at 1:30 pm
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Appointments generally have a duration of 50 minuntes
What are the fees for treatment?
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Initial Intake Appointment: $250
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Individual Therapy Appointment: $200
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Please contact me for details for other services.
Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance.
I also accept private pay and out-of-network pay for services.
Payment is required at the time services are rendered.
I will directly submit claims to your insurance company if I am an in-network provider. Otherwise, I will provide you with statements that you can submit for reimbursement after paying for services upfront.
You are responsible for full payment of our agreed upon fee should your insurance company deny benefits or should your coverage lapse.
In order to be fully informed of your insurance coverage please contact your insurance company and clarify the terms of your behavioral health benefits.
You should ask about:
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what your outpatient mental health benefits are for in-office and telehealth visits (there may be different coverage for each)
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what your co-pay is for a mental health visit
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if you have a deductible, and if so how much of it has been met
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what amount your plan covers for an out -of-network provider (your insurance may only provide partial reimbursement for out-of-network providers)
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if approval is required from your primary care provider
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how many sessions per year your plan covers
Which insurances do you take?
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Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield of WNY
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Independent Health
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I am not in network with Beacon Health, which is the company some IHA plans provide mental health through. Please confirm that your mental health coverage through IHA is not through Beacon
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Please note that I am not a participating provider with medicaid or medicare
What is your cancellation policy?
There is a cancellation fee of $150 for any no show or cancellation with less than 48 hours advance notice of cancellation. This is because, without prior notice of cancellation, I am not able to offer the session time to someone else who may be waiting for an appointment. It is important to note that insurance companies do not provide reimbursement for cancelled sessions, so this fee will be charged directly to you..
What will treatment be like?
We will schedule appointments that last 50 minutes.
I utilize a cognitive behavior therapy model for treatment. There are several types of CBT in which I am trained (please see the "treatments" page on my website to learn more about these.) CBT therapies are evidence-based treatments, meaning they have been researched and found to be effective. They are geared to be short-termed in duration. On average, treatment lasts 3-5 months; however, some individuals complete treatment earlier and some individuals, depending on their concerns, may benefit from longer-term treatment. I aim to be flexible in my approach so that I am meeting your needs. Throughout the course of your treatment you will engage in behavioral exercises to practice skills that will be helpful for your presenting concerns, and we will also likely use measures to evaluate your progress in treatment.
