Frequently asked questions

In Utah, I accept Select Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), United Healthcare (UHC/Optum) and DMBA. I do not accept insurance in other states.

It works similarly to any other healthcare visit. You present your card, the office checks your benefits, and starts billing the insurance company after sessions. It may take 3-4 weeks for the insurance company to accept the first claims, at which point the amount you are responsible for per session is more certain.

For some plans, you can seek out-of-network reimbursement for the amount spent on therapy. I can give you periodic "superbills" which you would need for these submissions.

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You can also simply pay directly for services.

There are several possibilities:

1) Wider therapist selection - With the right therapist fit, the client might save time and money by completing the therapeutic goals more efficiently and effectively.

2) Privacy - When you use insurance for therapy, the therapist must report your diagnosis to the insurance company, as well as the date of each visit. This becomes part of that client's medical record with the insurance company. Periodically, insurance companies request the therapist's treatment plan and/or case notes for sessions in order to ensure quality of care. Some people prefer to have greater control over the privacy of this information.

3) Greater control over care - Insurance companies will only pay for therapy that is actively treating a mental health disorder, and may decide to stop paying if they think it is not helping enough or has gone too long. Some people prefer working out therapy goals, length of care, and other matters directly with the therapist, without having insurance requirements affecting that planning.

It may, but generally not by much. The therapist is responsible for ensuring that sessions are tailored toward the mental health diagnosis reported to the insurance company, but this is typically how it is approached anyway. With couples sessions, it becomes more complicated, as one of the partners has to be meet criteria for a mental health diagnosis, and then the couples therapy has to be intended to help that client's symptoms improve. A therapist will tell you if this will be an issue.

Have you been stuck in anxiety or fear? Are things falling apart because you are struggling to make some key changes in your life? Are key relationships in your life crumbling and you feel powerless to do anything about it?

Therapy would often help in situations like these. Try it out and see if someone is able to help you.

Read about several therapists. Does it feel like some might be good fits? Reach out to them and set up a consultation or try out a few sessions. It is important to have a good fit with a therapist, so feel free to decide that a certain therapist is not a good match for you, and try out another one.

For sessions, we will use HIPAA-compliant video calls. For other communication, I offer a secure messaging system, and can also use text or email, which are less secure.

It really depends on what needs to be addressed. For many clients, eight to ten sessions can be extremely productive. For some milder issues, three to five session may be enough. For more complicated situations, twenty sessions may be more realistic.

Regardless, most people notice improvement within the first several sessions. If you don't, bring it up! Sometimes that discussion is exactly what helps therapy be more helpful.

EMDR, Solutions-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Marriage Therapy. Let me know what you would like to accomplish, and I'll tell you if that's something I can typically help with.

The first session is primarily an introductory meeting. The therapist will need to learn more about you to work effectively. They may ask questions about what brought you to therapy, as well as inquire about various life events, family, relationships, and other relevant aspects. Alternatively, they might listen to your story, guiding the conversation with clarifying questions.

Online Format: At the scheduled time, you connect with your therapist using a convenient platform or messenger. It's important that you are alone in the room during the session to ensure privacy and focus.

In-Person: You visit the therapist's office at the appointed time.

The session typically lasts 50 minutes, but there can be exceptions depending on your needs. It's advisable to confirm the session length with your therapist beforehand.

Read about several therapists. Does it feel like some might be good fits? Reach out to them and set up a consultation or try out a few sessions. It is important to have a good fit with a therapist, so feel free to decide that a certain therapist is not a good match for you, and try out another one.

If you are not satisfied with your therapist, use the specialist selection feature on our platform. You can choose from four suggested therapists. Additionally, on the main page of the platform, there is a filter for specific issues. Use it to see all the specialists who have experience working with your particular concern.

It's important to understand what exactly didn't work for you. Working on yourself is not always a joyful process, as it often involves confronting aspects of your personality that you haven't seen or didn't want to see before. Accepting and processing these aspects requires resilience.

Finding the right therapist can be challenging, much like finding a new friend. Don't give up; the results are worth the effort you put into finding a specialist who is right for you.

All therapists are registered with their respective professional organizations, having successfully completed the required education, exams, training, practice, and ongoing supervision.

In general, therapists will keep what you tell them confidential, but there are some limited exceptions. For example, if you threaten serious harm to yourself or to an identifiable victim, the therapist may be required to report this information to the relevant authorities. Therapists are also subject to ongoing professional supervision as required by their organizations.

Before starting therapy, it’s a good idea to discuss any concerns or questions you have about confidentiality with your therapist to fully understand their obligations.

Yes, you can cancel or reschedule a session up to 24 hours before it begins. If you cancel the session later than this, the payment for the session is non-refundable.