Counseling Services Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. Therapy varies depending on the personalities of the psychotherapist and client, and the particular problems you are experiencing. There are many different methods I may use to deal with the problems that you hope to address. Psychotherapy calls for a very active effort on your part. In order for the therapy to be most successful, you will be working on things we talk about both during our sessions and at home. My theoretical orientation is generally Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT). However, I also rely on attachment theory and object relations to work on long-standing patterns. For individuals dealing with interpersonal and emotional issues, my approach is influenced by research that indicates the importance of relationships upon the formation of one’s personality. Your task is to express what you are thinking and feeling as openly as possible, and mine is to listen and help you to understand yourself better, in order to more effectively deal with the problems you are facing. Cognitive-Behavioral work is based on the theory that our thoughts about events lead to our emotions and behaviors and that we can have some control over these thoughts to improve our feelings and behaviors. This theory has shown very good results in research. Psychotherapy can have both risks and benefits. Since therapy often involves discussing troubling and unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience some discomfort with feelings such as sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. Some of the benefits of therapy are that it can lead to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress. There are no specific predictions, certainties, or guarantees of what you will experience. Our first few sessions will involve an evaluation of your needs. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with me. Therapy involves a commitment of time, money, and energy; I will do my best to help you make the best use of these resources. If you have questions about my procedures or any aspects of my work with you, we will discuss them whenever they arise. If you have persisting questions or doubts, I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another mental health professional for a second opinion or a referral to a different therapist. You have the right to refuse treatment. It is your responsibility to choose the provider and treatment modality that may best suit your needs. MEETINGS I will usually schedule one 50-minute sessions (one appointment hour of 50 minutes duration) per week at a time we agree on. Once an appointment hour is scheduled, you are responsible to pay for that time and will be billed for that hour unless you notify me of your cancellation at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment. (If a cancellation is unavoidable and my schedule allows, I will schedule you at a different time.) I charge a fee of $25 for no show or late cancelled appointments. PROFESSIONAL FEES My hourly fee is $140. In addition to in-office appointments, I charge this amount for other professional services you may need, though I will break down the hourly cost if I work for periods of less than one hour. Other services include report writing, telephone conversations lasting longer than 15 minutes, consulting with other professionals with your permission, preparation of records or treatment summaries, video taping and assessment, and the time spent performing any other service you may request of me. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, you will be expected to pay for all of my professional time, including preparation and transportation costs, even if I am called to testify by another party. I charge a $1400 retainer before becoming involved in legal proceedings. BILLING AND PAYMENTS You will be expected to pay for each session at the time it is held, unless we agree otherwise. Payment schedules for other professional services will be agreed to when they are requested. In some cases monthly payment arrangements may be made. In circumstances of unusual financial hardship, I may be willing to negotiate a fee adjustment or payment installment plan. If your account has not been paid for more than 60 days and arrangements for payment have not been agreed upon, I have the option of using legal means to secure the payment. This may involve hiring a collection agency or going though small claims court which will require me to disclose otherwise confidential information. In most collection situations, the only information I release regarding a client’s treatment is his/her name, the nature of the services provided, and the amount due. When such legal action is necessary, its costs will be included in the claim. INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT
