Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve compiled a list of the most frequent questions that I have received over my career. It’s normal and encouraged for clients to ask many questions when choosing to work with a licensed therapist. Here are some answers to the questions I receive the most. If you can’t find what you are looking for, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask.
What is involved in an intake consultation?
During the intake consultation, I will ask many questions to determine whether you and I might be a good fit. I typically ask what brings you to therapy, what you hope to achieve with therapy, and I gather some of your background information in this session. In addition, I'll discuss the types of fees you can expect from continued care. This type of session is provided to uninsured clients and does not come with a charge for services.
How does an intake consultation differ from an admission consultation?
The intake consultation is 15 minutes and only covers information that will help me determine whether we will be a good fit. It is there to protect uninsured clients from incurring fees should they decide we are not a good fit. The admission consultation is where I review the informed consent for treatment, what to expect in treatment, and where I complete assessments that determine the nature of your mental health concern. You won't receive therapy in this session; it helps me build the foundation for your therapy. This is typically the session that insured clients start with and would take place on session #2 for uninsured clients; this is a charged session for both uninsured and insured clients.
Do you work with trauma, depression, personality disorders, or other mental health concerns?
My short answer to this question is, "yes." However, I primarily treat OCD, Anxiety, and Phobias. If you happen to have other mental health diagnoses along with any of the three mentioned above, you are still welcome at my practice. That said, it would be beneficial for you to also be focused on making changes relating to any of those 3 areas. If you are seeking help for another diagnosis outside of those 3 areas, you may be better served at a different practice.
Do you offer in-person or telehealth sessions?
I offer telehealth services at this time.
How long does a therapy session take?
Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long.
Do you offer sliding scale rates?
I do consider sliding scale rates on a case-by-case basis.
Do you work with children?
Unfortunately, no. I specialize in treating adults 18 years of age and older.
Do you provide services to people residing outside of the state of Florida?
Not at this time. Therapists are required to be licensed in each state in which they would like to practice. This means that we may not cross state lines to help people in other states unless we go out of our way to become licensed there as well. I am looking to change that in the future so that I can help more people, and I will update this FAQ with other states as I become licensed to serve there. It is important that you are residing in the state of Florida to seek care with me, even if it is temporary. Insurance can be stickler about this one as well; they may not pay for your treatment if they find out you were in another state during the time of treatment.
How long do most people take to recover from OCD/Anxiety/Phobias?
It largely depends on two things: The amount of motivation a client has for committing to their own change, and the severity of their symptoms. The lower the motivation and the higher the severity of symptoms, the longer the duration of treatment. On average, you can expect anywhere from 2 to 6 months of work to assist in reducing symptoms.
Do you provide couples counseling or family sessions?
I only treat individual clients at this time. That said, I do offer sessions on a limited basis (as needed) to provide family or couples with psychoeducation about how to manage symptoms relating to an individual client's mental health concerns. It is important to me that a client's support system is knowledgeable about how to assist them in their recovery. It is also important that they learn independent functioning skills, so many repeated family sessions are not likely to be held. In certain cases, significant family involvement can interrupt the process of recovery and become an accommodation that maintains a client's impairment, so there will be careful consideration for these sessions.
How does an individual and/or family session work?
During an individual session, I typically start by asking you about your week, homework completion (if assigned), and the challenges you may have faced. I may also complete therapeutic interventions with you and review psychoeducation to help you build insight into the course of your mental health concern. These sessions last approximately 50 minutes, though you may notice they are billed for 1 hour. The last 10 minutes of those sessions are when I complete my documentation about our sessions for your insurance, and to help me keep track of where we are in treatment. I typically review those notes again prior to your next scheduled session. A family session works in similar fashion. During a family session, I will ask about current concerns from the family, communication challenges, and provide psychoeducation. They also last 50 minutes, with the last 10 dedicated to documentation of the session. It is important that the sessions end on time so that there is enough time to document the session before I help the next person scheduled for the day. That said, if I am aware that I have more time in the schedule to meet, and there is need for it, I don't mind extending these sessions. I will let clients know when there is 5 minutes left in session. If something major is brought up at the end of session that requires more time to discuss, I'll ask that you wait until our next meeting to go into it further. That will allow me more time to address the concern with the care it deserves. Please note that additional charges may be incurred if sessions run over time, even if there is no one scheduled for next session.