FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Find Your Answers Here
WHAT ARE YOUR FEES?
Please see my Fees page for fee information.
DO YOU TAKE INSURANCE?
I do not directly accept insurance for therapy services and am an out-of-network provider. The reason I don't contract with insurance companies is to provide you with a customized experience that fits your needs, not what the insurance company will reimburse. Insurance companies can limit the number of sessions covered, limit the time allowed for sessions, and/or determine if your diagnosis qualifies for reimbursement. Some clients who have insurance choose to private pay to keep their diagnoses confidential and to protect their privacy with their insurance company and/or employer.
However, if you do want to use insurance, some insurance companies will provide partial reimbursement for out-of-network providers. I will provide you with a form and receipt you can use to file with your insurance. If this is an option you would like to use, please contact your insurance company in advance to avoid any unwanted surprises.
Coaching services, groups, and workshops are not covered by any insurance.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT MY FIRST APPOINTMENT?
The first time we meet, we will discuss why you are seeking services and I will gather related background information. We will work together to decide on an initial course of action. I will explain the process and answer any questions.
HOW LONG ARE COACHING AND COUNSELING APPOINTMENTS?
All appointments are 60 minutes.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNSELING AND COACHING?
Counseling addresses issues that make you feel bad or cause you to have difficulty functioning in some aspect of your life (social, professional, or school). The first focus of therapy is to heal those issues, whether it be anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, addiction, or other types of disorders. Once those issues are resolved, counseling can shift a coaching approach, focusing on to making significant future-focused changes in your life. In other words, a counselor can be a coach.
Coaching assumes that clients are emotionally or mentally well. A diagnosis is never given with coaching. Instead, coaching immediately begins with goal setting, identifying obstacles, developing motivational strategies, and pushing toward change. It is unethical for a coach to address underlying mental health issues. In other words, a coach cannot be a counselor.
As a mental health professional and as a coach, I understand the ethical implications and potential pitfalls of a client choosing a coach when a counselor is what is needed. For the purpose of my practice, any client seeing me for reasons other than professional development is seen as a counseling client. Those seeing me for professional growth are coaching clients. If I suspect an underlying mental health issue, coaching clients are referred to a different mental health practitioner.