FAQ

While I have an office in Centreville, VA, I am currently working online! I’m licensed in both Maryland and Virginia.

I’m happy to see you in my virtual office Monday through Thursday between 8 am and 5 pm.

…best part of online therapy? Meet with me in the comfort of your own home or office! Come in your pj’s or sweats…it’s all ok!

Concerns about having enough privacy? Call me and let’s solve that…I’ve helped lots of folks figure that out for themselves during pandemic!

Appointments are usually 60 minutes, and I usually schedule with clients once a week… but that’s completely up to you and me. Sometimes people want to come more often for a little while. As we get close to the end of things, it’s pretty common to come less often…

How soon we can start likely depends on your schedule. If you have some scheduling flexibility, I can probably see you for an initial appointment this week. I want you to feel some relief and have some support as soon as possible. Calling or emailing now will allow us to get that started for you.

Appointments are billed at the rate of $200/60 minutes. I charge the same rate for both individuals and couples.

It’s my practice not to participate directly with any insurance companies, but I am happy to provide a “superbill” so that you can seek reimbursement using your out-of-network benefits. Let me know if you have questions about this that I can answer.

GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit http://www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

I have a 24-hour cancellation policy. Once you are on my schedule, that time is reserved just for you; so please let me know if you need to reschedule to avoid being charged in full for your appointment.

Let’s do! Call me at (703) 249-9444.

Talking… but you knew that. It should feel reasonably comfortable… like talking to a good friend. It’s also likely to feel like hard work at times, because sometimes we are going to look at the stuff that you’ve avoided looking at on your own (because it’s been overwhelming… and now because it’s the stuff that is going to make your life so much better!). That said, it’s always about choice and possibility and hope and growth and healing… just now with support and understanding.

Of course… Long gone are the days when therapy was only for people who were “broken and in need of fixing.” Therapy is for everyone… We all have good days and bad days. We all need to be seen and understood.

We all need to work on growing in our ability to love ourselves, stand in our strengths, increase our ability to manage stress and cope in crisis… along with many other things that therapy offers the chance to learn and practice. There is absolutely no requirement that you have anything “wrong” with you in order to come to therapy. You can choose to come just because you want a good life to be better.

Totally normal. That’s also what I am here for… We’ll work together to help make life feel manageable again. You can work with me to plan the timing and frequency of sessions to make things feel most comfortable for you… You can reach out and ask for more help as you need it… the support is right here. You don’t have to be alone in this any longer.

I’m not going to make you do anything…  Do you want to do homework? I can help you get lots out of the time in between sessions by letting you explore something while we are apart… and if you have no interest in that or time doesn’t permit, then that works for me, too.

Your medical record is maintained in a HIPAA-compliant method, and your trust is vitally important to me.

Yeah, I get asked that a lot. It doesn’t happen much, but it feels like it might. Should we see each other when we are out in public, I will not acknowledge you unless you speak with me first.

Further, you should know that I don’t have “therapist” conversations in public… if you need to spend a few minutes talking with me between sessions, no problem. Just follow any one of the protocols we’ve talked about for contacting me, and I’ll be happy to make time to talk with you… but it’s not going to happen should you see me and say hello at the library.

Yup… sure have… more than once. Therapy can be an amazing, miraculous healing space… and when the right people come together at the right time and work hard, your whole life can be transformed… I know mine was. It’s why I do this work!

Professionally speaking, yes… for 20 years now I’ve done clinical social work. I worked doing psychiatric assessments in the emergency room for the first 6 years of that… since then, I’ve been a therapist.

My strangest job? Well, once, in high school… I was a chimney sweep…

Well, many of them… and a lot of ones not pictured also… I do love to read! Happy to hear your recommendations!