Empowering Change through Personalized, Evidence-Based Psychotherapy
Effective psychotherapy is a science and an art.
What does this mean? The scientific component of psychotherapy comes from the use of evidence-based practices that have been shown to be effective for a particular condition. Evidence-based therapies are those types of therapy that have been shown in clinical research to be effective in reducing or alleviating certain symptoms. Currently, I utilize the following evidence-based psychotherapies in my clinical practice: behavioral, cognitive, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, psychodynamic, family-based and solution-focused brief therapies. The artistic part of psychotherapy is to personalize your psychotherapy based upon your past experiences, present situation, and resources available to you. The plan for providing your treatment will be discussed collaboratively, accounting for who you are and what your experiences have been, and personalized to meet your needs.
Every one of us is unique. In the tapestry of our lives, there is a blending of our past experiences with the demands of our present lives that can manifest in symptoms. Although it would be impossible to list all of the concerns seen in treatment, here is a list of the predominant conditions treated in my practice:
- Mood (e.g., depression and anxiety) disorders
- Eating disorders and disturbances
- Body image dissatisfaction and disturbances
- Sequelae from traumatic experiences
- Low or poor self-esteem
- Interpersonal relationship concerns
What should I expect at my initial psychotherapy appointments?
Our first few sessions will involve an evaluation of your needs, and whether the relationship seems to be a good fit. “Goodness of fit” is an important area for both of us to address. On my side, I want to make sure that I have the training and expertise in your areas of concern such that I believe I can be of help. On your side, you need to evaluate how comfortable you feel disclosing the important details of your life that are relevant to our work.
By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work will include, a proposed treatment plan, and therapeutic objectives and the goals of our therapeutic work together. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with me. You have the right to ask about other possible treatments for your condition and their risks and benefits. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select. If you have questions about my observations or procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist, I will offer to help you set up a meeting with another mental health professional for a second opinion.
Paying for Psychotherapy
Payment for services can be made by check, credit card, health savings account (or similar medical savings account) or cash. With private pay, all client information is kept strictly between you and your provider, and this helps to retain the highest level of privacy regarding your mental health treatment. Furthermore, private payment offers fewer restrictions on the frequency and delivery of psychotherapy care.
I am out-of-network for all insurance plans. If you have out-of-network benefits with your insurance plan such that part of the cost of services may be covered by your plan, please let me know so that we can discuss advantages and disadvantages of using your insurance, and options for submitting those charges to your insurance plan should you choose to do so.