Out-of-network benefits let you pick therapists who aren’t tied down by your insurance provider’s network. This means you get to choose who you see based on how you vibe with them, not just who’s in your insurance network. You pay the therapist directly, and then your insurance company reimburses you based on your coverage. Pretty neat, right?

Choosing an out-of-network therapist simply means you have more options at your fingertips. It's about widening your pool of choices so you can find a therapist who fits just right with your personal needs and therapy goals.

We have partnered with Thrizer to help clients use their out-of-network benefits to save money on therapy.

If you have out-of-network benefits, they typically will reimburse you for 60-80% of the cost of each session once you hit your out-of-network deductible. You will be responsible for paying for each session in full at time of appointment and then may be reimbursed through your insurance.

If you’d like, I will submit claims to your insurance company on your behalf via Thrizer.

Your out-of-network benefits are usually pretty straightforward to use. Here’s a breakdown to keep things super simple:

• Check what’s covered: You can use the calculator on my page to estimate the cost, and a quick call to your insurance provider will clarify what your plan allows.

• Pay your therapist: You handle this upfront, just like any other appointment.

• Submit a claim: I’ll give you all the paperwork you need to claim back what you’re owed. Alternatively, to make things simpler for you, I’ve partnered with a company, Mentaya, who will submit your claims to your insurance company at no cost to you. (Note: Mentaya's goal is to save you time and money. It's completely optional, and as your therapist I do not benefit in any way from your participation.)

• Get your money back: Your insurance will send you a reimbursement based on the terms of your plan.

Should you decide to submit on your own, most insurance companies have you upload your monthly superbill online and then they will mail you a check with your reimbursement.

It’s always a good idea to call the number on the back of your health insurance card listed under Member Services.

You can ask them the following questions:

• Do I have out-of-network outpatient mental health coverage? Am I able to use these benefits for telehealth?

• What is my out-of-network deductible?

• How much of my deductible has been met this year?

• Do I need a referral from an in-network provider to see someone out-of-network?

• What percentage of outpatient psychotherapy sessions are covered per session?

• How much will I be reimbursed for a 45 minute psychotherapy session (CPT code: 90834)?

• How do I submit claim forms for reimbursement?

• How long does it take for me to receive reimbursement?

It’s usually not as complicated as it sounds. I use Thrizer to make this process smooth.

A lot of folks find that the quality of personalized care they receive makes up for the upfront costs.

I do reserve a limited number of sliding scale spots in my schedule. If you do not think you can afford my full fee, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

If I’m unable to offer you a sliding scale spot, I’d be happy to offer referrals to trusted clinicians in the area.

If you’re hoping to find an in-network provider, www.psychologytoday.com is a great resource.

I provide services in all 42 PSYPACT approved states. You must live in one of these states in order for us to work together.

Before scheduling a therapy session, I do a free 15 minute intro call with all potential new clients. This gives us the chance to get to know each other. Here’s what you can expect:

• I’ll ask you about why you’re seeking therapy

• I’ll tell you a bit about myself and my approach as a therapist

• You can ask me any questions that I didn’t cover

• We’ll talk about rates, insurance, availability, etc.

If we both decide we're a good fit after our intro call, we'll schedule our first therapy appointment. I'll send you a couple of quick forms to complete before our first session. I'll also send you a link for our video calls that you can use every week.

Individual sessions last about 50-minutes. A first session, or intake session, focuses primarily on what brings you to therapy, your goals, and relevant history. In subsequent sessions, we will make an individualized treatment plan to address your specific needs and goals. Sessions will vary person to person but tend to be focused on guided exploration, brief experiential exercises, and emotional processing. We will recap at the end of sessions and create a plan for the next.

I meet with the majority of my clients on a weekly basis. I ask that all new clients commit to meeting weekly, for at-least the first 6 weeks. This will allow us to start off on a strong foot, so you can start seeing progress right away.

I may recommend that we increase or decrease the frequency of sessions to best meet your needs.

The length of therapy depends on your individual needs and goals. Many of my clients find that they’ve met their goals in 6-12 months and no longer need therapy.

I also have clients who choose to remain in therapy for much longer; they have seen improvements and still really enjoy having ongoing support and a place to process their thoughts and feelings each week.