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Telehealth:
How it Works
How do I set up an appointment?
I require that all potential clients complete a free 15-minute consultation call with me prior to scheduling an appointment. This helps us get to know each other a little better and address your questions. You can reach me via phone at (248) 572-3321 or by email.
How does online therapy work?
All sessions are currently held online. Online Therapy (Telehealth) is a virtual therapy platform that brings therapy to you. Sessions are 100% confidential, and all information is stored on a secured HIPAA compliant platform. All Online Therapy sessions are conducted via the EHR system I utilize - Simple Practice. Use of Online Therapy requires an internet connection and a computer or phone with a camera and microphone. It is necessary to have a private space, free of noise and distractions.
Paying for Therapy:
Cost & Insurance
How much does counseling cost?
Consultation Call: FREE (15 minutes)
Intake Session: $150 per session (55 - 75 minutes)
Individual Counseling Sessions: $150 per hour
(50 - 55 minutes)
Sliding Fee Scale: Negotiated based on need
Can I use insurance? And how does insurance work?
Currently, I am able to accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans.
Please call your insurance company before making an appointment to verify that your mental health benefits are handled by BCBS (as some plans have mental health benefits that are covered by a third-party provider that we are not in-network with); to confirm your deductible, copay, and/or coinsurance for mental/behavioral healthcare; and to verify coverage specifically for virtual mental/behavioral health services. This is the best way to avoid unexpected expenses from denied insurance claims.
You can contact your insurance company by calling the phone number on the back of your insurance card.
Check out this video to learn more about how health insurance works.
What questions should I ask my insurance company?
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Does my deductible apply towards mental/behavioral healthcare services? If so, how much of my deductible has been met to date and how much is left to meet before my plan renews?
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Do I have a co-pay and/or co-insurance that applies to mental/behavioral healthcare services?
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Does my co-pay and/or co-insurance apply towards my out-of-pocket maximum? If so, once my out-of-pocket maximum has been met, does my co-pay still apply or will my services be 100% covered?
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Is Online Therapy (Telehealth) covered on my insurance plan?
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Does my benefit year match the calendar year, with new benefits starting each January, or does my plan use a different system?
What payment methods do you accept?
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BCBS Insurance
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Cash
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Credit/Debit Card
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HSA (Health Savings Account)
Therapy:
The Basics
How long does counseling take before it starts to “work”?
I wish there was an easy way to answer that! Therapy is anywhere from one session to many sessions, depending on what needs attention in your life. In most circumstances, you oversee how often and how long you’d like to use therapy to move forward. I will talk to you about this process and how you will know when you no longer need therapy, although many people continue to periodically do therapeutic tune-ups once they feel better about their initial reason for seeking help. Some people experience great benefit after a limited number of sessions, while others participate in therapy over longer periods of time. The length of therapy will be an ongoing discussion throughout the course of our time working together.
Do I have to receive a diagnosis?
If you are utilizing Insurance to pay for counseling, then yes, a diagnosis is required by the Insurance company in order to pay for mental/behavioral healthcare services.
If you are not utilizing Insurance to pay for counseling services, then I do not require a diagnosis to perform counseling services. You and I will have a discussion regarding whether a diagnosis is necessary, whether you meet criteria, and review the pros and cons of issuing a mental health diagnosis.
All diagnoses are provided utilizing the DSM-5.
How does the intake process work?
Potential clients can contact me via phone call or email to set up a free phone consultation. If we both feel we have the potential to be a good fit for one another in counseling, I will then send you a link to a private, secure client portal via my EHR where you can fill out all of the Intake paperwork necessary to then schedule an appointment. I will contact you once the paperwork has been filled out to schedule our Intake session.
What are the risks of therapy?
Generally, there's little risk in attending counseling. Because it can explore painful feelings and experiences, you may feel emotionally uncomfortable at times. Additionally, things may feel as though they are getting worse initially. However, any risks can be minimized by working with a skilled therapist who can match the type and intensity of therapy with your needs.
The coping skills and new insights that you learn can help you manage and conquer negative feelings and fears. Therapy is often challenging work. You may learn to pay attention to your thoughts, your feelings, and your relationships; to honestly acknowledge them (including feelings you may wish you never had); to work with unwanted aspects of yourself, to learn to feel painful things and to face painful realities; to talk candidly and respectfully with people you’d rather avoid; to radically accept difficult but inevitable situations; to confront frightening but important realities. The therapist may guide and support you during this process, but ultimately the work is done by you.
Some clients develop strong feelings about their therapists. This is especially true in longer therapies. Such feelings are normal, even if sometimes uncomfortable or confusing. Any feelings are possible, and the rule for them all is to talk them over with the therapist. They are experienced with this and will help you understand how this is part of your progress.
Therapy can complicate your life. Therapy is often about making changes or about looking at yourself differently. Therapy can change how you live, and it can change how you feel about your relationships. Some research suggests that when one spouse or partner meets alone with a therapist to discuss problems involving the other partner(s), there is a chance that this could increase tension for a couple/relationship unit. For this reason, many marital or relationship problems are best addressed with all individuals coming to therapy together.
Unfortunately, I am only accepting clients for individual therapy at this time, but if you are interested in relational therapy, I can refer you to another trusted provider.
Insurance companies have the right to ask about your counseling to determine if treatment is necessary and appropriate. Your therapist will be required to provide a diagnosis and may need to submit a report outlining what you are working on and how long it is likely to take to achieve your goals. If there is anything you wish to discuss in therapy that you do not want shared with anyone, including your insurance company, please discuss this with your therapist.
Insurance also requires that we provide a diagnosis, using the nationally approved DSM-5 or ICD 10 criteria. Your diagnosis, like all of your medical information, is protected by privacy and confidentiality rules and practices. However, some clients fear being labeled or “stigmatized” by their diagnosis, or fear that it could limit their career options or insurance rates. If you have any such fears, please speak about them to your therapist.
Finally, not all therapy is effective. If you have been in therapy for several weeks or months, and it does not feel like you are making progress, you should speak to your therapist. It may be that you would do better with a different approach to therapy, or even with a different therapist. As therapists, we know that we cannot be everything to everybody, and we are comfortable helping you make a change if needed.
How long do sessions last?
Sessions typically last 50-55 minutes, unless another set time has been agreed upon between myself and the client prior to the scheduled session.
What happens when counseling comes to an end?
Termination is a collaboration between the clinician and the client, as well as a natural part of the therapeutic process. Many, if not most, clients have experienced traumatic or adverse life experiences. Thus, the termination process can be particularly triggering and take on an even more significant meaning for these populations. When the time comes to end the therapeutic relationship, it is natural for there to be feelings of grief and loss and even an adjustment period.
Counseling can end for a variety of reasons. The most desired reason for ending treatment is that the client has achieved the agreed upon goals of treatment. But, counseling may end for a variety of reasons, both client and clinician initiated.
To meet our ethical obligations to clients, clinicians may need to end a client’s treatment if the client is not benefitting from treatment, if an inappropriate multiple relationship develops or is discovered, or if the clinician no longer possesses the competence necessary to meet the client’s treatment needs (APA, 2010).
Termination may take place over the course of 1-2 sessions, depending upon each individual’s unique needs and reactions to the end of the counseling relationship. The client will be invited to reflect upon changes they have made, progress that has been observed by the clinician, and determine what the plan is, if there’s a need for counseling in the future.
Therapy: Specializations
Who provides counseling services?
There are a variety of different licensures and credentials that therapists can have — each signifying a different specialty. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different kinds of credentials you might encounter when you're finding a therapist:
Psychologist: A psychologist is a mental health professional that has a doctorate in either Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology. Many psychologists have completed Master’s degrees prior to their doctorate. A psychologist with a “PsyD” is a “Doctor of Psychology” and generally learned counseling skills as well as psychological testing and assessment. A psychologist with a “PhD” is a “Doctor of Philosophy” and, in addition to learning counseling skills and psychological testing, generally has a background in psychological research.
A Licensed Psychologist will have an “LP” as a credential. To become a licensed psychologist you must, after successfully completing a doctoral program in counseling or psychology, practice for at least one year under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, pass a national exam, and be approved by a state licensing board.
Psychologists are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. They have the most training and education of all the different kinds of therapists. Psychologists are different from psychotherapists or counselors in that they are trained in psychological testing and assessment, program development, and supervision of other therapists in addition to being able to provide effective therapy.
A psychologist is the person to see if you’re not sure whether you meet the criteria for mental health diagnoses. They can give you a battery of tests, including intelligence tests, personality tests, and tests of emotional functionality. These assessments can help you get clarity into the true nature of “the problem” much more quickly and effectively than is possible with standard therapy. However, most psychologists do also provide therapist services and generally have backgrounds in evidence-based methods of helping people.
Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD) that specializes in the medical treatment of psychological disorders. This is the person you’d see to get a prescription for medication to treat things like ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, or Bipolar Disorder.
Most psychiatrists do not provide behavioral healthcare (counseling/psychotherapy).
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): A licensed marriage and family therapist is a Doctoral or Master’s level therapist who has extensive education, training and experience specifically in couples and family therapy, as well as individual therapy. In contrast to all other types of therapists, Marriage and Family Therapists are trained to understand people both as individuals and as part of a larger system.
This systemic perspective is unique to couples and family therapists and helps them to view a person’s challenges as a reaction to their environment and their relationships — as well as internal factors. In this way, Marriage and Family Therapists are able to help people heal their relationships or multi-partnerships, resolve patterns that may stem from experiences in the family of origin, improve communication, and achieve healthy boundaries/expectations with friends, family members, and coworkers.
A licensed marriage and family therapist will have an “LMFT” after their name. This means that, in addition to completing a master's degree or doctorate that emphasized coursework specific to marriage and family therapy, the clinician has clocked at least 1500 hours with clients under the supervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist, and had 50-100 hours of one-on-one supervision sessions, passed a national exam in marriage and family therapy, and has been approved by the state licensing board.
Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) or Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICADC): A licensed addictions counselor or internationally certified alcohol and drug counselor is a Doctoral or Master’s level therapist who has highly specialized education and experience in helping people overcome addictions. To become a LAC a therapist must first pass through all the levels of “Certified Addictions Counselor” (CAC I, CAC II, and CAC III). LAC's are also often licensed as professional counselors or psychologists.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): A licensed professional counselor (LPC) is a mental health professional, who has completed a Master’s Degree in Counseling or Counseling Psychology. They are commonly called “counselors,” “therapists,” or “psychotherapists.” They may or may not have had much formal education in the diagnosis or treatment of mental health disorders. Therapists are often called upon to be a supportive person for personal growth and provide a safe place to work through difficult life experiences.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LMSW): A licensed clinical social worker has completed a Master’s Degree in social work. This kind of degree offers some training around basic counseling skills, but primarily focuses on how to help people get connected with resources. For example, social workers often work in schools, hospitals, or nursing homes, and facilitate students, patients, seniors, etc., in connecting with various government or social programs (Medicaid, Medicare, HUD, Boys and Girls Club, etc.) that can help support their health and wellness.
Do I need to have a therapist with a specialty? What do you specialize in, and what does that mean for me?
While it is not required that you select a therapist with a specialty, it can be immensely helpful to you as you work on your goals for counseling to have a therapist who is informed, educated, and has received training regarding the challenges you are bringing to the space. This can help reduce the amount of time you spend in counseling overall and ensure you are receiving care that is effectively suited to your needs.
Click here to learn more about what I specialize in. For you, this means I will be bringing an informed, allied, affirming, and anti-oppressive perspective to the therapeutic space we share. It also means that I am not likely to be effective in assisting you with any challenges you may face that are not listed in my Areas of Specialty and Areas I Can Offer Help With sections
Where are you located, and what is the space like?
Currently, all counseling sessions are held virtually. I do not have an office space at this time.
However, I am licensed in Michigan and serving clients who live in Michigan.
What if I don’t feel like we're a good fit?
Research has shown that the number one factor in effective therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client. So, I take this very seriously and try to provide the safety that a therapeutic relationship needs. However, if for some reason, you are not comfortable in the therapy setting, I will either seek to adjust or help you find a therapist to better fit your needs.
Only you decide what is safe and comfortable for you, and I value that greatly. This really is all about YOU. It is important that we work together to find the healing space that is going to work best for you, even if that means it is not with me. I maintain a wide network of referrals, so I have options available for clients who need to seek counseling services outside of my care.
It sounds like your specialty is the right one for me! How do we get started?
I honor your choice to allow me to join you on your healing journey, no matter where you are along that path. I thank you for choosing this for yourself, as therapy is truly a gift you give to your SELF. Let the exploration begin and see where the journey takes us!
Click the button below to schedule your free consultation today!