THERAPY
Dr. A provides individual and couples therapy, EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), and hypnotherapy for adults. She helps individuals facing a variety of issues including trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, relationship issues, addiction, and family challenges. She does not provide court-ordered treatment, substance abuse therapy, family therapy, or therapy to children.
Dr. A's approach in therapy is influenced by her diverse training and experiences in clinical psychology. She believes individuals have everything within themselves to reach their goals; however, sometimes they feel stuck, much like writer's block. Empathy and a non-judgmental approach in therapy can help people become unstuck thereby allowing them to activate their potential and fulfill their dreams and goals. Dr. A offers empathic listening without judgment and applies metaphors and analogies to help her clients perceive their difficulties in an objective manner and make wise and productive decisions for themselves. Although she attends to and understands her clients from psychodynamic and systemic points of view, her approach to intervention is active, pragmatic, and rooted in empirically-validated techniques of mindfulness-based practices, motivational interviewing, and cognitive therapy.
Therapy sessions typically run 50 or 55 minutes in length, although more time may be required for other services, such as the Initial Intake, family therapy, hypnotherapy, and EMDR. Therapy can help equip people to effectively manage their symptoms and problems. There are many different treatment approaches to addressing specific personal concerns.
Regardless of approach, therapy can raise feelings of discomfort, such as sadness, guilt, or anger, when clients actively engage to work through difficult matters in life. Having the expectation that we should feel good all the time, or that therapy should make things better right away, may be a setup for greater discomfort or suffering. Ultimately, therapy helps many people feel better, but not without first acknowledging (even embracing) the painful experiences that have brought them to see a therapist. Over time therapy can help develop solutions to specific problems, ease discomfort, and improve overall coping strategies and emotional functioning.
Sometimes individuals are not sure of what they need. It is perfectly fine to review ideas and concerns with Dr. A during the Initial Consultation to determine the best course of action. You may initiate contact for services here. If Dr. A cannot provide services specific to your needs, she can offer to refer you to a colleague in the community who might be able to help.
Intake Session
The Initial Intake session is 75 to 90 minutes in length and entails an initial therapeutic assessment. In this first appointment, Dr. A meets with you to review important information about you to discuss your unique goals for therapy and design a bespoke plan to help you achieve your goals.
Therapy Session
Following the Initial Intake session, therapy sessions are scheduled for 50 or 55 minutes in length, although more time may be required for other therapeutic services such as family therapy, hypnotherapy, and EMDR. Each session also includes quantitative or qualitative outcome rating & session rating scales to track client progress and functioning and to review the therapeutic alliance respectively.
Next Steps...
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PAYMENT
Payments are due at time of service. Card and cash are accepted methods of payment.
Dr. A accepts out of pocket pay (considers sliding scales) and insurances including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Optum, United Health Care, Oscar, and Oxford.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please notify Dr. A of cancellations of scheduled therapy appointments at least 48 hours in advance.
If you miss a session (particularly therapy session) without canceling, or cancel with less than 48-hour notice, you will be required to pay $125 out of pocket (you insurance will not be charged) for the session (exceptions are made when you experience circumstances beyond your control and is not a repeated occurrence).
Documents/Records/Letters Fee
If you require any letter, form, or mental health record from me, for professional or legal purposes, you will be charged a fee of $150 for each correspondence. You will be solely responsible, and not your insurance, for paying this fee prior to receiving the documents.