Common Questions
Do you accept insurance?
I accept many insurance plans as an in-network provider, including:
- Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield (and its variations)
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Compsych
- Health Advocate
- UnitedHealthcare
- Optum
- Coventry
- Medicaid – Colorado Access
- As of October 2018, Medicaid behavioral health coverage is determined based on the location of your primary care physician. I am in-network for participants whose PCPs are located in Denver, Adams, and Arapahoe counties.
Due to the complex nature of health insurance, I may or may not be in-network with your plan, even though I participate with your carrier. Your benefits will be verified before your first appointment.
If I am not in-network with your plan, I may be able to submit required documentation for reimbursement on your behalf, at no cost to you. I will make it as easy as possible to submit claims to almost any insurance.
Cost
If you choose not to use insurance, the fee for a 45 to 50-minute session is $155 and is payable by credit or debit card, check, or cash. A cash discount may be available.*
If you’d like to use your insurance, your responsibility will vary depending on your plan. In most circumstances, I can help determine your out-of-pocket cost prior to meeting.
*Copays and coinsurance payments are not eligible for cash discount.
A Good Faith Estimate (GFE) is available upon request for cash-pay clients, as required by Federal and the Colorado No Surprises Act. Due to the nature of psychotherapy, it is not possible to know how many sessions will be required before you reach your intended result from counseling. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to estimate the total expected cost. I am happy to provide full disclosure of the fees for every type and duration of service I provide, prior to your appointment. For clients using insurance, you will be provided an estimate of your responsibility; however, the ultimate determination is dependent on how your insurance processes your claim, and your out of pocket cost may be more than anticipated. I am happy to advise you what the worst-case-scenario cost would if your insurance chooses not to cover your claim.
Navigating insurance and costs of therapy can feel daunting. If you’re not sure if therapy is in your reach financially, please reach out to me. If I can’t help you, I will do my best to find you resources so that you can find affordable therapy. I believe therapy should be accessible to everyone.
How long can I expect to be in therapy?
A national research study found that 50 percent of psychotherapy clients had made improvement within eight sessions of therapy, and 75 percent showed improvement after six months of therapy. Of course, showing improvement is not the same as successfully completing treatment. Most therapists will tell you that the length of treatment depends upon the nature of the problem, the severity of the problem, and the treatment goals selected.
Do you work with couples or families?
Although you may occasionally bring others to support your therapy, I do not provide family or couples counseling. If you are looking to work with a couples or family therapist, I recommend visiting a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I am happy to refer you to qualified mental health professionals who are specially trained in this form of therapy.
Can I bring my dog to therapy with me?
Many of my clients bring their pet dogs to therapy, and you are welcome to as well. Due to building policy, other animals are not permitted unless they are trained service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sorry, kitties! (I might make an exception for goldfish, though.)
What is Depth Psychotherapy?
Depth psychotherapy, or depth psychology, refers to counseling approaches that honor the autonomy and significance of the unconscious. Although he didn’t coin the term, Sigmund Freud adopted it to provide a basic map of how the mind works. The word “depth” refers to that which is below the surface, or the unconscious. Today it is used to describe any type of counseling that deals with making unconscious material conscious. Major pioneers in the field of depth psychology include Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Pierre Janet, William James, Joseph Campbell, and James Hillman (author of the New York Times bestseller The Soul’s Code).
What can I expect the first time I come in?
When you arrive at my office, you’ll find a cozy waiting room with comfortable chairs. You may want to come in a few minutes before your appointment to brew yourself a cup of tea and relax. In our first meeting, I’ll ask you to tell me about yourself, your background, and what brings you to therapy, and we will also do a brief review of your history. You will be encouraged to ask questions and discuss your goals. It’s pretty normal to be nervous about therapy, especially if you haven’t been before. My job is to help you feel at ease.
I noticed you specialize in working with LGBT individuals. What if I am not LGBT?
I work with clients of all relational orientations. About 60% of my practice is LGBT, consisting of around 85-90% clients who identify as gay men, 5-10% lesbian, and perhaps 5% trans or queer. I also see heterosexual clients, which is typically between 40-50% of my practice in any given month. I do not discriminate based on relational orientation.
What if I want to work on something other than depression, anxiety, grief, or LGBT issues?
Even though I have special training in these areas, I work with many other issues. If I am not equipped to help you with your particular concern, I will help you find a therapist who is.
Will you think I’m crazy if I’m a Republican, Democrat, Christian, Mormon, Buddhist, atheist, cannabis enthusiast, or a big fan of Crocs shoes (etc.)?
Well, I might question your judgment about Crocs… Just kidding! Of course not! It’s pretty normal to feel worried about talking to a therapist when you might not know their personal beliefs. Counselors are trained to set their own bias aside and help you rely on resources that you find helpful. I promise to honor your religious beliefs (or lack thereof) and personal values. I am a firm believer that clients have the right to direct their own therapy, and believe that therapists setting an agenda based on their own political or religious leanings is unethical and often harmful.
What’s your therapeutic philosophy? How will we work together?
Carl Jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” Discovering unnoticed patterns of behavior and their causes can help you make new choices with greater intention and ease. Sigmund Freud believed that dreams were the “royal road to the unconscious” and that they provided the most direct insight of the inner workings of the psyche. Carl Jung also encouraged looking closely at dreams to help his patients understand unconscious drives. A depth therapist can help you find other ways of revealing unconscious material by helping you explore images, metaphors, and associations that may arise during counseling.
If all of this talk is clear as mud, don’t worry. It’s best experienced rather than explained.
What is an LPC?
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Denver. In Colorado, a Licensed Professional Counselor must have at least a Master’s degree in a related field and two years of post-degree supervision. This also applies to LCSWs (Licensed Clinical Social Workers), and LMFTs (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists).
I have seen some therapists advertise as a “Registered Psychotherapist”. Is that a special type of license?
Formerly referred to as a Non-Licensed Counselor (and still referred to as an NLC), a Registered Psychotherapist is not a license type, but rather a permit or registration. Colorado has an unusual provision in its Mental Health Practice Act that allows anyone to practice psychotherapy after passing a short online test about mental health rules and state law. Registered Psychotherapists are not required to demonstrate counseling or mental health competence. Although many Registered Psychotherapists do have advanced degrees, anyone may receive this permit without a high school or a college degree.
It’s important to remember that many Registered Psychotherapists are indeed qualified and skilled, and may have valid reasons for pursuing this permit rather than a license. Any mental health practitioner is required to provide to you, in writing, a disclosure statement that includes their qualifications and a description of each level of licensing in Colorado. Always ask for this information to make sure you’re receiving good care.
Should I try life coaching instead of psychotherapy?
Having completed the coursework for a Ph.D. in Depth Psychology and as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I’m probably biased toward psychotherapy; however, coaching and counseling aren’t necessarily competing fields. It is worth knowing that life coaching is unregulated and therefore the term can be nebulous and used by anyone. In an over-simplified way, life coaches could be understood to be more like business consultants, and counselors are more like clinicians or medical professionals. Counseling and psychotherapy are research-based and use evidence-based practices, whereas life coaching generally does not rely on formal research, although it can still be beneficial. If you’re not sure whether therapy or life coaching would be best for you, I’m happy to provide recommendations after learning more about you. What is most important to me is that you find the right person with the right approach.
