Call or send an email with your name and the best way to reach you. If there is a preferred day/time to contact you, include that as well. I do my best to return messages within 48 hours. Please limit private details in these messages, as voicemail and email are considered confidential, but not necessarily HIPAA-compliant.

I will reach out to schedule a complimentary phone screening. This gives me a chance to ask some initial questions, and, of course, I welcome your questions as well! If we decide to move forward, we will schedule our first session and I will send you forms to be filled out electronically prior to our first session. I very much look forward to hearing from you!

My fee is $150 for a 50 minute individual session via telehealth, and $210 for a 50 minute “walk and talk” session. This may vary based on location/time of commute. However, I do leave room in my schedule to accept a few clients at a reduced rate. Reduced rate fees acknowledge that what is reasonable for one person may simply be unaffordable to another. I aim to make counseling accessible to as many people as possible. Consider what you think the benefits of therapy might be worth to you, and we’ll discuss this during your complimentary phone screening. Sure, discussions about money can be uncomfortable, but hey, if we might be working together, we should get used to less-than-comfortable conversations, right?

*Please note that prices are subject to change. Should a price increase be necessary, I will always give fair notice to allow you to budget and prepare for this.

I do not accept insurance. I do provide superbills to clients who have out-of-network benefits. You may send the superbill to your insurance carrier and see if they provide reimbursement. Many clients have had success in receiving partial to full reimbursement, depending on their plan. Contact your insurance company to see if they offer reimbursement for out-of-network providers.

Many factors go into the cost of mental health services. Pricing will vary depending on general living costs in the area, level of expertise, experience, and credentialing of the counselor, and operating costs of the practice. As a mental health counselor utilizing telehealth, I am able to keep costs below average. It is important to note that in order to practice with state licensure, a therapist must have advanced education degrees, pay various licensing fees, and engage in required continuing education courses. In addition, there are insurance premiums, business taxes, and of course, the fees necessary for a phone, website, software, and marketing.

Yes! I am seeing New Jersey clients for telehealth or walk and talk sessions (this depends on location, weather, etc) and Oregon-based clients via telehealth. Location within these two states doesn’t matter - all we need is a good wifi connection! You must be physically in these states when engaging in the session!

I am currently only meeting with clients over the age of 18. All counselors have areas of focus, and areas in which they have less experience and expertise. For this reason, clients with certain disorders or behaviors may be referred to a professional with more knowledge in that area. This is for the benefit of the client - my job is to benefit you and your needs.

You're not grieving a pet.  You're not a remote worker.  And you're not looking to "carve your own path", yet you like the sound of me and want to work with me. No worries! I have experience working with clients over age 18 struggling with a variety of issues. I've helped clients tackle social anxiety and awkwardness, and helped clients who are experiencing the devastation of a recent breakup.  I've helped clients navigate low motivation, and big career changes.  I've also helped clients who are re-thinking their use of alcohol and drugs.  Not in a lecture-y kind of way - just in a calm and matter-of-fact way. 

This is why I offer a free phone consultation - it gives us each a chance to ask some questions, and for me to make a more informed decision about whether or not I think I could help you!

Personally, I love in-person sessions too, which is why I’m providing opportunities for “walk and talk” sessions when applicable. However, telehealth services offer convenience (Less money you’re spending on gas! Less time you’re spending in traffic!) and affordability (because I’m not paying rent on an office space, I can keep costs below average). Clients are better able to keep appointments even when they’re feeling a little under the weather, since spreading germs to me is not an issue. It may also be more accessible to those without reliable transportation, or those with an anxiety disorder or chronic health issues.

No, that is beyond the legal scope of practice for a mental health counselor, unless they hold additional licensure in a field that does allow this (such as a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner). It is common for counselors to have some communication with a client’s prescribing doctor, when applicable. For example, if a client is being prescribed an antidepressant by a psychiatrist, I would ask this client to sign a release of information so that your psychiatrist and I can collaborate on your care. This is encouraged, but not always required, in order to begin treatment.

Exactly what it sounds like! We pick a location, we meet there, and we walk and talk! This is idea for the “restless” client, or the client who wants to multitask and get in some extra steps while tending to their mental health. Some people also feel that the side-by-side nature of walking can feel less intense and confrontational than looking at their therapist head-on. If you live in Ocean or Monmouth counties and/or are willing to travel to a location no more than 20 minutes away from me, and you think this might be a good idea to try, include that in your inquiry as well.

Many therapists accept insurance, and I fully understand why you would choose to work with a therapist who is in-network with your insurance.   I also know that every day, therapists are leaving insurance panels for their own reasons.  I've worked for practices that take insurance, and quickly realized that when I opened my own practice, I would not work with insurance.  Here's why:

• Lack of Privacy: Insurance companies can demand that I share private information with them, beyond just your diagnosis. Yes, this may include the notes I keep for each session.

• Late payments: Insurance companies get THEIR payments (the monthly premium you pay them) on time.  However, they may decide to pay ME whenever they feel like it.  Providers often wait 2-3 months for payments.

• Fighting for payments: Even the simplest of clerical errors can result in late payments, lost payments, etc.  This can mean spending hours of time on the phone to figure out why I never received a payment.

• Insurance dictates treatment: Despite what a client, or myself, feels will be helpful - ultimately insurance companies decide what is appropriate to cover.  Couples and family counseling is often not covered.  Sometimes a "lower level" diagnosis is not considered serious enough to cover, and payment will be refused.   Or an insurance company will only cover a higher level of care (such as inpatient) and a client cannot commit to such a program at that time, so their choice is: expensive and intensive care that may disrupt their life, or no care at all.  A client who wants an "emergency" session and is seen twice in one week may not be covered because the insurance company also dictates how frequently a client is seen.

• Rising costs: Premiums, deductibles, and copays continue to rise, yet the contracted rate stays the same, or even goes down.  Basically, the insurance companies continue to make more money while slashing the amount the therapist gets paid.

• Clawbacks: Imagine spending 30 hours on a work project, and then having your employer ask for 30 hours worth of your paycheck back because you weren't supposed to be assigned to that project in the first place.  In the therapy world, these are called "clawbacks".  Basically, an insurance company can demand a refund from the therapist, often as result of an error on the insurance company's end.  Perhaps they sent me 30 payments for 30 sessions I spent with a client, then realized that they were not supposed to pay me because the client's employer had switched insurance companies months ago.  The insurance company can then demand that money back from me, and I then have to inform my client that they owe me several thousand dollars. Imagine what that does to the therapist-client relationship.  Even worse, there seems to be no time limit on how far back these clawbacks can go.   It may take the insurance company 18 months to realize their error, and I might not even be treating that client anymore!