Forms/Pay

Forms 

To get to know you better, there is some paperwork I'd like you to fill out before your first session.  You may download the forms from this website by clicking on the links.

—Read and save the "Welcome document"

—Print and bring the "Information Requested" and the "History Questionnaire" documents to our first meeting. 

In order to read and print these documents you'll need a pdf reader.  I recommend Foxit Reader for its small size and fast loading, but Adobe Reader works as well.  If you own a Mac, the document will open in Preview.

Payment

I accept all credit cards in my office or through Paypal online, as well as checks and cash.  Please click on the link below to go directly to the Paypal site.

 

Insurance


I am not on any insurance panels (official lists of therapists the insurance companies will pay directly for service).  Having insurance companies pay for mental health services is a controversial topic: a) people want to use coverage if they have it, but b) therapeutically it doesn't make a lot of sense in terms of confidentiality and longterm care.

There are several reasons I don’t like to bill insurance companies for therapy. First, in order to have your insurance pay for your therapy, I have to give you a mental disorder diagnosis.  I don't like giving people a mental disorder diagnosis because a) I'd have to do it after one or two sessions before I even know you and b) I have to decide on which box your "disorder" fits in and put a code to it; people are unique--boxes often don't fit.

Then, depending on the insurance company, I may have to write a report every five to ten sessions to show that you’re still sick with that mental disorder. For them to continue paying for therapy, my report needs to show that you’re still sick and getting better, but that you aren’t cured yet. I really don’t want to write a report like that – sharing the details of your mental disorder. (I keep emphasizing mental disorder because that's how insurance companies see you - as a disorder not as a person.)

Then someone from the insurance company who doesn’t know either of us is going to read that report and assess how well our work is going and decide if they will continue to pay for the therapy. It’s as if they are sitting in the room judging us and how we are doing. How well the therapy is progressing should be something that you and I decide - not someone who doesn’t know either of us.

I don’t know if this is true or not, but I have heard that up to 14 people at the insurance company could potentially read that report before they’d agree to pay for continuing therapy. Again - I am not sure if that’s true, but I just don’t feel comfortable with that possibility. Also, if you’re self-employed or ever might be, a mental disorder diagnosis on your record can make getting health care insurance very expensive. That’s why I don’t take insurance.

If you do decide you'd like to use your insurance some insurance companies (please check with them beforehand) will reimburse expenses paid to "out-of-network" providers--which is what I am.  I can provide you with an "official" insurance form called a HCFA which will include a diagnostic code, length and dates of visits, and amounts paid.  My clients have had good responses from most insurance companies.