Why Online Therapy?
Telehealth offers several advantages for psychotherapy, including increased accessibility due to convenience, flexibility in scheduling, reduced travel time, potential for wider provider availability, and the ability to reach individuals who might otherwise not seek therapy due to geographic barriers or social stigma; all while often maintaining similar effectiveness to in-person therapy sessions.
For us Minnesotans...Storm Day...Who cares? no need to shovel the driveway and slip and slide your way to your appointment or deal with the stress of getting stuck halfway there. I've done it. It's not fun.
Do you take my insurance?
In-Network Insurances:
BlueCross and BlueShield of MN
HealthPartners of MN
Medica
Medicaid
UCare
Optum
UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH
Sanford Health and Cigna - Coming Soon!
***Out of Network for your insurance? I can provide a Superbill as needed.
Why are so many people switching to self-pay for Therapy?
Confidentiality: Self-paying provides a higher level of privacy. If insurance is used, the insurance company has access to the client's diagnosis, treatment plans, and progress notes. Some people might prefer to keep this information private.
Choice of Therapist: Increased flexibility and access to specialized care without the constraints of insurance.
Avoiding Diagnosis: In order for insurance companies to cover therapy costs, a mental health diagnosis that goes on your permanent medical record is often required. Some clients might not meet the criteria for a mental health diagnosis, or they might not want to have a diagnosis on their medical record.
Control over Treatment: When using insurance, treatment might need to follow certain protocols and timelines set by the insurance company. By self-paying, the client and therapist have more freedom to determine the course and length of treatment. Flexibility to include more holistic, spiritual, religious, etc. approaches.
Limited Coverage: Some insurance plans have limitations on the number of sessions covered or only partially cover the cost of therapy, making self-pay a more straightforward option for those who can afford it.
Ease and Simplicity: Dealing with insurance can sometimes be a complex process involving copays, deductibles, prior-approvals, and paperwork. Paying out-of-pocket can be much more simple and easy.
Potential savings with high-deductible plans
No Referral Required
Marriage/couples/partner counseling is not covered by insurance: This can be billed as "family psychotherapy" (with the patient present) where one person is the identified patient, and the session is conducted with the addition of another person to help the identified patient with their diagnosis.
Are you accepting new clients?
Yes, but you must be located in the State of Minnesota.
What hours are you available?
Generally Monday through Friday, 8am to 3pm
What age of clients do you see?
Age 16 and up
How long is a typical therapy session?
Sessions generally last approximately 53 minutes.
What happens in the first session?
Intake and Info Gathering: The session is more of an interview than a deep therapeutic treatment. We will review information you have provided. l may ask about your current struggles, medical/family history, and daily life (work, relationships, hobbies).
Goal Setting: We will talk about what you hope to achieve and create initial goals for future sessions.
Logistics and Privacy: We will discuss the limits of confidentiality, billing, and scheduling.
What to Expect: It is normal to feel nervous or hesitant, but the first session is designed to make you comfortable. You do not have to share every detail of your life immediately.
Not a Quick Fix: You should not expect to feel entirely better or have your problems solved in this initial meeting. But you should have a good idea of what our initial plan is.
Preparation: Prepare for the session by reflecting on your goals and writing down questions. Complete all requested paperwork beforehand so that our first session can be as productive as possible. This also avoids having to verbally share too much before we have time to get to know eachother. If you plan to use insurance, be sure to have this information entered into your client portal.