My history and heart are with working class folks. For the past 30+ years, I have worked to make counseling affordable for anyone. After decades of asking for only low fees or insurance-level fees (which are always discounted), I am finding the profession can no longer meet my own financial needs.

However, instead of closing my practice or taking a second job, I am pivoting by discontinuing the use of a sliding scale approach.

  • Current self-pay clients will remain at their fee levels.
  • New clients will be offered alternative ways to make counseling both affordable for them and sustainable as a career for me.
  • By the end of 2025, I will no longer be in-network with insurance companies.

However… Did you know: You are NOT required to use your health insurance for therapy services.

Some reasons for not using health insurance:

  • Greater chances for more confidentiality of your information.
    Health insurance plans have the right to audit your records.
  • Your therapist is required to give you a mental health diagnosis.
    Health insurance will not cover any counseling services without a mental health diagnosis on record.
  • Insurance companies dictate IF and how much therapists are paid — Therapists are never paid their full fee by insurers.
    Not using your health insurance is a way to keep insurance companies from dictating the way therapy is delivered to you.
  • Your insurance company has the right to decide that they think you do not need therapy, and will therefore decline to cover your sessions.

For more information,
check out Pros & Cons of Using Insurance to Pay for Therapy
and
ProPublica’s investigation piece published Aug 25, 2024, called simply “Why I Left the Network“

For now, I am IN-NETWORK with the following insurance companies:

  • Aetna
  • Ambetter
  • Optum / United Health & relateds

If you wish to use your health insurance benefits, send me your insurance information for verification before we schedule your initial session.

  • Per Insurance Regulations: If, in our first full session, it is determined that you do not have a mental health diagnosis, you will not be able to use your insurance benefits for any subsequent sessions.
Do you have a different insurance company and have Out-of-Network Benefits?

I can provide you with “superbills,” the special invoices that enable you to apply for your out-of-network benefits. Here’s how that works:

  1. Client pays therapist their regular fees, out-of-pocket.
  2. Therapist gives Client a Superbill (a statement of what you’ve paid).
  3. Client sends Superbill to their Insurer.
  4. Insurer decides whether or not to reimburse Client for all or part of their paid therapy expense.