Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question you’d like to ask? I’m committed to giving patients the best care and experience I can. There’s no such thing as a bad question when it comes to mental health. Check out the answers to the FAQs below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any additional questions.
How do I know if therapy will be helpful for me/my teen?
This is a common question for those considering starting therapy. Often people feel they are "too broken" to be fixable. Well, let me ease your mind. If you are a living, breathing human person therapy will be beneficial. It's not magic or an overnight solution and it will take effort on your part. But if you meet with me regularly and are willing to start trying to make a change, you will see results.
Often for teens, regardless of the reason for the change in behavior (whether just normal adolescent behavior and moodiness or a more significant mental health issue), therapy can give them a safe, trusting place to openly express themselves and talk about what is bothering them. Which means it may reduce the irritability and agitation they may be directing at others, which can often be a very welcoming change at home. It also provides them a non-judgmental space to explore their own thoughts, beliefs, and values and help them figure out who they are and who they want to be as they get older and become more independent.
How long will I need to be in therapy?
This varies from person to person and will depend on various factors like duration and intensity of your symptoms, whether or not you have other sources of support outside of session, whether you have a history of trauma, and what your goals are with coming to therapy. Some people have very short-term, solution focused goals while others enjoy having the option of more long-term, consistent emotional support.
Personally, I operate from the perspective of ‘this is your therapy’ and you get to choose. Typically, if a you are in crisis or having severe difficulties, then I suggest meeting weekly until things become more stable. Once the crisis is past, we can move to bi-weekly or even monthly sessions. It depends on what you choose as well as what is in your best interest therapeutically and we will work together to determine what your needs are. But somewhere between 6 to 12 months is a good estimation to start from.
Do you accept insurance?
Yes, I am an in-network provider with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna. I bill the insurance company directly for services provided.
For other health plans, I am considered an out-of-network provider. If you are with an insurance company that I am out-of-network with, you will be responsible for the cost of session at the time of service and I will be happy to provide you with a "Superbill" to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
I am not able to take Medicaid plans at this time.
For more information on my fees and practice policies, please click here.
Do you offer online therapy?
Most of my clients have chosen to resume meeting in person but I do still offer the option of online telehealth sessions via secure video.
Virtual sessions offer the flexibility of meeting online without having the added worry about possibly being exposed to Covid-19 (or other seasonal illnesses) or needing to wear a mask to feel safe, especially during the cold and flu season. It also allows me to work with clients located anywhere in the state of Michigan, which is a great option for college students who may be away from home for the school year to still be able to continue services while they are at college.
If using insurance, most plans cover “telemedicine” as a part of your mental health/behavioral health benefits. For some plans, in person versus virtual appointments may change whether or not you are still responsible for your office copay amount.
Will I have homework to complete between sessions?
This is a very common question and clients often have differing feelings about. The short answer is probably, but it's really up to you whether you choose to complete it or not.
The long answer is that I will often offer suggestions of coping skills to try between sessions, topics that it may be beneficial to reflect on before our next appointment together, books related to our work in session that you may find helpful or interesting, or I may ask you to keep track of specific symptom intensity or frequency or other information between appointments to help me have a better idea of the best way to help you during our time together. I will never suggest you do something outside of session that I don't believe will benefit you in some way.
But, ultimately you have the choice as to whether you decide to follow through on those suggestions or recommendations or not. You won't "get in trouble" or be marked down in any way if you don't engage in recommendations outside of session, but you will like likely notice more improvement and quicker improvement if you do complete them (even if you just do "a little bit"). It's important to remember that the changes you're wanting to make won't just magically happen on their own by showing up in my office once a week; it takes some work from you too.
How does confidentiality work?
Basically, whatever you say in therapy, stays in therapy. However, there are times when a therapist is legally required to break confidentiality. This is called mandated reporting and is important to understand for families who have a minor receiving services.
Mandated reporting includes:
Harm to self or others. If a therapist believes that you are in imminent danger of hurting yourself or someone else, contact will be made with a family member, police or ambulance to ensure safety.
A child under the age of 18 being in current danger, experiencing abuse currently, or reports of past abuse that have not been previously disclosed to anyone or previously reported. Depending on the degree and type of danger involved, this may also require a report to Child Protective Services or calling the police.
My files are subpoenaed by the courts.
A client experiences a health emergency during a session. In this case, medical staff would be provided only with necessary information. No information about why a client is in therapy will be shared.
When working with teens confidentiality can be a tough thing for parents. Often you're worried about your child and want to know what is going on and if they are making progress while engaging in the services you are paying for. I will often encourage teens to discuss certain topics with their parents, or suggest inviting their parents into session occasionally to discuss issues that may be significant but ultimately leave this up to the teen to decide if this is the right move for them. You will always and immediately be informed of any safety concerns that arise in session. I will provide updates for you regarding "how things are going" in therapy and if I'm seeing progress, but keep in mind these updates will often be general in nature if I don't have permission from your child to share specifics. While this can sometimes be frustrating for parents because they believe they are "owed" more information about their child (and I can understand this line of thinking), please keep in mind it's one of the primary reasons I'm effective with helping teens. They trust that they can be honest with me and I won't share their information with others.
Some therapists (myself included) carry confidentiality into the community. I inform clients that if I see them in the community I will not say hello. I don’t want to put anyone is a situation where they have to explain how they know me if they aren't comfortable or prepared to do so. I am always open to speaking to clients outside of the office, but they get to make that decision and approach me.
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