Starting Counseling

Scheduling a First Appointment:
For many people scheduling a first counseling appointment can be intimidating. To help ease the process, your first step will be to contact me. You can use the contact function through this website, e-mail, or call me. In your message, let me know a little bit about what brings you to counseling right now, so that I can tell you more about whether my practice is a good fit for your specific issues and concerns.

Verifying your Insurance Benefits:
Prior to your first appointment, you will want to contact your insurance provider and confirm your insurance benefits (if applicable). The easiest way to do this is to use your insurance company's website or call the member services number on the back of your insurance card.
Some questions to ask your insurance company include:
(a) whether I am a covered (in-network) provider under your plan
(b) if you have a deductible for outpatient mental health services
(c) what your co-insurance or co-payment amounts will be for outpatient mental health services
(d) if there are any other limits for outpatient mental health services (e.g., session limitations, need for prior-authorization, or referral).

First Appointment (Intake):

Prior to your first therapy appointment, you will complete new client paperwork.
Please bring with you to your first appointment your insurance card (if using insurance) and a photo ID.

In your first session we will discuss what concerns brought you to therapy, your goals, current symptoms, and important personal history. I believe this session is an important time for us to get to know each other, and for me to begin to understand how your current life is shaped by your history and your current situation. In this session, I am listening for important information that will help us plan your treatment.

At the end of the first session, we will decide together on a plan and goals for treatment, which we will check-in about periodically throughout our work together.

I look forward to working with you.