Fees & Insurance

We can't know that we are a good fit until we've met. I offer a free 20-minute video consultation to help us determine whether working together would be helpful to you. During the consultation we'll be able to start asking the kinds of questions that can help us see if we're a match:

• Do our financial requirements and availability line up?

• What are the specific problems you'd like to address with therapy?

• Does my experience and ways of working match what you're looking for?

• What do your instincts say about working with me?

If either of us feels like it's not a good match at the end of the consultation, there is never an obligation to continue.

If you'd like to schedule a consultation, you can email or call at 215-253-7592.

While many people experience some relief within the first few sessions, most can expect to work at least several months or longer before meaningful changes can establish themselves for the long-term. Many of the people I work with contend with problems rooted in a history of difficult life experiences and ongoing present-day stressors. The depth and complexity of these kinds of interconnected issues simply need more time to be seen and understood deeply enough to spark long-term change. 

I meet with most people once per week. However, it is not uncommon for people to find value in meeting more often in service of deeper exploration and the transformation of old, entrenched, and often subtle, yet powerful patterns of thought, feeling, and acting.

While everyone and their therapy experience is different, here is what you might expect on the first few sessions:

First Session

I might ask about your history to get to know you a little better, but often the conversation will naturally turn towards something that feels more salient. For people that are coming in for relationship/couples therapy, we'll work together to establish some ground rules and I'll ask each of you to give me your sense of what is going on in the relationship and what each of your hopes for therapy. At the end of this first session, we will talk about whether it felt productive and whether or not you'd like to continue.

Subsequent Sessions

I will invite you to say what's on your mind and encourage you to speak as freely and honestly as you can. Anything you are comfortable (enough) with discussing is "on the table" for examination - immediate things that are happening in your life, emotionally-charged material, the boring and mundane, your sexual life, your history, politics, work, fantasies, and even dreams. 

For people coming in for relationship/couples therapy, our conversations will more deeply explore each person's point of view and link those things to each of your histories so that all of us can gain a better appreciation for the factors that influence each person's personality, preferences, expectations, actions, and reactions.

Sometimes, I'll invite you to wonder with me about the process of our work itself - for example, why one set of topics might feel salient while others feel dead, about the timing of a comment, some theme that seems to be popping up again and again, what body language is saying, what is not being talked about, or your thoughts and feelings about me and various aspects of our work together. Looking in the direction of such clues can open up important parts of your mind and experience that were previously off the radar.

Ending

While in some ways less structured than many other things in our lives, almost all of the people I have worked with have found this process to be rewarding and productive. That said, we will meet less frequently and eventually stop when one of us feels that therapy (at least with me) is no longer likely to benefit you further. Other circumstances, such as financial constraints, physical distance, conflicts of interest, or changing clinical needs can also lead to an end of a therapy relationship, but people generally find that even endings can be generative in their own way.

For people in relationship/couples therapy, any number of factors can bring our work to an end. Both people might feel a new sense of freedom, intimacy, and trust that makes therapy feel less necessary. In other cases, it might feel to one or both people that enough formerly hidden "pieces" are on the table to make a decision about changing the nature of a relationship. Or, after some time, one of us might come to feel that it no longer seems likely that our work will result in something productive and that you might benefit from working with someone else. In any of these cases, something generative can arise from talking about the end of therapy and moving on.

If you decide to pay entirely out-of-pocket for your sessions and forego reimbursement from insurance, you have a right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of non-emergency items and services over the period of one year. If you receive an invoice that is at least $400 greater than is outlined in your Good Faith Estimate, you are permitted to dispute the invoice. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

The following is my best "Good Faith Estimate" for the "typical" cost of services for a calendar year. On average, I meet with people roughly 40 times over a 365-day period. At the standard rate of $250 per session, a 12-month period of treatment can be expected to cost $10,000. This amount will increase or decrease depending on the fee and frequency that we collaboratively set and you are welcome to request a new Good Faith Estimate at any time.

The only insurances I am accepting are Aetna and Medicare of Pennsylvania.

For all other insurance companies, I am an "out-of-network" psychologist. Depending on your insurance, you might be able to receive reimbursement for services. Because insurance plans and benefits vary so greatly, I would recommend that you call the number on the back of your insurance card to verify your benefits and eligibility. The following questions might be helpful to you:

1. Do I have out-of-network benefits for mental health providers?

2. Do my out-of-network benefits cover telepsychology with a licensed clinical psychologist?

3. What amount/percentage will I be reimbursed for services (in-person and telehealth) with a licensed psychologist in Philadelphia (Zipcode 19103)? If they ask for Clinical Procedure Terminology (CPT) service codes, you can give them 90837 for Individual Psychotherapy sessions. If they ask for an NPI#, you can give them 1124744701.

4. What is the annual deductible I need to meet before I can access out-of-network mental health benefits? What is the remaining balance on my deductible? When does it reset?

5. Is there a limit on the number of sessions my plan will cover per year out-of-network?

6. Does my plan require pre-authorization for out-of-network mental health services, including individual psychotherapy? If so, what information and forms do I need?

7. What paperwork/form is required to submit claims for out-of-network reimbursement?

8. Where can I find the claim form? Where do I file claims and can I submit them online?

9. How long should I expect to wait for my claim to be paid?

If your plan offers out-of-network benefits, you would pay me for your sessions out-of-pocket. Then, when you are ready to file a claim for reimbursement with your insurance company, I would provide you with a "superbill" containing all the necessary information. You would submit that superbill and, if your benefits allow for it, the insurance company will send you a reimbursement check for the covered amount.

Many people find this process at least somewhat confusing and I am happy to do what I can to clarify the process for you via email or during the free consultation.

Both. I generally have more availability for virtual therapy, but am happy to work with people in-person. 

So long as you and no one in your household has exhibited any recent symptoms of COVID-19, I see people who are fully vaccinated in my Philadelphia office at: 

255 S 17th Street, Suite 2902, Philadelphia PA 19103

I am a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania (License # PS019669). I am also authorized by PsyPACT (APIT Mobility #12533) to practice telepsychology in 39 states, including:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Because more states join PsyPACT over time, please visit https://psypact.org/mpage/psypactmap for the most up-to-date list of participating states.

I ask for 24 hours notice for cancellations to avoid being charged the full session fee. The fee is waived if you are able to reschedule your session for later in the same week.