FAQs

• NSA Notice

Payment by check, cash, or credit card is expected at time of service. If you prefer, I can keep a credit card on file and charge you monthly.

I am not contracted with any insurance companies; however, many health insurance policies will provide some coverage for “out of network” mental health treatment. This usually occurs as reimbursement for fees you have already paid for clinical services. I will provide you with any information and receipts you may need to receive these benefits. Because not all clinical services are covered by every insurance provider, it is important that you find out exactly what mental health services your insurance policy covers at the outset of therapy. I recommend you contact your insurance company prior to the onset of treatment so that you are aware of what services will be reimbursed.

When contacting your insurance company, consider asking the following:

• What are my mental health benefits?
• How much of the cost is covered for an out-of-network provider?
• What is my deductible and has it been met?
• What is the coverage amount per session and is there a limit per session?
• How many psychotherapy sessions per calendar year are covered by my plan?
• Is there a limit on frequency of sessions covered per day or per week (i.e. if more than 1 session is scheduled during a week)?
• Is a referral required from a primary care provider?
• Do I need pre-authorization and if so, how do I obtain it?

If you wish to change a scheduled appointment, it is important that you provide at least 48 hours notice, in order to avoid being billed for the session. Exceptions to this are physical illness or any unanticipated circumstance that could reasonably be called an “emergency”. Unless a session is cancelled 48 hours in advance, you will be charged for the missed appointment. It is important to note that most insurance carriers do not reimburse for missed sessions.

According to the American Psychological Association (2006), evidence-based practice is defined as the “integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences”.¹ Evidence-based practices have scientific support for their effectiveness. As a clinician offering evidence-based practices, I will use my clinical expertise to provide a well-supported intervention that is well matched to a client´s specific needs.

FBT, sometimes referred to as Maudsley, is an outpatient treatment that involves the whole family in helping an individual recover from an eating disorder. Parents and siblings play an active role in helping their loved one restore their weight, establish healthy eating behaviors, and return to healthy, age appropriate behaviors. Research supports FBT as an effective treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, especially for individuals under age 18 who have been ill for less than 3 years.² Given the chronic nature of eating disorders these findings are very encouraging and show that recovery is possible. Please call me to learn more about FBT or visit www.maudsleyparents.org.

¹APA Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice. (2006). Evidence based practice in psychology. American Psychologist, 61, 271-285.

²Eisler, I., Dare, C., Russell, G., Szmukler, G., Le Grange, D., & Dodge, E. (1997). A five-year follow-up of a controlled trial of family therapy in severe eating disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry, 54, 1025-1030

SPACE stands for Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions. It is a PARENT based treatment program designed to address childhood and adolescent anxiety/OCD. For more information about SPACE go to www.spacetreatment.net.