Getting Started

Reaching out is usually the hardest part. Here is exactly what happens next, so there are no surprises.

Start with a free 15-minute consultation

Before you commit to anything, we talk. Fifteen minutes, no charge, no obligation. You can tell me what has been going on, ask whatever you want about how I work, and get a sense of whether we are a good fit.

Fit matters more than credentials. The quality of the working relationship is one of the most reliable predictors of whether therapy helps, which is why it is worth testing before either of us commits. If I am not the right person for you, I will say so and help you think about who might be.

How payment works

For new clients, this is a private-pay practice. You pay directly for your sessions rather than billing through insurance.

That is a deliberate choice. Insurance requires a formal mental health diagnosis in your permanent record, and the insurer decides how many sessions you get and what counts as enough progress. Working privately keeps those decisions between the two of us: how often we meet, how long we work together, and what we actually work on.

I accept cash, HSA and FSA cards, Visa, and Mastercard. A limited sliding scale is available based on financial need. Session rates are discussed during your free consultation, so please ask.

Using your out-of-network benefits

Many insurance plans reimburse part of the cost of seeing an out-of-network therapist. If you would like to use yours, I can provide a superbill, which is an itemized receipt you submit to your insurer for reimbursement paid directly to you.

Before your first session, it is worth calling the member services number on the back of your insurance card and asking:

  • Do I have out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits?
  • What percentage of the session fee is reimbursed, and is there a maximum allowed amount per session?
  • Do I have an out-of-network deductible, and how much of it have I met this year?
  • Is preauthorization required?
  • How do I submit a superbill, and how long does reimbursement take?

Answers vary widely between plans, so the ten-minute phone call is worth making.

Where I am licensed

I see clients in person at my office in Tampa, Florida, and by telehealth for clients in Florida, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Washington. Because licensure works state by state, you need to be physically located in one of those four states at the time of your session.

Florida license MH 17322. I work with adults, individually and as couples.

What the first session is like

Mostly, I listen. We will talk about what brought you in, what you have already tried, and what you would like to be different. Toward the end we will sketch out a rough plan together: what we would focus on, and roughly how often we would meet.

You do not need to arrive with everything organized, or be able to explain why you feel the way you do. Plenty of people start by saying they are not sure where to begin. That is a perfectly good place to begin.

Your right to a good faith estimate

Under the No Surprises Act, clients who are uninsured or not using insurance have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of what their care will cost. You are entitled to that estimate in writing before your first session, and you may request one at any time. If you receive a bill at least 400 dollars more than your Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute it. More information is available at cms.gov/nosurprises.

Ready to start?

Send a message through the contact page and I will personally get back to you within 24 hours to set up your free 15-minute consultation.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, or go to your nearest emergency room.