First steps.
If you call or email to inquire about my practice, and if I have any availability, I will typically schedule a brief phone call with you to get some sense regarding what you are seeking, whether I might be a good fit to your needs, to discuss fees/billing, and to answer any initial questions you may have. If we both think that proceeding make sense, we will then schedule a first session. Please note that at present I am only providing therapy remotely, generally with doxy.me (which requires no special software, just a web browser).
The first one to three sessions generally consists of assessment, after which I will provide you with an initial recommendation for treatment that we can discuss. At that time I would also give you a sense of how many total sessions the work might entail. Once we begin therapy together, I prefer to step back every 3 sessions to check in on whether the work seems to be making progress, and to make any adjustments that seem necessary or helpful. Thus you would not be "signing up" for an open ended course of therapy, but rather giving it a try for a few sessions before deciding whether to continue.
My services are by appointment only, and are ordinarily 50 minutes in length.
Availability.
I may be reached at 202-505-1530 if you need to contact me between sessions. You may leave a confidential and detailed message and I will return your call as soon as I am able, within 24 hours. If you are unable to reach me and feel that you can’t wait for me to return your call, call 988 (the suicide and crisis hotline) or proceed to your nearest hospital emergency room and ask for the psychiatrist or psychologist on call.
Billing.
I charge an hourly rate for each 50 minute session. I require payment at the conclusion of each session. I will email you a "Square Payment" link; if you prefer (as most clients do), you may save your credit card details online which enables me to run the charges for you at the conclusion of each session. At the end of each month, I will provide you with a statement of the month’s services and the total amount paid, which you can submit to your insurance company for out of network reimbursement. I am not currently a network provider with any insurer.
Cancellation Policy.
In the event that you need to cancel an appointment, please let me know as far in advance as possible, but at least 24 hours ahead. Because the appointment time is reserved for you, it is necessary to charge for appointments which are not cancelled 24 hours in advance.
Minors and Parents
If you are under 18 years of age, please be aware that the law may provide your parents the right to examine your treatment records. It is my policy to request an agreement from parents to respect the confidentiality of your therapeutic disclosures. The effectiveness of psychotherapy depends on each client's sense of trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship so that you are willing to honestly address problems. If parents agree, I will provide them only with general information about our work together and your progress. I will, however, notify parents if I feel there is a high risk that you will seriously harm yourself or someone else. Before giving parents any information, I will discuss the matter with you, if possible, and do my best to handle any objections you may have with what I am prepared to discuss.