Q. How Do I Get Started?
A. Getting started is easy.
- Call for a no-cost initial appointment to get to know me.
- If you live in the Seattle area, come in and tell me your concerns and goals.
- If you have difficulty traveling to the office due to a medical condition, I may be available to come to you; just tell me your needs.
- If you live outside the Seattle area, we will schedule a telephone appointment.
- For couples, I'll talk first with both of you together, then with each of you alone, to get a full picture of your situation.
- I'll suggest a general plan and timeline for meeting your goals. If this makes sense to you and we feel comfortable with each other, we'll schedule our next appointment.
Q. How long does therapy take?
A. This is a tough one to answer, as everyone’s needs are different. Several factors affect the length of treatment. These questions can help answer the question of how long therapy may last:
- How many symptoms are present, and how severe are they?
- How seriously is your daily functioning – at work, with your family, in your social life – impaired?
- How long have these problems been around? Are they chronic or situational?
- Have you been in therapy before?
- What are your expectations for therapy?
Once we have the answer to these questions, it is possible to estimate the length of many individuals’ treatment. The estimate is only an estimate, though, because there are some factors that can not be adequately assessed at the beginning of therapy, such as the amount of stress or support that you have in your environment and other issues that may arise during the course of therapy.
Q. So what does this mean if I'm just beginning therapy?
A. Here are a few things to consider:
- If your only goal is to get through a crisis, your chances of success with just a few sessions are pretty good.
- If you’d like to greatly reduce or eliminate symptoms that have been bothering you for a long time, therapy is likely to take longer.
- If you want behavior changes to really stick, minimizing your chance of relapse, you’ll need to persist long enough for new behaviors and thoughts to become automatic. This does take time, patience, and support.
Q. What about medication for depression and/or anxiety?
A. Medication has become the most popular treatment for depression and anxiety in the USA. For some people, the side effects of medication are worth the potential benefits. For others, they are not. In any event, studies clearly indicate that those patients who do take medication report increased success when the medication is taken in conjunction with talk therapy.
The decision about whether or not to take medication needs to be carefully considered with and its use monitored by a medical professional. If, through our work together, it appears appropriate, I will refer you for a medication evaluation.
Q. How much does therapy cost?
A. Please refer to my fees page.
Q. Do you accept insurance?
A. I have a "pay-as-you-go" payment policy. While I do not bill insurance directly, I will facilitate you obtaining insurance reimbursement. You will likely have insurance coverage for your work with me if you have:
- Aetna, Ethix, King Care, Premera Blue Cross, Uniform Medical, Microsoft, Carpenters Trust or Retail Clerks.
- A plan without a specific mental health provider panel including most PPO plans.
- Auto insurance that covers trauma recovery, OR
- Any plan that has coverage for "out of network" or "non-participating" mental health professionals.
I will be happy to check on your coverage on your behalf. When you call, just let me know you need assistance with checking on your coverage. You will pay me directly, and I will provide you with the appropriate documentation your insurance company needs to complete your claim.
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