Table of Contents
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
I am physically located at 11316 E. 58th Ter., Raytown, MO 64133. However, I only offer virtual online therapy sessions due to COVID, which means you can have the benefits of the therapeutic experience, from anywhere, and basically at anytime! It’s private; no chance of running into anyone in a waiting room, it’s stigma-free and confidential. It saves you money and time, with no need for childcare or travel expenses to a therapist’s office. It offers affordability, flexibility, accessibility and comfort! Virtual counseling is provided on a secure, encrypted and HIPAA compliant platform.
Research has shown that online counseling can be even MORE effective because clients are more relaxed in their own environments, and feel less intimidated than they would in a traditional setting. For more information on the effectiveness of online counseling visit: Is online counseling an effective means of help?
WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS?
Therapy sessions are generally scheduled Monday-Friday between the hours of 1 PM and 7 PM. However, I’m very flexible and can schedule outside of these hours based upon client needs and my availability, which may include late evenings and weekend.
DO YOU ACCEPT INSURANCE?
I am a Medicaid provider, and also accept United Healthcare and United Healthcare Community Manage Care Plan through Missouri Medicaid. I am not in network with any other insurance companies. So individual with other insurance providers are strictly client pay services. You MAY be eligible for reimbursement by your insurance company, if your policy has out-of-network coverage benefits.
To use your “out-of-network” benefits, I can provide you with a “superbill”. This is a detailed receipt of the session, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
Check with your insurance provider to find out if you have out-of-network coverage, if online therapy is covered, and any co-pays you are responsible. Your co-pay amount will be deducted from the reimbursement amount that they give you.
BENEFITS OF CASH PAY?
I’ve found that clients that actually pay out of pocket are more motivated and committed to their treatment.
No diagnosis is required! The insurance company has a set of rules to abide by and include not paying for a treatment plan when a diagnosis isn’t given to a client! With a self-paying client, I’m not bound to give a “guess diagnosis” and I have the flexibility to see clients as many times as necessary to truly understand what is going on before assigning a diagnosis. Diagnosis should only be given when the therapist has assessed the complete situation and not just to get paid by the insurance company.
Also, some clients prefer not to use their insurance for different reasons. Some client don’t like the idea of having a diagnosis placed on them, which is required by insurance companies. For confidentiality reasons, some clients don’t want the insurance company, or others to have access to their therapy records, or don’t want a therapy record at all.
In general self-paying gives the client the benefits of:
- No need for mental diagnosis
- Greater focus on treatment
- The client and therapist are in control of what sort of treatment, how many sessions, and how often, instead of the insurance company making that decision
- No risks of other getting access to insurance records
- More confidentiality and privacy
WHAT ARE YOUR FEES?
Average Cost Per Counseling Session Range from generally between $60 – $200 depending on type of service, length of service, and possible financial assistance. Coaching sessions are $115 and additional discounts are available for prepayment plan options. (FEES)
WHAT FORM OF PAYMENTS DO YOU ACCEPT?
Accepted Payment Methods: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, and possibly Health Savings Account (for counseling, but not for coaching). Please verify eligibility of payment with your Health Savings Account (HSA) Administrator.
Per IRS Pub 502 (page 13) Therapy is eligible as a medical expense.
“You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay for
therapy received as medical treatment.” Please visit IRS PUB 502 for more information.
DO YOU OFFER A SLIDING FEE SCALE?
Yes to qualifying clients meeting certain criteria based upon the application information entered. Another option of financial assistance is offered through Open Path Psychotherapy Collective.
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
Therapy Within Reach
Find therapists for rates that range between $60 and $80 a session
Treatment from a vetted Mental Health Professional
Your lifetime membership will allow you to see anyone in the network for the rates listed above, at any point in time. This is guaranteed.
Open Path is a recognized nonprofit leader in helping people access affordable, high quality psychotherapy services
DO YOU OFFER FREE CONSULTATIONS?
In some cases, a free 10 minute phone consultation may be offered for potential clients, based upon financial need if requested .
WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS?
I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC) with the Missouri Division of Professional Registration; as well a nationally certified counselor (NCC) with the Nation Board of Certified Counselor (NBCC). I am also trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Trauma and Addition.
Missouri License No: 2014007648
NBCC Certificate No: 760013
TF-CBT training through Rowan University Care Institute
WHAT AGES DO YOU SERVE?
Client Focus
Age
- Adolescents
- Teenagers
- Adults
WHAT ARE YOUR SPECIALTIES?
My main specialties include:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Mood Disorders
- Thinking Disorders
I am a trauma focused therapist, as I am passionate about awareness and psychoeducation. Traumatic events affect all aspects of our everyday life, neurological (brain) and physiological (body) functionality, relationships, mental and physical health. Many people are unaware of the traumas they’ve been exposed to, and how it is impairing their total well-being.
Mood affects our perception and perception is our reality. In other words how you see things is what is real to you, so if you perceive things as bad then they are bad in your mind, and vice versa.
Thinking disorders and mood disorders seems to go hand in hand, as thought disruption and distortion can effect our perception of things, and cause negative thinking, characterized by disorganized thinking and cognition confusion. Often thought disorder is a symptom of another mental illness.
WHAT ISSUES DO YOU TREAT?
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Mental Health
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WHAT IS YOUR TREATMENT APPROACH, STYLE, THEORETICAL ORIENTATION AND MODALITIES?
Treatment Approach
Types of Therapy
- Coaching
- Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Eclectic
- Emotionally Focused
- Family Systems
- Mindfulness-based (MBCT)
- Narrative
- Prolonged Exposure (PE)
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
- Trauma Focused
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy TF-CBT
Modality
- Individuals
- Family (for individual therapy clients)
WHAT DO ALL THE INITIALS AFTER YOUR NAME MEAN?
I am a licensed professional counselor (LPC),
I am certified with the National Board of Certified Counselors (NCC) .
I am trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING THE FIRST SESSION?
The first session is an initial intake session, for the purpose of assessments, completing intake paperwork, collecting demographic and psychosocial information, finding out presenting problems and concerns in order to determine the necessity for continuation of therapy services. In a nutshells, this session is to gather information, determine if therapy is necessary, and if there is a good client/therapist fit to continue. It’s the foundation of building our therapeutic relationship.
Generally, comprehensive intakes can take up to 3 hours (2 separate sessions) depending on the assessment measures required, but a majority of this time is collection and the therapist interpreting the assessments after sessions.
HOW LONG ARE SESSIONS?
Typically in the industry of therapy, individual and family session therapy sessions would range from 30-60 minutes, which would generally be determined by what your insurance allows and or if you are self pay.
For the purpose of online counseling and or coaching, each live sessions averages 45 minute (possibly more). This does not include the extra time allowed for text, chat, email and voicemail messaging. That time is given as an extra bonus! Also, you will be recommended to do homework outside of therapy that will help you even more with your therapeutic progress.
CAN YOU PRESCRIBE ME ANY MEDICINE?
Although I have acquired education in psychopharmacology; No! However, after the initial intake assessment and evaluation of your situation, we will discuss if “we” feel you need to schedule with a psychiatrist or your primary care physician, who are medical doctors (MD) (DO), and allowed to prescribe medication. Medication is part of a medical doctor’s (MD) (DO) specialty and area of expertise. My area of expertise would be mental health (psychological functioning and or impairment/cognition). Both physical and mental health care are imperative to total well-being, and most people don’t realize how they are both intertwined; they effect each other.
Psychopharmacology and psychotropic medication may not be necessary for all clients, and should be considered as a supplemental tools along with therapy, and not as a cure or fix all for your situation. However, if determined necessary, psychotropic medications can be very helpful when used appropriately.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNSELING AND COACHING?
Coaching is focused on prevention and maximizing your potential in life, or career, or to determine what is holding you back, or causing you problems in general.
Counseling focuses on mental health issues and is geared towards helping individuals deal with emotional pain.
For a further in-depth explanation on the differences, and to help you determine the type of service (counseling or coaching) needed please click here:
WHAT IS A GOOD SELF-HELP BOOK IF I FEEL THAT I MAY NOT BE QUITE READY TO TRY THERAPY?
- The Mindfulness Workbook for Anxiety: The 8-Week Solution to Help You Manage Anxiety, Worry & Stress
Dr. Burns describes how to combat feelings of depression so you can develop greater self-esteem. This best-selling book has sold over 4 million copies worldwide to date. In a recent national survey of mental health professionals, Feeling Good was rated #1—out of a list of 1000 books—as the most frequently recommended self-help book on depression in the United States.
Now, Dr. David Burns, author of the best-selling and highly acclaimed Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy reveals that our negative moods do not result from what’s wrong with us, but rather what’s right with us. And when you listen and suddenly “hear” what your negative thoughts and feelings are trying to tell you, suddenly you won’t need them anymore, and recovery will be just a stone’s throw away.
In this innovative book, Feeling Great, Dr. Burns, describes a new and revolutionary high-speed treatment for depression and anxiety based on 40 years of research and more than 40,000 hours treating individuals with severe mood problems. The goal is not just a rapid and complete elimination of negative feelings, but the development of feelings of joy and enlightenment.
Dr. Burns will provide you with inspiring and mind-blowing case studies along with more than 50 amazing tools to crush the negative thoughts that rob you of happiness and self-esteem.
You can change the way you feel! You owe it to yourself to FEEL GREAT!
Other self-help books by Dr. Burns can also be found on his website.
IS THERAPY RIGHT FOR ME?
Let’s schedule a 10 minute phone consultation and see (fees MAY apply). If you’re ready to get started book now!
If you feel coaching is more of what you are looking for click here to book now!
Or you can call now because only YOU can make the choice to feel better, “because there does come a time when you must talk!”