The fee for the initial counseling session is $150. After the first appointment, my standard fee for a counseling session is $100. I am able to see a very limited number of patients at a lower, adjusted fee. 

My fees for psychoeducational classes vary, with courses priced between $50-$100.

​Acceptable forms of payment: Cash (preferred method) or Check

Fees & Insurance
Please note: I do not accept insurance. This is to preserve your confidentiality during treatment, and to allow you more control over the treatment you receive. For more information about the benefits of being a self-pay client, please read information below entitled: Insurance vs. Self Pay.

*If viewing on a mobile device, please flip your screen to view all prices
INITAL INTAKE
SESSION
COUPLE SESSION
COUPLE SESSION
GROUP THERAPY
150
100
120
195
30
60 MINUTE
​INITIAL INTAKE
60 MINUTE SESSION
50 MINUTE
COUPLES SESSION
90 MIUNTE
COUPLES SESSION
90 MINUTE
GROUP THERAPY
 *Special Rate for Military and Law Enforcement: $10 off all fees listed above.

Some therapists offer a "sliding fee schedule." In other words, they charge affluent clients more, others less. I don't do this, because I don't think it is fair. If I call a plumber, he doesn't ask me how much I earn before he decides how much he will charge me for unplugging my sink. Like a plumber, I provide a useful service for a fee.  Although I do not have a formal sliding scale, I am sympathetic to the concerns of low-income people. Therefore, when a highly-motivated (must be highly-motivated), low-income client badly needs my services, I will negotiate a fee reduction on a case-by-case basis. I only take about one or two of these cases on per year.

Insurance vs. Self Pay?
Do you have a high deductible that must be met prior to insurance paying for counseling services?

Do you want your insurance company to know your psychological diagnosis?

Does the presenting problem for which you are seeking counseling meet the criteria for "medical necessity" that insurance companies demand in order to receive counseling services?

If these are concerns for you, you may want to consider a 'self pay' option. There is much to consider. I hope the information shared below will be helpful for you.

There are pros and cons to using your health insurance benefits to pay for mental health care.
Pros:
  • If you have coverage to see the provider you choose, it will probably be cost effective to use your health insurance to pay for services.
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  • Whether you are self-employed or work for an employer, you effectively pay a lot of money to have health insurance and it may make sense to get the most out of your benefit package by using insurance for therapy.
Cons:
  • Confidentiality is compromised. The third party payer, whether a private insurer or a public program, can learn sensitive information that you may not want shared. There are many circumstances in which you might want to keep the fact that you are in treatment, as well as any information about that treatment, completely private between you and your therapist. In order to qualify for benefits you must surrender a level of confidentiality to the insurance company that would otherwise remain between you and your therapist.
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  • Some HMOs refuse to reimburse independent mental health practitioners in private practice.  You may have a mental health practitioner in mind, that suits you very well and your insurance may not cover the cost of your care.   
  • Insurance company employees may ask for personal information to determine whether or not they think treatment is warranted. These employees decide if you are eligible for treatment, rather than leaving that decision up you and your clinician.
  • In order for insurance to reimburse your treatment you are REQUIRED to receive a mental health diagnosis that goes in your permanent medical record. This diagnosis constitutes a “pre-existing condition” that may be a disqualification from benefits in the future or may otherwise interfere with your coverage if you change plans, or may even impact your employment or potential employment prospects in the future. Once you have used health insurance for mental health care you will also have to disclose your treatment history if you apply for life insurance and in certain other circumstances.  

  • Insurance policies often limit the number of sessions you are allowed to attend each year. They may or may not authorize more sessions based on what they determine is a “medical necessity”. Your therapist will have little say in this decision and making your case may involve a lot of paperwork and footwork on your part.
 
  • Employers sometimes change insurance companies to save money. You may form a bond with your therapist only​ to find out that he or she is not a provider on your new plan.​
 
  • Insurance sometimes does not pay for marital or relationship therapy. Instead, one partner will be identified as the “identified patient” and will receive a mental health diagnosis. The insurance company will then authorize conjoint treatment for that person and his/her partner.
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  • Health insurance companies decide for the client what kind of treatment the client should get, and when treatment should conclude, regardless of the feelings of the client or the opinion and clinical expertise of the mental healthcare provider. Most health insurance companies base these decisions on the desire for profit, not the best interest of the client.​
It could be a mistake to be dissuaded from seeking treatment because of the issues surrounding health insurance coverage for mental health. If you do not want to use your health insurance and are limited in what you can afford, there are several avenues available to you. You can consider scheduling sessions less frequently or even abbreviating a session to meet your financial needs if your reason for counseling is not a crisis. Many types of therapy do not necessitate weekly visits.

There are a variety of ways to think about the purpose and process of therapy. Insurance companies see therapy as treatment for a mental illness or condition and they treat the insured as patients who will either qualify or not qualify for the treatment. This is not an invalid way to think about mental health care, but it is not the only way. People are usually looking for relief from symptoms of some kind when they seek help. Many come to find that therapy becomes a tool for enhanced personal growth, responsibility, and relationship satisfaction. The medical model of diagnosis and treatment is no longer particularly relevant at that point. Thus, a mental disorder diagnosis required by insurance companies for insurance to pay for treatment is not always suitable for everyone in need of treatment. People struggle on a daily and everyone from every walk of life can benefit from therapy with or without a mental diagnosis label attached. Although you are entitled to use your medical benefits as you wish and are permitted by your insurer, You may ultimately decide that the flexibility and privacy afforded by paying directly is worth the extra cost. 
I was in prison and you came to visit me...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. - Matthew 25:36-40