Do you prescribe medicine?
No. I am not a psychiatrist. I suggest you call your insurance company for information on which local psychiatrists accept your insurance, if you plan to use insurance for medicinal purposes.
Do you accept my insurance?
At this time, Authentically Me Psychotherapy, LLC does not accept insurance. I can provide you with receipts or a Superbill for sessions that you have already met with me and paid for in full. Some insurance companies will reimburse certain percentages of paid psychotherapy fees, to you directly. If any insurances are accepted at Authentically Me Psychotherapy, LLC in the future, it will be because it appears to be in the best interest of existing or potential clients. You are welcome to call and check in on any changes.
Do you offer sliding scale rates?
Availability of sliding fee scale slots changes based on a variety of factors. If there is a financial barrier to receiving therapy, we can discuss options that I have available at that time, or I can provide you with referrals to a therapist with different financial options that can also meet your clinical needs.
Why is there a cancellation fee?
It is necessary to charge a cancellation fee, because the spot has been reserved for you based on your communicated availability, as well as mine. If you do not show, then someone else has missed out on being able to use that spot. Therapy is very valuable, and it requires significant education, credentialing, and continued professional development to sustain a quality psychotherapy practice. It is necessary to generate income in order to continue to do this important work, and time slots are set in order to meet each clients needs. It will be required for a credit card to be held on file for each client.
My child/teen is struggling in school, can you help?
I am very familiar with school systems. While I can’t tell your child or teens school how to operate, I believe it is often in the best interest of the child/teen for their supporting systems to collaborate. If you sign a release for your child/teen (under 14 requires legal guardian/parent signature; aged 14 and up requires the child/teens written consent as well), I will gladly collaborate with the school team in a manner that both resects your child/teens personal therapeutic trust as well as their socio-emotional and educational needs.
What if I do not think therapy is working?
Therapy progress is seen in different people in different ways and at different times. However, it is important that you share how you feel about therapy when we are in session. If we do not talk about your thoughts and feelings, it will create a barrier for progress. Also, if there is a therapist-client mismatch, we need to address that too, because you deserve the best treatment for you. You can discontinue therapy at anytime. Make sure to communicate termination clearly, as there is a cancellation fee if you schedule an appointment and do not show up.
What if I am not sure about therapy?
That is fair, and it is normal to feel that way. Since you are reading this on this site, that means you are willing to at least consider it as a plausible option. We only need to take one step at a time, one day at a time. While part of my role is to hold you accountable throughout therapy, it is also to meet you where you are at in order to meaningfully support you. Be honest about how you feel; that is the very first step and it is super important!
Do you conduct psychological assessments?
No. I do not. If there is a concern due to school-related challenges, I recommend asking the school to conduct an assessment for your child. If you are looking for an outside of school assessment, I can write a collaborative letter to an evaluator of your choosing, letting them know that we are working together but that you would like to used their psychological assessment services. They can then collaborate with me about their findings as well. A release is required me to speak with them.Two places I recommend for this are ASPIRE in Huntingdon Valley, PA and GROWTH OPPORTUNITY CENTER in Southampton, PA.