FAQ
FAQ
online individual therapy for adults and adolescents in Minnesota
Therapy is essentially a chance to connect with a key support person once a week or so, typically for just under an hour. Sessions take place virtually and so you can join in from the comfort of your home or even while you are out for a walk. Therapy is not about requiring you to share your deepest secrets, it is about talking through what you want support on. It is about finding meaning and insight though conversation in a relaxed, compassionate, and supportive way.
I use our time together to explore with you more about why you might be feeling stuck, unhappy, or simply not thriving. We collaborate on making goals and finding ways to support change often through using practical and impactful therapy tools.
For couples therapy, we focus on identifying not just the pain points, but exploring the various unique strengths in your partnership. We work toward your goals by using those strengths to gain a better understanding of each other, improve communication and increase relationship satisfaction.
Most sessions are 50 minutes, but longer or shorter sessions are sometimes appropriate and are pro-rated accordingly. Couples may find that pro-rated longer sessions (such as 60, 75, or even 90 minutes) better facilitate meeting their goals.
Not necessarily. It depends on if you are hoping to utilize any out of network benefits through your medical insurance provider. Insurance companies require a qualified mental health diagnosis in order to consider coverage. Clients who will not be pursuing out of network benefits do not require a mental health diagnosis in order to receive therapy services.
See below about the benefits of privately paying for services. Diagnoses can be useful for some, especially when wanting to better understand why they have struggled with certain challenges in life, but it is not required in order to benefit from therapy. In fact, most people are struggling to manage parts of their lives without any impact from a mental health disorder. So no, taking advantage of therapy does not necessarily mean you have to have a mental health diagnosis.
I provide Diagnostic Assessments for individuals of any age to assess for possible mental health diagnoses. Please note that for some mental health assessments, I encourage additional testing to ensure the most accurate diagnosis or to make sure that we are accurate in ruling out a diagnosis. These include assessing for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). If you are curious about assessing for a particular mental health condition, let me know and I can give you more information.
A Diagnostic Assessment (90 minutes) includes a detailed intake interview, self-report measures, review of records (if appropriate), and mental health inventories. Various level of functioning will be assessed in this evaluation. A 30 minute feedback session will conclude the testing, where you will be provided a report with the results and appropriate recommendations. This will also be an opportunity to collaborate on potential treatment goals for therapy. Assessments are led with compassion, openness, curiosity and collaboration to provide both insight and healing.
No, I am out of network with insurance providers, and so all services are private pay. I can provide you a monthly superbill that you can submit to your insurance provider for out of network benefits.
Less Restrictions
You and I have full autonomy to decide the best plan for your care, without restrictions. When you work with an insurance provider, your care plan is limited by goals that are tied to symptom relief. The insurance provider ultimately determines what services they will pay for and for how long. This can limit your care.
No Diagnosis Necessary
In the world of mental health, insurance providers draw a hard line between services they cover and those they don’t. In order to have therapy be covered, the client has to have an identified mental illness and be demonstrating decreasing symptoms of that illness over time as therapy progresses. Note that not all diagnoses are even covered. Relational therapies, such as couples therapy, premarital therapy, family therapy and co-parenting therapy are not covered by insurance providers. I personally believe that the power of therapy extends far beyond the qualified diagnoses listed in the DSM 5 and that insurance coverage limits who is allowed to access help.
Privacy
When utilizing insurance benefits, your records are not completely private. Although I fully adhere to HIPAA privacy laws and maintain confidentiality, when working with insurance providers to provide care, I have to share specific information with them, including: your diagnosis, treatment plan, and prognosis. With private pay services, your information is kept strictly between us. Information is not shared with a third party except in the event of a threat of harm that meets exception criteria under HIPAA standards.
And there is more…
- You choose the therapist best suited to your needs
- More services are allowed without restrictions such as online telehealth sessions
- The worry over perceived stigma of diagnoses can be avoided
- Private pay clients are able to have a voice in the focus and duration of their care
- No limitations from insurance on the amount of sessions or the length of sessions
- Your medical records do not have to include a mental health diagnosis
- Insurance premiums and life insurance policies will not increase based off a mental health diagnosis or treatment
- You will be able to stay with your therapist even if your insurance plan coverage changes
