Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions before you schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation?
Who do you work with?
- I work with women who are experiencing depression, anxiety, anger, grief & loss, codependency, low self- esteem, and difficulty with life transitions.
- I work with couples who need a marriage tune up. Common marital issues include but are not limited to the same old fights about money and finances, parenting styles, lack of communication, disconnection, lack of affection, not enough “us” time.
- I work with couples who are in crisis. Crisis includes but is not limited to infidelity, financial betrayal, sexual betrayal including sex addiction, porn addiction and intimacy anorexia.
- I will work with teen aged girls who are struggling with low self esteem and social issues.
- I will work with teen aged boys who have been exposed to pornography.
What’s the difference between individual therapy and marriage counseling?
Individual Therapy (sometimes called “psychotherapy” or “counseling”) is a collaborative process through which a client works one-on-one with a trained therapist—in a safe, caring, and confidential environment—to explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change to improve quality of life.
Marriage Counseling Marriage counseling is a type of psychotherapy or therapy process for a married couple or established partners that tries to resolve problems in the relationship. We will look at the roles, patterns, rules, goals, and beliefs experienced by the couple. The goal is to establish and work toward common relationship goals that will help the marriage relationship thrive.
How long will I/we need to be in counseling?
There is no way to set an exact time because every individual and every couple presents with their own unique needs and circumstances. How long it takes for you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place. My goal for you is to reach your goals and to be able to maintain the progress without relapsing back to the old patterns that brought you to therapy in the first place.
How often will we meet?
We can discuss this during your first session, however, it is important to remember, by meeting on a consistent weekly schedule, you will see greater progress. Creating desired change requires work. Replacing destructive behaviors is dependent on learning new behaviors. For the new behavior to be established it will take regular consistent practice and repetition. In other words, it’s best to meet weekly.
Do you take insurance?
No, I do not take insurance for many reasons.
- In order to pay a claim, insurance companies require control of the therapy process with specific requirements. This indicates that the insurance provider can decide what therapy techniques can be used to treat you. They might not approve what’s best for you—but what helps them make the most money.
- Insurance companies will determine the number of sessions it will take to treat you based on their business model, not on your progress. They can suddenly stop paying your claims at any time.
- The insurance company will require that you are given a psychiatric diagnosis such as bi-polar, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia etc. in order to pay the claim. I do not feel comfortable labeling you with a diagnosis that will stay on your permanent health record. This could impact future life and health insurance qualifications.
- I am uncomfortable knowing that many insurance company employees will have access to the details of your mental health records. Your file will be seen by the processor, by the person who tracks your progress, by the person who approves your claim, by the HIPPA compliance officer, by the person who prints and mails your bill and others. We have no idea what the future holds in our country as it applies to confidentiality of health records and future coverage. My goal is your total privacy protection.
Do you offer any kind of scholarship or discount?
I do offer several sliding scale appointments however these slots fill up quickly and are not always available.
Group Therapy is a great way to receive therapy at an affordable price.
- Married and Alone: A support group for women in relationships lacking intimacy.
- Partners Recovery Group: For women who have been in relationships damaged by infidelity, sex addictions and pornography.
- Wholehearted: An empowerment group for women who want to squeeze every drop out of life by creating & experiencing satisfying relationships, and by maintaining an authentic, purpose-filled, vibrant life.
What happens if we run into each other outside of our sessions?
In the event that we were to cross paths in a social or public setting our therapeutic relationship comes first. In order to protect your confidentiality, I would not initiate a greeting. Privacy and confidentiality is highly important to me and is addressed in the Informed Consent Documents for further details.
If you have additional questions, please call 843-321-8866 and speak to me directly. Also, I have created a very detailed Informed Consent and Office Policy document that will be made available when you schedule your appointment. This document will probably answer many questions that you might have. Please read it thoroughly.