Money and Insurance
Money is part of the frame of therapy — it shapes the work and deserves to be thought about openly. Paying privately allows our conversations to remain fully confidential and free from the limits that insurance companies often impose. When insurance is involved, I’m required to give a diagnosis and sometimes share information about our work. These requirements can feel intrusive and can interfere with the privacy and openness that good therapy depends on.
This is especially true when we’re talking about sexuality, intimacy, and other deeply personal areas of life. Those parts of the self need a space that isn’t shaped by outside systems or the pressure to be “cost-effective.” Paying out of pocket allows the work to unfold at its own pace — guided by what feels meaningful and necessary, not by an external timeline.
I understand that therapy is a significant emotional commitment. I approach conversations about fees with care, and when possible, I adjust rates based on your circumstances and how often we meet.
Below, you’ll find more about fees, absences, and the structure of my practice.
What are your fees?
My standard fee for individual psychotherapy is $150 per 50-minute session, and $170 per 60-minute session for couples. For those meeting multiple times per week in psychoanalysis, the rate is adjusted to reflect the increased frequency and depth of the work.
One reason for working this way is my hope that the more people who are able to pay closer to full-fee, the more people I can see who are not able to do so.
I also reserve a number of reduced-fee spaces for those who cannot afford the full rate. These adjustments are made thoughtfully and in conversation, based on income, life circumstances, and the kind of work we’re doing together. For example, I may lower the fee for a student who wants to meet twice per week, or make a temporary adjustment if someone experiences financial strain.
What is the policy on missed or cancelled sessions?
Each session time is reserved specifically for you. I ask that you pay for all scheduled sessions, including those that are missed or cancelled, with a few exceptions each year for emergencies or unavoidable circumstances. If it’s a holiday, or if I’m not working that day, you won’t be responsible for payment.
This policy is less about rules and more about maintaining the continuity and rhythm that make therapy effective. Holding your time each week — even when life gets complicated — helps sustain the stability of the work and the relationship itself. If you ever have questions about scheduling or need to make adjustments, we can always discuss it together.
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Paying out of pocket can deepen your sense of investment in the work — it adds something real and alive to what unfolds between us. It also allows us to think together about money, value, and meaning rather than avoiding those conversations.
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Paying privately allows therapy to remain fully confidential — what we discuss stays between us. When insurance is involved, I’m required to provide a diagnosis and sometimes documentation of our work, which can limit the privacy and openness that therapy often depends on.
This confidentiality is especially important when we’re exploring more intimate or sensitive concerns, including issues related to sexuality, desire, and identity. Without insurance oversight, we have the freedom to meet as often and for as long as feels necessary, rather than following an external schedule.
Insurance companies tend to prioritize the most “cost-effective” or brief forms of treatment, which I believe rarely address the complexity of most people’s emotional lives. Working out of pocket allows the process to move at the pace that feels right for you — grounded in curiosity, depth, and care rather than efficiency.
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My approach to fees is based on fairness and access: the more clients who can contribute closer to the full rate, the more I can offer reduced-fee spaces to those who cannot. The fee can and will be personalized to you.
For ongoing psychoanalysis and couples therapy, rates are adjusted based on frequency and time.
Payment frequency can be discussed — either on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.
I am also able to provide superbills which can allow you to seek reimbursement from your insurance company — however this does involve more disclosures such as diagnosis and dates.
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I remain committed to my own growth and accountability as a clinician: I meet regularly for supervision and peer consultation and am completing advanced analytic training through the International Psychotherapy Institute (IPI), focusing on Object Relations theory.
In addition to this, I am in the process of getting certified as a Couples and Sex Therapist through the Sexual Health Alliance and AASECT.
This ongoing study and reflection directly supports the quality and depth of the work I’m able to offer.
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You can check below using the Mentaya Benefits Check widget. It is a free tool that can assist with clarifying out of network benefits. (And if you’d like, we can discuss using Mentaya to submit claims to your insurance for reimbursement)
While this tool is very helpful please also confirm with your insurance company by asking about out of network benefits, and if so, asking them how they can get processed.
