FAQs

I think I might have a perinatal mood disorder…now what?

You are not alone! Up to 1 in 7 women (and 1 in 10 men) experience a perinatal mood disorder. To learn more about perinatal mood disorders, visit Postpartum Support International for a list of common symptoms and other helpful information. Also feel free to reach out to me for a free 15 minute consultation so we can chat a bit more about what you are experiencing and whether therapy might be helpful for you.

Do I need to have a perinatal mood disorder in in order to need therapy?

No! Even if you do not have postpartum anxiety, depression, or another perinatal mood disorder, you might still want a little extra support. Other stressors and even past traumas or unresolved issues are often exacerbated during major life transitions such as having or trying to have a baby. Regardless of what your particular story is, if you feel like you want or need extra support, please trust yourself and reach out. Even if we don’t end up working together, I would be happy to try to connect you with resources that are a good fit for you.

How does the therapy process work?

We will have a brief consultation via phone or email to assess whether we might be a good fit for one another. If we decide to proceed, I will send you (via a secure electronic platform) intake paperwork to complete prior to our first meeting. This paperwork will include consent forms, basic information about you, and several assessments.

In our first session/s, we will get to know one another and begin to map out a personalized treatment plan to help feel more like yourself and meet your goals. Often times this includes building mindfulness and self-care skills, expanding support networks, strengthening emotional coping skills, processing unresolved grief, considering the impact of past experiences on your present, strengthening your relationships, helping you make meaning of your experiences, and supporting you in fostering hope and resiliency as you look towards the future.

As we progress through treatment, I will continue to check in with you regarding what is working and what isn’t, so that together we can make adjustments and help you move forward in a way that fits for you.

How long will therapy last?

The length of therapy will vary depending on your particular needs. Typically I encourage clients to meet weekly for at least the first 8 weeks, as it takes time to build the therapeutic relationship and to begin making changes. It is normal to sometimes feel a bit worse before you begin to feel better, especially if you are addressing issues and stressors that you may have previously been avoiding in order to just get through your day. However, the deepest healing often occurs as we take time - and find the courage and tools - to move through pain and come out the other side. I’ll be there with you along the way, and I’ll continue to check in with you throughout the process so we can decide together what’s working, what’s not, and how much work you want to do. When you are feeling more like yourself, we can begin to meet less regularly and, eventually, wrap up our work. This will be a collaborative process throughout - your voice matters!

Will you give me a diagnosis?

Yes, I will give you a diagnosis to help guide our work. I will discuss the diagnosis with you and we can discuss any questions or concerns you may have. If you are doing work as a couple, we will together choose who will be the “identified patient” who is diagnosed and whose insurance is billed. We will discuss how your particular diagnosis impacts our work, but remember it is you, or your relationship, that is the client - not the label of your diagnosis. Diagnoses are helpful but only give a small glimpse of who you are as a person.

How does teletherapy work?

I offer both in-person and telehealth sessions. If you choose to meet virtually, we will meet using Telehealth by SimplePractice, which meets and/or exceeds all the business requirements of HIPPA, including the BAA. After you have completed all intake and consent paperwork, you will receive a secure link, which you will use to join our session. I will also send you a guide with information about the Simple Practice Client Portal and Telehealth meetings.

You will need a laptop, cell phone, ipad, or other electronic device that has internet access, video capabilities, and a speaker. It is also helpful if you can set up a space that fosters a sense of safety and comfort for our meetings, such as by sitting in a private location, choosing a comfy chair, lighting your favorite candle, sipping tea, and so on. We can discuss fostering a therapeutic space, privacy, and any other concerns you may have during our consultation call or in our first meeting.

How does building our therapeutic relationship work when we are meeting virtually?

Many of us have become more familiar with meeting virtually in recent years. However, I realize that meeting with a new therapist can feel like such a leap of faith, and that certain senses of connection are impacted by meeting virtually - especially if we have never met before in person. Yet many clients are finding that teletherapy, while different in some ways from meeting in person, is not only possible but that it also includes some benefits - including more flexible scheduling, less time needed for childcare, no commute, and more. In our first meeting/s, we will further discuss the process of building a safe and authentic therapeutic relationship virtually. We can discuss any concerns you may have, and will together find ways to move forward in fostering a supportive and trusting space for you to grow.

How does payment work?

I am in network with BCBS PPO, United/Optum, and AETNA, and also accept private pay clients. If you are private pay/out of network, I can provide you with superbills for our sessions, which you can then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement if you so choose.

When you complete opening paperwork, you will also provide me with your credit card information, and you will be automatically billed after each session.

What is your cancellation policy?

If you are unable to attend your session, please cancel within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment. Otherwise, you will be charged your full regular fee. (Please note that insurance companies do not reimburse for cancellation fees.)

However, I understand that life happens, and that occasionally an unexpected illness or emergency will arise. If this happens, please let me know, and we can discuss making an exception to the cancellation fee. My hope is that we mutually respect one another’s time as well and acknowledge that we each do the best that we can - and that includes sometimes needing to cancel.