FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I schedule appointments Monday – Thursday starting at 8:00 in the morning and ending at 5:00 in the evening. I also have occasional availability on Saturdays.

Initially, appointments are scheduled weekly at the same time for every session if possible. This helps build consistency and a good foundation for our work together.

Later in the process, we may decide to meet less often depending on your needs.

If you call during business hours and I don’t answer, I am likely with a patient and will return your call later that day. Calls received after hours will be returned the next day.

I work with adults of all ages.

I also see adolescents starting at age 16. At this time, I do not work with adolescents struggling with eating disorders or significant substance abuse issues.

Sessions can be scheduled for:

• 60 minutes (55-minute session and 5 minutes for therapist’s notes)
• 90 minutes (85-minute session and 5 minutes for therapist’s notes)
• 120 minutes (115-minute session and 5 minutes for therapist’s notes)

I suggest that couples schedule at least 90-minute sessions. It really helps to have more time when there are more people in the room.

Please note your appointment will occasionally be scheduled on the quarter-hour. I try to leave 15-20 minutes between appointments for note writing as well as sanitizing hard surfaces and to limit the number of people in the waiting area due to Covid-19 concerns.

I really dislike paperwork, so I keep it as simple and efficient as possible. Once we have picked a time to meet, I will send a link to your email that will allow you to set up a client portal. You can sign consent forms, read over my policies, complete a brief intake form, and set up automatic payment options.

Once you are set up with the portal, you may also schedule future appointments through the portal.

Sessions that are not canceled within 24 hours will be charged the full session rate. Your time is reserved just for you, and others are waiting for available openings.

This fee is your responsibility and cannot be billed to insurance.

I accept cash, check, credit/debit card, or HSA cards. Credit charging can be done through the client portal via Stripe or in-person credit charges with Square. I can send you invoices and statements electronically for your records – the frequency is your choice.

I am a provider for BC/BS of Kansas and file claims electronically. You are responsible for co-pay at the time of service.

I am considered out-of-network for all other insurance companies. If your insurance is a PPO, you may have benefits that will provide some coverage. It is your responsibility to contact them to ask if they offer this type of reimbursement for behavioral health outpatient services.

I can provide you with a form called a Superbill that has the information needed (including a diagnosis) to submit to your insurance company. You can do this on their website, or I have some clients who prefer using the Reimbursify app. I am a registered provider with them and receive no financial compensation when you use the app.

You are responsible for paying at the time of service with the options mentioned above.

There are some downsides to using insurance coverage for our sessions. Insurance is based on a medical model, so I am required to provide a diagnosis. That diagnosis becomes a part of your permanent medical database and may impact life insurance rates or security clearances.

There is also a loss of some confidentiality in that the insurance company may request part of your records, and I have no control over how that information is handled once I release it to them.

In addition to the option of telehealth sessions, steps have been taken to minimize risk within the office. I have a separate entrance to my office, not shared by other businesses, and a private restroom.

The layout of the office is spacious enough so that proper social distancing can be maintained in the waiting area and the therapy office. Hand sanitizer, masks, and disinfectant wipes are readily available.

The medical recommendations and legal mandates are evolving through the Covid-19 crisis. I strive to follow the most current recommendations in an effort to protect your health and safety as well as my own. I have chosen to keep my office open as a viable and safe alternative for those that experience teletherapy as a diminished experience of the therapeutic connection.

Because you are seeking true expertise. I offer gold-standard academic and professional credentials that reflect specialized knowledge and competence that help people build trust and feel at ease.

I have over 30 years of experience to share with you, and I am willing to talk about anything you need to talk about. After so many years of being alive and working in this field, I’m unshockable. So, no need to keep anything in the shadows.

You are safe with me.

Sometimes it will be, but not always. Like any important relationship, the intensity will ebb and flow depending on our focus. It is important to remember that you are in control of this process – how fast we go, how deep we dive, and what we explore together.

I will structure the time in such a way so that you have some emotional closure before we end a session.

Some clients like to jot down notes before coming in to help them remember issues to explore, and some people also bring in a notebook to take notes regarding things that stand out for them during a session.

You will likely be surprised at how much we laugh during our time together. It is sometimes needed to balance out the intensity.

My experience has taught me that most people carry huge amounts of shame and self-judgment. For me to add to that already heavy burden is non-productive and would impair our connection.

My goal is to offer compassion, sensitivity, and a refuge from shame.

My Christian faith is an essential part of who I am. Regardless of your particular tradition or absence of tradition, I believe an essential aspect of all humans is our consideration of existential concerns.

The worldview we have chosen permeates our everyday life. So, I promise to meet my patients where they are regarding existential issues.

I have no agenda about changing your beliefs and am very willing to explore this part of your life if that is important to you.

A new box of Hot Tamales or Red Hots with a new book waiting to be read. I prefer the real thing with binding and that paper smell, but a Kindle will do in a pinch.

When I am not exploring the back roads of people’s minds, I like to travel or think about traveling. I have lived in Antwerp, Belgium, for a year as an exchange student; the very southern tip of India for five months; and celebrated my 50th birthday by driving 1300 miles around Ireland with a dear friend.

Long-term goals are to experience Greece and Southern France. In the short term, I enjoy heading to the mountains of Colorado or visiting family and friends on the East Coast.

Something with interior design and remodeling homes. I love reclaiming and reconfiguring a structure, creating amazing beauty and better functionality. Fostering beauty in the world is a high priority for me. I have a talent for seeing potential and hidden treasures in humans and outdated 70’s ranches.