Start Therapy
If this is your first visit to my website and you’ve stumbled onto this page without knowing anything about me or my services, I’d like to point you to the navigation menu at the top of the website. Most of your questions will be answered under the Specialties tab, the About tab and the FAQs tab.
If you’re ready to book your initial session, please follow the steps below.
Step 1: Submit your initial intake form.
This form is your chance to tell me what matters to you.
Telling me what brings you to therapy is a great way to see if I’m the right fit for your needs. Here's your chance to tell me what's been weighing on you, what sorts of changes you're hoping for, how you work best, and what kinds of qualities you find helpful in a therapist. This is your space to be honest about what you need.
You will receive a response from me within 24 hours of receiving your form. If you don’t see my email, please check your spam folder. If you don’t see an email from me in your spam folder, please send me a text and let me know so we can troubleshoot.
Step 2: Complete the intake forms.
Let's be honest.
Everyone's least favorite part of starting therapy is reading and filling out the intake documents. I get it, but it's necessary in order for me to ensure that you receive a high quality of care.
If possible, I recommend that you leave yourself a few days to read through and sign everything. Don’t try to memorize anything. I’m happy to provide you with a copy of any agreement you sign. We’ll go over the informed consent agreement and practice policies during your initial appointment, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
I will send you links to the rest of your intake forms once I’ve read your initial intake form and agreed that I would be a good fit for your needs. Please note that you will not formally be considered a client of my practice until all intake forms have been completed. These forms include:
Informed consent agreement
Identity verification form
Financial agreement
Insurance opt-out form
Credit card authorization form
Biopsychosocial history
Step 3: Create your login credentials.
Create your personal sign-in credentials for using teletherapy securely. You will need to either remember them or store them somewhere no one else can find them, and be able to retrieve them when needed. These credentials will include a username and passwords, passcodes, and/or passphrases.
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Password:
A combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, generally 6-20 characters. The more characters and the more variety, the safer the password.
Passphrase:
Typically a short sentence, such as “I like blue bikes.”
Passcode:
Can be either a password or a passphrase.
Passwords, passphrases, and passcodes are case sensitive. You can find helpful tips on how to create safe passwords, passcodes, and passphrases in my HIPAA notice of privacy practices.
For my teletherapy practice, you will need three sign-in credentials:
An identity verification passcode (IVP). We use this code in sessions, forms, and communications so I can confirm that you are you and not someone posing as you to get access to your personal information. You will create the identity verification passcode (IVP) when you fill out your initial contact form. The IVP can be one word, a combination of words, or a short phrase. It should be easy for you to remember but not easy for someone who knows you to guess. You will also use this IVP to view encrypted emails. For details on how this works, please read my identity verification policies and procedures.
A password for your Gmail account (the Gmail address is your user name). This gives you access to your therapy records, your private e-library, and the HIPAA-secure Google Chat app, which we can use as a backup if the iPlum app is doing a service update. You will not share this password with me and should not share it with anyone else. You can use the Gmail account you’ve already got or set up a new one just for therapy-related emails. Note that personal gmail is not HIPAA-secure and should only be used for communications regarding appointments and payments, communications that are exempted from HIPAA rules in order to facilitate provision of services.
A password for signing into the iPlum app. We will use this app for texts, phone calls, and faxes, because it keeps our communications encrypted and HIPAA-secure. You will not share this password with me and should not share it with anyone else. Once I have received your initial contact form, I will send you a text with an invitation to connect via iPlum. That text will come to the mobile number you provide on your initial contact form, and you’ll be prompted to install the app. If you’d like additional information to help you get acclimated to the iPlum app, you’ll find it on my tech trainings page.
Step 4: Biopsychosocial History
Choose whether you would like to complete the biopsychosocial history before our first session or complete it with me during our first session. It’s up to you.
The purpose of the biopsychosocial history is to help me get a clear picture of where you're at, including what you've gone through up to now, what may have contributed to the circumstances that prompted you to seek therapy, and what problems you need to solve in your life. The more honest and thorough you are, the better equipped I will be to help you.
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Advantages of completing it before the first session:
It will save you time and money,because we can delve into therapy in your first session.
Reading your responses in advance of our first session makes it possible for me to prepare suggestions for your treatment plan at that first session.
If you decide to complete the biopsychosocial history before our first session, please note that it will take 1-2 hours to complete, depending on the detail in your answers. When possible, please send the completed form two days prior to your first session so I can review it thoroughly.
Advantages of completing it during the first session:
Completing the biopsychosocial history together gives us a chance to talk in depth about what has brought you to therapy.
The conversations that stem from your answers to the questions on your biopsychosocial history are an excellent time opportunity for us to start building our therapeutic relationship.
If you would prefer to complete this history with me in our first session, please note that the session will likely take longer. There will be no extra fee for the longer session time. However, I will need to set aside that extra time during our initial session, so please let me know in advance if that’s what you’d like to do.
Step 5: Schedule your initial session.
You will schedule all appointments directly through me via text and/or email. I will schedule your first session as soon as you have completed all of the intake forms.
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Your initial session includes more than the session:
First session: 60-120 minutes
Intake documents: Informed consent, good faith estimate, biopsychosocial history, initial assessments, clinical evaluation
Tech orientation and setup: HIPAA-compliant text, email, phone, and video conferencing, getting in touch
Planning: Scheduling, session frequency, treatment plan, emergency management plan, payment method
Discussion about the customized therapeutic content I will include in your personalized, private e-library. See my FAQs page to learn what’s in your e-library.
Talking: We will spend time talking about what’s on your mind.
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Based on the preferences you checked on your initial contact form, I will send you date and time options for our first session.
Our first session will be anywhere from 60-120 minutes, so be sure to set aside two hours for your appointment. The initial session fee is the same whether we meet for one hour or two.
Your appointment is not confirmed until payment is received (Exception: Open Path clients will pay at the start of each session). Payment must be received no later than 24 hours before the scheduled appointment or the appointment will be canceled. I will send you a payment link when you schedule.
I will send you a session link once I receive notification confirming your payment.
When you pay for your initial session, you will be prompted to save your payment information in Square's secure payment system. Saving it at that time means we won’t have to spend time setting it up during your initial session.
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.