Frequently Asked Questions

I work with emerging and established adults—think mid 20s onward—and focus on three main buckets: trauma, anxiety, and major life changes.

I enjoy working with both men and women. While I may do joint sessions with a family member or partner/spouse on occasion, I am not a couples or family therapist. My sweet spot is the one-on-one work individually.

I offer day time sessions on weekdays. I currently do not have availability for evening or weekend appointments.

While I’m based out of Chicago, I don’t offer in-person sessions right now—I’m fully telehealth. That means you can meet with me from anywhere in Illinois, with the comfort and flexibility that comes with logging in from your own space.

If you have a computer, phone, or tablet and a solid Wi-Fi connection, you’re all set for online therapy. I hold sessions through a secure, HIPAA-compliant client portal.

Our work actually begins before we even meet. Once we’ve scheduled your first session, I’ll send over some intake paperwork for you to complete ahead of time. These questions are designed to help you reflect on what’s been going on and to give me a clearer picture of your background and current needs. That way, we can make the most of our time together from the very start.

During the first session, we’ll talk through what’s bringing you to therapy—your current stressors, how they show up in your life, and how you’ve been coping. We’ll look at your existing supports, identify any gaps, and begin shaping some initial treatment goals to give us a roadmap for our work together. You can expect me to ask plenty of high-level questions, and the tempo of the first session tends to move a bit faster as I gather information to get a full picture of your situation. There will be plenty of time to slow down and go deeper in future sessions.

This first session is also your chance to get a feel for me and my approach. It’s a no-pressure space for you to see whether it feels like a good fit. If you decide I’m not the right therapist for you, I’m always happy to provide referrals to other clinicians. Finding the right match is so important—your time, energy, and financial investment deserve to be in a space that truly fits.

Understandably, this varies from person to person. One thing I value in my work with clients is being clear from the start—setting goals together so we both know what progress looks like and when our work may be coming to a close. Some people come to therapy looking for focused, short-term support around a specific issue. Others are hoping to dig deeper—working through long-standing patterns or more complex pain that takes time and space to process. And some simply appreciate having a consistent space for reflection and growth as part of their ongoing self-care.

In most cases, I recommend meeting weekly for the first 4–6 weeks. This gives us time to explore what’s bringing you in, understand the factors impacting you, and establish clear treatment goals. It also helps us build the trust and connection needed for deeper therapeutic work.

After that, some clients continue weekly sessions, while others move to a biweekly pace. Ultimately, we’ll collaborate to find what frequency best fits your needs and goals.

The initial intake session is $215, which runs a bit longer and involves extra preparation and follow-up on my end as I get to know you, review your history, and map out a plan for our work together.

Ongoing 50-minute sessions are $185. 

Longer sessions, such as 1.5hr/2hr blocks are available at my hourly rate of $185.

Payment is due at the time of service. I accept HSA/FSA cards, credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers, such as Zelle. Regardless of how you choose to pay, a valid credit or debit card is required to be on file for missed appointments or late cancellations.

I do not accept insurance but am considered an out-of-network (OON) provider.

So, why not take insurance? There’s a few reasons…

To protect your privacy
Insurance companies often require diagnoses, treatment summaries, and periodic reviews to approve coverage. Not using insurance allows us to keep your information between us—no labels required unless they feel clinically helpful.

So we can focus on your goals, not their timelines
Insurance tends to decide how often we meet, how long therapy “should” take, or what’s considered medically necessary. By staying out of network, we can move at the pace that feels right for you, without rushing or stopping before you’re ready.

Therapy stays more flexible and personalized
We get to choose the approaches, length of sessions, and the kind of support you need without having to fit everything into an insurance checklist.

You may still get reimbursed
Even though I’m out-of-network, many clients receive partial reimbursement. I partner with Thrizer to make the process easier—they handle the paperwork for you and help you understand what your plan will cover.

If you want to explore out-of-network benefits more, I break it down in the next FAQ.

When you think of seeing a therapist that is “in-network” that means that provider has a contract with your insurance company. They agree to a certain reimbursement rate as well as agreeing to limits they set on how many sessions per year, what kinds of services they will reimburse, etc.

As an out-of-network provider (OON), I don't have that contract, so you would usually pay my full fee upfront at the time of service. However, the good news is that most PPO plans still offer out-of-network benefits, which means a significant portion of what you pay can be reimbursed to you directly by your insurance company after you submit a claim form and meet your out-of-network deductible.

This means that while the process is a little different, you can still use your insurance benefits to help cover the cost of sessions with me. I can provide you with a "superbill" (an itemized receipt of services) that has all the necessary information for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

If navigating insurance feels overwhelming, you can use a service like Thrizer. They can check your OON benefits, submit claims for you, and even provide direct reimbursement once your deductible is met. They charge a small percentage for this service, but many clients find it well worth the time and hassle.

At this time, I do not offer a sliding scale. I understand that therapy can be a significant financial investment, and I want clients to have access to care that fits their budget.

If you’re looking for lower-cost options, you may find helpful resources through Open Path Collective, finding in-network providers through your insurance plan, or check out local private practices or universities that have clinical interns.

I’m happy to still connect and talk through your options to help direct you to services that make the most sense for your situation, including checking out any out-of-network (OON) benefits your insurance plan includes. OON benefits vary between insurance carriers and policies, but many people don’t even know they may have benefits that could apply towards seeing an OON provider like myself.

Life happens — I get it. I just ask for at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a session. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice (or no-shows) are charged the full session fee and cannot be submitted to insurance for reimbursement.

Under federal law, A Good Faith Estimate (GFE) tells you what your therapy sessions are likely to cost before you start. You can request one from me or any provider, and it helps you plan ahead. If you ever receive a bill $400 or more than the estimate, you have the right to dispute it.

For more info, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.