NOTE: Online therapy is not appropriate if you feel suicidal or for other emergencies. If you need immediate help or are suicidal, click here for free help.
AVAILABLE SERVICES & FEES
I offer counseling via office visits, house calls (for shut-ins and others), phone, online (Google Talk), or by secure email.
One of the many advantages of living in rural New York State is that I can make good therapy available at a price affordable for nearly everyone.
Our initial consultation will be free because I believe you must be sure that I am the right person for you to work with before therapy can meaningfully begin. The first step is to contact me to make an appointment for your free initial consultation.
After our first consultation, my fees are based are adjusted according to your income. My standard fee for email consultation is $20/email. Fees for group work are based on $25/hour. (See the discussion of "Sliding-Scale Fees" below.)
All fees are paid at the time of service. Or, if a phone or online consultation is scheduled, I prefer receiving a check or PayPal prior to the appointment. I will e-mail easy-to-follow directions for paying fees.
I do not accept insurance, basing my practice on "self pay."
(Double-click here for "8 Reasons Self-Pay Is Better for You"
Therapeutic Reasons
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You may not realize it, but insurance companies often dictate who may be counseled, what condition may be treated, and for how long. When you choose self-pay, you are in charge of these important decisions.
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With fewer concerns raised by insurance companies, you may be more comfortable in counseling — leading to a more successful result, faster.
Financial Reasons
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Because I do not answer to insurance companies, I do not need to hire a receptionist, billing clerk, or bookkeeper. I can keep my overhead low. So I have more flexibility to match my fees to your budget. I also have more time to spend with you.
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With family-friendly sliding scale fees, I can often times accept your insurance co-pay as all you need pay.
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You have no deductible to pay — and you won't use up your benefits in case you need them for an emergency.
Confidentiality Reasons
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With no insurance company to notify, there is less chance that strangers will know your business.
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If you participate in an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), there is less chance your company will learn about your care.
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Because I do not need to hire staff, you can be more certain that no one in our small town will accidentally reveal confidential details about your life.
SLIDING SCALE FEES
I believe money should never stand in the way of good therapy. I also believe that my clients are adults and are well aware of what they can afford to pay. So I never request proof of income. I simply ask you to glance at the chart below. These are my suggestions for what you might pay depending on family income and size. When we meet for our free initial consultation, I trust you will suggest a fee that you and I can both work with. (All figures are in U.S. dollars.)
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Household Size: Adults & Dependents
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|
Household Income
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1-2
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3-4
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5+
|
|
< $25,000
|
$30
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$25,000
|
$30
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$26,000
|
$31
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$27,000
|
$32
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$28,000
|
$34
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$29,000
|
$35
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$30,000
|
$36
|
$30
|
$30
|
|
$31,000
|
$37
|
$31
|
$30
|
|
$32,000
|
$38
|
$32
|
$30
|
|
$33,000
|
$40
|
$33
|
$30
|
|
$34,000
|
$41
|
$34
|
$30
|
|
$35,000
|
$42
|
$35
|
$30
|
|
$36,000
|
$43
|
$36
|
$30
|
|
$37,000
|
$44
|
$37
|
$30
|
|
$38,000
|
$46
|
$38
|
$31
|
|
$39,000
|
$47
|
$39
|
$31
|
|
$40,000
|
$48
|
$40
|
$32
|
|
$41,000
|
$49
|
$40
|
$33
|
|
$42,000
|
$50
|
$42
|
$33
|
|
$43,000
|
$52
|
$43
|
$35
|
|
$44,000
|
$53
|
$44
|
$35
|
|
$45,000
|
$54
|
$45
|
$36
|
|
$46,000
|
$55
|
$36
|
$37
|
|
$47,000
|
$56
|
$47
|
$38
|
|
$48,000
|
$58
|
$48
|
$39
|
|
$49,000
|
$59
|
$49
|
$39
|
|
$50,000
|
$60
|
$50
|
$40
|
|
$51,000
|
$61
|
$51
|
$41
|
|
$52,000
|
$62
|
$53
|
$42
|
|
$53,000
|
$64
|
$53
|
$43
|
|
$54,000
|
$65
|
$54
|
$43
|
|
$55,000
|
$66
|
$55
|
$44
|
|
$56,000
|
$67
|
$56
|
$45
|
|
$57,000
|
$68
|
$49
|
$40
|
|
$58,000
|
$70
|
$58
|
$47
|
|
$59,000
|
$71
|
$59
|
$47
|
|
$60,000
|
$72
|
$60
|
$48
|
|
$61,000
|
$73
|
$61
|
$49
|
|
$62,000
|
$74
|
$62
|
$50
|
|
$63,000
|
$76
|
$63
|
$51
|
|
$64,000
|
$77
|
$64
|
$51
|
|
Household Income
|
1-2
|
3-4
|
5+
|
|
$65,000
|
$78
|
$65
|
$52
|
|
$66,000
|
$79
|
$66
|
$53
|
|
$67,000
|
$80
|
$67
|
$54
|
|
$68,000
|
$82
|
$68
|
$55
|
|
$69,000
|
$83
|
$69
|
$55
|
|
$70,000
|
$84
|
$70
|
$56
|
|
$71,000
|
$85
|
$71
|
$57
|
|
$72,000
|
|
$72
|
$58
|
|
$73,000
|
|
$73
|
$59
|
|
$74,000
|
|
$74
|
$59
|
|
$75,000
|
|
$75
|
$60
|
|
$76,000
|
|
$76
|
$61
|
|
$77,000
|
|
$77
|
$62
|
|
$78,000
|
|
$78
|
$63
|
|
$79,000
|
|
$79
|
$64
|
|
$80,000
|
|
$80
|
$64
|
|
$81,000
|
|
$81
|
$65
|
|
$82,000
|
|
$82
|
$66
|
|
$83,000
|
|
$83
|
$67
|
|
$84,000
|
|
$84
|
$68
|
|
$85,000
|
|
$85
|
$68
|
|
$86,000
|
|
|
$69
|
|
$87,000
|
|
|
$70
|
|
$88,000
|
|
|
$71
|
|
$89,000
|
|
|
$72
|
|
$90,000
|
|
|
$72
|
|
$91,000
|
|
|
$73
|
|
$92,000
|
|
|
$74
|
|
$93,000
|
|
|
$75
|
|
$94,000
|
|
|
$76
|
|
$95,000
|
|
|
$76
|
|
$96,000
|
|
|
$77
|
|
$97,000
|
|
|
$78
|
|
$98,000
|
|
|
$79
|
|
$99,000
|
|
|
$80
|
|
$100,000
|
|
|
$80
|
|
$101,000
|
|
|
$81
|
|
$102,000
|
|
|
$82
|
|
$103,000
|
|
|
$83
|
|
$104,000
|
|
|
$84
|
|
$105,000
|
|
|
$84
|
|
$106,000
|
|
|
$85
|
|