All sessions are held online via a secure platform. The secure platform is available as an app or in a browser.
How Does Payment Work for Therapy at Backdoor Counseling?
Backdoor Counseling is an Out of Network provider of mental health services. This means that if you are given a diagnosis by me, or another Out of Network Provider like myself, that personal information and diagnosis will stay between myself as your therapist, and you.
What Happens When I Use Insurance to Cover my Mental Health Needs?
This is different from if you were using your insurance for payment of your mental health therapy. To use your insurance, a therapist is required to give you a mental health diagnosis. The diagnosis given by the therapist serves to verify to your insurance company that therapy is needed.
With a diagnosis given, then your insurance may be willing to pay for your therapy, generally for a limited amount of sessions based on what your insurance thinks is needed for your condition and diagnosis.
When you are given a diagnosis while using your insurance, your diagnosis becomes a permanent part of your medical records. This may be helpful, or you may choose to have more privacy with your mental health needs.
Ok, I Didn't Know That, and I Would Like to Be Actively Involved in My Mental Health Care
This is different from your therapist making a clinical assessment of your needs for therapy. Many times clients benefit from a greater number of sessions than what insurance will offer. When using private pay therapists like myself, you control how many sessions you would like, and can better shape your goals to reflect what your needs are.
As your therapist, to better coordinate your care, I may suggest that you share your diagnosis and details about your therapy with your care provider. This can be done simply with a form that you sign called a "Release of Information" to that particular care provider. On that form you can specify what details you would like shared with your medical care provider.
Ok, Well, I Still Want to Use My Insurance
Many people can use their Flex Savings or Health Savings accounts to cover mental health services. In this case, a diagnosis is still required in order to issue a statement called a "Superbill". In this case, you pay for the mental health services and I will issue a document called a "Superbill" that you then submit to your insurance for them to reimburse you for a portion of the cost or the full payment depending on your policy.
All rates are Private Pay (out-of-network) - click here to learn more about what that means.
Individual Sessions
*Some people are ready to jump in and would like to begin with a longer session, for their first appointment. This longer session is called an "Intake Session." An intake is the first session.
At an Intake Session we talk about:
*What has brought you to therapy?
*What would you like to get out of therapy to know that it was helpful and met your needs?
*What goals do we notice that would be helpful?
*How often will we meet?
How Long is the First Appointment?
This first appointment is where we get to know each other and develop a therapy plan to address your goals. This is usually a longer, 90 minute session. You also have the option to start your therapy experience with a 50 minute session instead. The key difference is that having the intake allows for more information to be covered from the get-go. Some people may feel overwhelmed with a 90 minute session so if that is you, feel free to start with a 50 minute first appointment. You may choose which is a better fit for your needs.
Fees
- Intake: $200
- 50 min: $140
- 90 min: $200
Family/Couple Sessions
- 50 min: $160