Private pay eliminates the need for me to share detailed records with insurance companies or other entities. This means your teen’s mental health information stays between us, ensuring greater confidentiality. Insurance often requires diagnostic codes, treatment plans, and progress reports to be submitted, which can feel invasive for some families and does not benefit treatment. Private pay psychotherapy also provides increased protection against legal proceedings like subpoenas or a judge's order. Insurance companies have policies for complying or not complying with these legal proceedings that you may not agree with. In my private practice, I ONLY share what you explicitly agree should be shared. There are only 3 safety-related exceptions listed on the Fees and Policies page. If legal force is applied intended to coerce me into sharing my patient's information I respond by engaging my practice's attorneys who have successfully defended my patient's rights to confidentiality in the past. If the legal defense fails and I am expected to share information against the will of my patients I am willing to accept the consequences of noncompliance including fees and jail time in accordance with the oath I took as a psychotherapist to protect my patients above all else. My patients' clinical information is sacred to me and I take the responsibility of protecting it very seriously. 

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You should also be aware that under certain future circumstances, your teenager may find themselves in a position to be expected to sign away their privacy rights and willingly share their medical and mental health records as a condition for things like gaining government or military security clearance or even being eligible for certain employment opportunities. If your teenager's mental health treatment was done under the superior protections of a private psychotherapist they can trust that having received psychotherapy in the past will not count against them in the future. 

Private psychotherapy with me means that you will never have to deal with a third party about your teenager's treatment. Whenever you have a question, need to reschedule an appointment, or want to discuss treatment, you always communicate directly with me. There are no separate office managers, schedulers, message deliverers, or billing professionals. We handle everything between us in person, via phone or text, or with secure email. 

With private pay, you and I have the freedom to tailor the counseling process to your teen’s unique needs. Insurance often dictates the number of sessions or the types of therapy covered, which can disrupt the continuity or quality of care. Private pay offers the flexibility to work at your teen’s pace, focusing on their goals rather than meeting insurance requirements.

​Insurance companies typically require a formal mental health diagnosis for coverage. However, not every teen in counseling needs or wants a clinical diagnosis. Being your private psychotherapist enables me to treat any mental health issue your teenager may be experiencing while avoiding the stigma associated with a formal diagnosis and unnecessary labeling.

Insurance coverage is often geared toward resolving immediate symptoms or crises. Private pay allows me to work with teens on long-term personal growth, addressing underlying issues and building resilience for the future.

Although private pay requires an upfront financial commitment, it eliminates the surprise bills or denials of coverage that sometimes come with using insurance. I offer clear and predictable pricing, allowing you to budget confidently for your teen’s care. My fee increases once a year starting in January. The increase will not exceed 10%.