I exclusively see clients who privately pay for therapy and other wellness services for themselves and their children with the exception of families with Medicaid and CHP+ through CCHA and Colorado Access/Health First Colorado. I have a philosophy that supports independence, autonomy, and privacy in mental health and wellness treatment and this is why I prefer to not bill insurance companies for my mental health services, in Colorado and otherwise.
I believe you and your child will grow and heal best in a safe environment. Because counseling is a vulnerable experience, I fiercely protect the information of my clients. The truth is, because insurance companies require use of an Electronic Medical Record, and can access this record along with treatment goals and diagnoses, insurance is not confidential. In addition, once a mental health diagnosis is on your medical record, documented by your insurance, it has the potential to come up in a federal background check.
Speaking of diagnosis… in order for a therapist to bill insurance for child and family therapy services in the State of Colorado, they must provide a diagnosis. Labeling people with diagnoses that could carry stigma is not something I prefer to do. While some children come to my practice with previously diagnosed ADHD or Anxiety, others are simply “acting out in school,” or “withdrawn and disconnected,” or “having difficulty focusing and sitting still,” or “experiencing something awful and can’t get past it.” The key here is: if a diagnosis is helpful for a family to access additional resources or to have a better understanding of the mental health challenges they’re facing, I’m happy to provide one. However, my clients never need to be labeled to benefit from therapy or other supports with me.
Finally, because my clients pay out of pocket for counseling, we get to decide together what their treatment should look like. Insurance companies like to dictate how many sessions for what length of time an individual should be seen (based on that diagnosis, by the way!). I prefer to collaborate with my clients in order to determine the length of sessions that are most appropriate, how frequent they should be, and how long we might take to achieve our goals together.
My rate for therapy sessions (which typically clock in at 45-55 minutes) is $150. If you require extended sessions, this amount is pro-rated to accommodate the time past the hour mark accordingly.
A percentage of each paid-in-full session fee goes toward a scholarship fund so that I may take on Reduced Fee and Pro Bono clients to further serve our shared community in and around Parker, Colorado. I encourage you to inquire with me directly if finances are a barrier to you and your family getting the support you need.