FAQ

Are You Doing In-Person Sessions?

I am seeing fully vaccinated clients for in-person sessions in my office in Ridgeland on Tuesdays. As of 2023, fully vaccinated means having received at least one booster. For your safety, the safety of my other clients, as well as for the health of the other therapists in the office and their clients I am unable to see clients in the office who are not fully vaccinated. I do offer telehealth video sessions for those who are unvaccinated or would prefer not to come in to the office.

How Do I Make An Appointment?

Visit the Appointments page to see if I am accepting new clients and set up a consultation call. You can also call the office 769-224-4234 or email me.

How Many Sessions Will I Need?

This will be different for every client, depending on what is going on with you. A typical therapy appointment reoccurs once a week. It can be as few as 6 sessions/6 weeks. When you come in for your first appointment we can discuss this, if it is a concern for you. 

How Long
is the Appointment?

The sessions I offer last 50-55 minutes.

Please always call or text if you are going to be late. If you will be more than ten minutes late, the appointment will need to be rescheduled so that you do not miss out on the benefit of your full appointment. The late cancellation fee applies if you are late and not able to reschedule for the same week in which your appointment was initially scheduled.

Do You Offer Online Video Sessions?

Yes! I provide online sessions to anyone residing in the state of Mississippi. My practice uses a secure, HIPAA compliant video platform to make sure that your virtual sessions are confidential. Most insurance companies pay for online therapy the same way they do face-to-face so typically, you will have only your usual copay.

Do You Offer Sessions Over the Phone, Email, or By Text?

No. Phone sessions are not covered by most/any insurance providers. Text message or email are not ideal ways to conduct a session. Neither is covered by any insurance providers. Also, because so much of communication is non-verbal, email and text are not appropriate or ethical ways of providing therapy. Texting is also not secure or HIPAA compliant so I use texting and email ONLY for scheduling and schedule changes of existing clients.

How Do Online Sessions Work?

It can be intimidating if you are not familiar with it but virtual therapy is really easy! At least one day before your therapy session you will receive an email with a link. If you have already installed Zoom, all you do is click on the link. If you have not installed Zoom before, you will be prompted to install it. You can attend appointments from any computer or tablet that has audio and video capabilities or from your smartphone.

 It is best to attend your online appointments from a safe, secure place where you can feel comfortable talking freely and not be concerned about others overhearing. 

What Will My First Session Be Like?

Your first appointment is an opportunity to get to know the therapist as much as it is for me to get to know you! You will receive some basic paperwork by email that you will fill out prior to the appointment. If you have insurance, you upload a photo of your insurance card. We will go over the paperwork and then I will ask some questions about what brings you to therapy.

If you have questions or concerns, this is a great time to ask them. If for some reason you feel uncomfortable, like we don’t “mesh” well or just don’t hit it off then you are not obligated to come in for future appointments. Sometimes you might feel like one therapist’s style isn’t quite right for you and that is ok! Professionals know that it is not personal. 

Are Therapy Sessions Confidential?

Yes. For adults coming to therapy, what is said in the session is confidential. Your information is protected by HIPAA. If you wish for a therapist to speak to your doctor or anyone else you will have to sign an information release. The situations where information is not confidential are: abuse or neglect of a child; abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult such as an elderly person; if you are a danger to yourself; or if you are a danger to others. An example of a danger to others would be if a client stated in session a credible threat toward someone like: “I am going to shoot my boss.” An example of danger to yourself is if you have suicidal ideation with a plan, such as: “I have a bottle of pills hidden at home in case I need them.” In the rare occurrence that something is said in session that I feel I am mandated to report it, I will discuss the situation with you during the session.

Examples of things that are not a danger to others and will be kept confidential are:

• cheating in a relationship
• past crimes such as discussing an incident you were previously on trial for
• health status such as a diagnosis of cancer you do not want to discuss with family yet
• common fears like “am I good parent?” or “am I bad husband?”
• identification as LGBTQIA, involvement in kink/BDSM, polyamory, or other things that you might not want to discuss publicly or with family & friends.

These are just a few examples but confidentiality is not only an ethical obligation of therapists and counselors but also mandated by law in most states. We take it very seriously. In order for therapy to be a safe space you have to feel comfortable sharing things that you might not feel comfortable talking about in other settings. Confidentiality is also maintained by office staff and other therapists or counselors that you may encounter in the office.

How Long Have You Been In Practice?

I have been working in the mental health field since 2011. I began working as a therapist in 2015 after I finished graduate school and became licensed. For more information about me, please visit the About page. 

How Much Are Sessions?

I accept insurance and am in network with the following providers:

Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare.

With any in network insurance you pay a copay after your deductible is met, just like you would with a medical doctor.

Some insurance companies allow you to use out of network benefits. When you do that, you pay the full free upfront and I provide you a receipt that you send to your insurance company and they reimburse you directly for a portion of the fees. No surprises act disclosure is available here.

My session fee for a 50-55 session is $200 for individuals. I do not see couples or families. For those attending by telehealth I offer a private pay discount of $100 per session for those who do not have insurance or who have insurance that I am not in network with.

If you do not have insurance, financial assistance is available through Open Path. I keep a limited number of sessions each week for Open Path clients, please contact me to make sure I have appointments available prior to joining.

When Are Appointments Available?

I see clients Monday through Thursday 8:30am-5pm. In-office appointments are available only on Tuesdays. My first appointment of the day is 8:30am and my last appointment of the day is 3:45pm.

Do you have evening or weekend appointments?

At this time I do not offer appointments later than 4pm or weekend appointments.   

Where Is Your Office Located?

I see clients via telehealth and at my office in Ridgeland, MS. Please visit the Locations page for addresses, maps, and parking information.

Are your offices ADA compliant or accessible to those in wheelchairs?

Yes, my office in Ridgeland has a wheelchair accessible entrance although the main entrance does have steps. If steps are an issue for you, please let me know when we book the appointment and I can direct you to the accessible door.

Does your office have gender neutral restrooms?

The suite where my office is located has locking single-stall restrooms that are marked with gender signs. However, I encourage people to use whichever restroom they feel best reflects their gender identity and makes them feel most comfortable.

Do you work with the LGBTQ community? Have you seen trans clients before?

I do work with many clients who are part of the LGBTQ community. This includes transgender clients and those who are non-binary. I believe that everyone deserves access to mental health services and should not have to be afraid that who they are will be an issue when they need help for depression, anxiety, etc.

I do not think that your sexual orientation is something that needs to be addressed in therapy unless it is part of what you are coming to therapy for. Often heterosexism (homophobia) in our families and in society does impact a person’s mental health. I can help you navigate a family and society that believes there is something wrong with you. There is no such thing as “fixing” an LGBTQ person through treatment because they are not broken. All professional organizations related to psychology and counseling have officially opposed “conversion” and other such therapies. So-called conversion or “reparative” therapies are not only unethical but they are extremely harmful and many are a form of psychological torture.

Do you work with couples?

I do not see couples for counseling but I can refer you to a couple’s counselor. I have professionals on my referral list who are LGBTQ+ affirming and work with LGBTQ+ couples.

My minor child is coming to therapy, what should I expect?

The first session you will usually both meet with the therapist briefly so that you can share what is going on with your child from your/the family’s perspective. If the child wishes, the parent may sit in for the first session while they become comfortable. Typically after about ten minutes I will ask the parent to step out and wait in the waiting area for the duration of the session. While confidentiality does not apply the same way for minors as it does for adults, I will discuss with you the need for confidentiality. I usually asks that parents allow the child to speak to me in confidence. This allows the child to be honest about what is going on in their life. Both parent and child will be told that if something comes up during the session(s) that I feel the parents need to know. I will ask the child for permission to bring the parent in to talk about it. However if the child declines and I feel it is necessary that the parents have the information, I will need to inform the parents either way.

Do you support Black Lives Matter?

Unequivocally, yes.

What if I realize during my session that the therapist knows _____?

During the session it might come to the attention of the client or the therapist that you have a mutual friend, family member, or something else that might be a dual relationship or boundary violation. Anything that might make you feel like you cannot be open and honest in therapy should be discussed and you might need to be referred to another therapist. Please feel free to say something as soon as you realize there is some sort of connection the therapist may not be aware of! An example of how this might occur could be that during the session as you are talking, the therapist might realize she has treated one of your family members in the past which could be a conflict of interest. It might come up that you work with the therapist’s sibling or spouse and these can be potential conflicts that should be discussed. If either the client or therapist feels that it would be a boundary issue then the best practice is to refer the client to another counselor.

Will you judge me?

Therapists and counselors are trained to treat our clients with “unconditional positive regard.” We are here to help you with whatever is going on in your life that you are struggling with. This is one setting where you do not need to worry about being judged. I have worked with clients from all walks of life – many different races, genders, and sexual orientations. Also, I have worked with registered sex offenders and people who have been convicted of felonies. I have treated people who didn’t graduate high school and people who have more degrees than I do! Off the top of my head I can’t think of anything I would judge a person for. I have even worked with people who are Dallas Cowboys fans! 😉