Together, we’ll explore the challenges you’re facing, identify patterns that may be impacting your well-being, and work toward building tools that empower you to navigate life's ups and downs. Our sessions will be a space for you to gain clarity, cultivate resilience, and move forward with more confidence and balance.

I ask that my clients actively engage in the therapeutic process. This might include reflecting on our conversations between sessions, trying out new strategies, or practicing self-awareness in everyday situations. Engaging in therapy helps create lasting change and supports your growth, both in and outside of our sessions.

I offer free 15 minute consultations over phone or video, giving us a chance to connect and discuss what you’re looking for in therapy. This brief conversation allows us to explore whether my approach aligns with your needs and goals. It's also a time for you to ask questions about the therapy process, my style, and how we might work together.

If you reach out for a consultation, I will ask you complete a short pre-consultation questionnaire. The purpose of this is to help me schedule a time that works for both of us and it will serve as a guide to our initial conversation. This questionnaire is not mandatory so if there are barriers to it or you simply don’t feel comfortable with it, we can find a workaround!

After our consultation, if we both feel good about working together, we will schedule a first session. You will receive intake documents to review and forms to fill out. This is required to be completed before the first session. These include important details about my practice, policies, informed consents, and questionnaires that will provide me with a deeper understanding of your background to better support your needs.

If a diagnosis is necessary for your services or it is something you are seeking, we will work together in a collaborative process to ensure that any diagnosis is made with full transparency and understanding, in order to determine which best defines you and your circumstances.

I aim for my space to be a place where you can be yourself, and engage in therapy authentically. I encourage my clients to come as they are – whether that means showing up in comfortable clothes, expressing difficult emotions without reservation, or simply letting go of the need to 'perform'.

Feel free to truly make yourself at home in other ways – bring your own blanket, put your feet up, take your shoes off, bring a snack or your lunch to enjoy during session. Please do what will help you settle in and feel at ease. You might even catch me taking off my shoes! (With your permission, of course.)

If you find it helpful to move or fidget, I have a variety of fidget toys available. I use fidgets and move about myself in sessions. Feel free to move around as you need as well – whether that's fidgeting, stretching, or even getting up to pace a bit. Whatever helps you feel comfortable and present is welcome here.

Additionally, humor is an important part of my approach. I believe that laughter can be a powerful tool for connection and healing. While we'll explore important and sometimes challenging aspects, we'll also find moments of lightness and laughter.

My therapy space is where you can step out of the confines of daily life and explore your inner world freely.

YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS (OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)

When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.

What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?

When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs,     such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care - like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.

You Are Protected From Balance Billing For:

Emergency services: If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable  condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.

Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center: When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections  not to be balance billed. If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance  bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:

You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.

Your health plan generally must:

 o   Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).

 o   Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.

 o   Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.

 o   Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

 If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact: The Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists: (503) 378-5499 or lpct.board@mhra.oregon.gov

Visit https://www.cms.gov/files/document/model-disclosure-notice-patient-protections-against-surprise-billing-providers-facilities-health.pdf for more information about your rights under Federal law.

Visit https://www.oregon.gov/oblpct/pages/index.aspx for more information about your rights under the state of Oregon.

Note:

This document was originally written by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (December 2021) and posted on their website. The No Surprises Law has already seen several revisions, so it is subject to change. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2021). Standard Notice and Consent Documents Under the No Surprises Act (For use by nonparticipating providers and nonparticipating emergency facilities beginning January 1, 2022). https://www.cms.gov/files/document/standard-notice-consent-forms-nonparticipating-providers-emergency-facilities-regarding-consumer.pdf