Frequently Asked Questions
What are your fees?
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes in access, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, inclusive work it is a value of mine to provide accessible services. I have adopted Kenya Crawford LMHC’s anti-oppressive rate structure. Fees can range from $98 to $198. There may also be some access to limited scholarship opportunities. Please answer the questions on the form below to determine your rate structure. (Adapted from the Anti-Oppression resource & training alliance)
Do you take insurance?
No, I do not take insurance. I support folx via an out-of-network, private pay practice and have been very thoughtful about this choice. I have highlighted some of the reasons for this below:
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Insurance based care typically requires a formal diagnosis, session limits, and standardized treatment plans often built for short terms symptom management. This is unfortunately a system that conflicts with what it can actually take to heal. Session limits are determined by the insurance company, and most the time by individual who do not have any clinical background or training. DBT is 6 month-1year long evidence-based modality. This work needs flexibility and pacing set by your nervous system.
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In order to be paid by insurance companies, therapists are required to share the client's diagnosis, treatment plan, and at time session notes to the insurance company. As a result, the client's private health information is shared with many more people than it would be paid out of pocket.
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The final reason has to do with therapist burn out and sustainability. It is a value of mine to show up to your session giving my full attention, support, and expertise. Additionally, part of the modality of DBT is that clients have access to phone coaching 24/7. In order to show up in a way that is aligned with my values, I prefer to not see more than 5 clients in day and not have more than 20 weekly people on my caseload at a time. Many insurance companies reimburse between $60 to $120 for a session. This is not a sustainable reimbursement rate for business expenses (rent, utilities, electronic record systems, website, liability insurance, continuing education, etc.). It also does not take into consideration the time spent outside of session on client care (connecting with other providers, preparing for sessions/group, clinical documentation, scheduling, billing, contact with clients between sessions via phone coaching, and non-billable consultation). The work ethic and presence I value bringing to my clients would be greatly compromised by increasing my caseload in order to meet costs of business and living expenses with insurance reimbursement. While I don't take insurance, I do believe in and advocate for access to services. I believe this is demonstrated by the anti-oppressive fee structure that I have adopted. I am always happy to chat about access and problem solve together.
I do provide superbills upon request that many folxs can submit to insurance for out of network reimbursement. Due to the limited number of comprehensive DBT Providers in CO, some insurance companies will allow for an in-network exception and reimburse the client with their in-network coverage. I am happy to share more about this with you during a phone consultation, so you are equipped with the language to use with the insurance company around this request.
What is the process of starting therapy with you?
I am more than happy to connect for a free 15-20 minute phone consultation to learn more about you and where additional support would be helpful. It is also an opportunity for me to answer any questions that you may have. If you would like to move forward, we would schedule a 50-minute initial appointment to dive in deeper to goals, hopes, and questions that you may have. I like to think about this as an opportunity for you to do a "vibe check" so to speak. Research shows that one of the most influential predicters of therapy being successful is the therapeutic relationship. It is important that you get a sense of me, my space, and how you feel in the room prior to making the commitment to ongoing therapy with me. If you would like to move forward after that initial meeting, we would set up an intake and create a collaborative treatment plan.