Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions regarding my approach to counseling and details about my practice.
Is therapy right for me?
The choice to enter therapy is a personal one. People begin counseling for a variety of reasons. Whether you hope to find guidance in the midst of a current crisis, need support for a child or for your family, want to work to change an ongoing behavior, look to address past pain, wish to process a loss, or strive to more deeply understand your own experiences, therapy can be a helpful place to begin. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in making change in their lives, anyone wishing to learn new ways of relating to yourself and others, anyone who is committed to working towards your own goals, and anyone seeking to realize health and growth. Therapy works best when you are an active participant in your own work. You do not have to do this work alone. I can help.
Is counseling with Kate a good fit for me?
I work with individual adults, children, and families around significant life transitions, including perinatal mental health, grief and loss, relational distress, and healing from childhood losses and traumas. Additionally, I work with women and families experiencing perinatal and postpartum depression and anxiety, in transitioning to parenthood, processing birth and trauma, pregnancy losses, and in healing during pregnancy and in the years following a new baby.
I believe in tailoring my therapeutic approach to each individual client’s needs, and blend my approach to best fit your unique needs. I bring my personality, empathy, energy, humor, and strength to every counseling relationship. “Fit” between therapist and client is of critical importance in effectiveness of therapy. Research has shown that it is the relationship between client and therapist that matters most in your ability to undertake this work of change in counseling.
What is your fee for a 60-minute individual therapy appointment?
Rates: I charge $165 for a standard 60-minute session. The initial 90-minute intake session is $200.
Sliding Scale: My goal is to make counseling as accessible as possible while also sustaining my business. I maintain a sliding scale for clients who are committed to engaging in regular therapy, but are unable to afford my full rate. My sliding scale is between $115-$165 for 60-minute sessions and between $170-$200 for 90-minute sessions and for the Initial 90-minute Intake appointment. You can choose to pay my full rate, or you may select an amount within my sliding scale that feels right for you and that makes attending regular sessions financially sustainable.
I meet with clients for 60 minutes.We will use the last 5-10 minutes of session for wrapping up, scheduling, and payment. I occasionally raise my rates by a small margin in order to keep up with standard business costs in Portland and in accordance with my growing qualification and experience. If my rates will be going up, I give clients at least 1 months’ notice.
How do I pay for sessions?
I accept cash, checks, major credit cards, and HAS/FSA cards. Payment is due at the time of service. I keep a credit card on file for each client and can charge this card automatically following our sessions. Otherwise, I accept payment at the beginning or end of sessions, depending on what you prefer.
Do you accept insurance?
I am currently an In-Network/ Preferred Provider for the following insurance companies:
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Pacific Source Health Plans
CIGNA/ Evernorth
If I am out-of-network with your insurance company, my services may still be covered, depending on your out-of-network benefits. I am happy submit a claim on your behalf or give you a receipt called a “super bill” that you can submit to your insurance company for out of network reimbursement for services; however, I do not guarantee reimbursement by your insurance company.
Are you seeing clients in-person or via Telehealth?:
Therapy services are provided online via a private and secure Telehealth platform. Therapist has limited options for in-person sessions. Please indicate preference for in-person or Telehealth.
How long does therapy last?
Change takes time. The change that lasts longest often takes longer to achieve. We will work together to determine what course of therapy makes the most sense for you. You are in charge of how long therapy lasts. Some clients come to therapy for a short time to address a specific behavior or need, and this is done in a few months. Other clients wish to work on things that take a longer time to address. Therapy can last from a few months to years. I prefer to work with clients for at least three months. I feel that this gives a minimum amount of time necessary to start seeing the impacts from our work. I recommend beginning with weekly appointments in order to establish momentum, clarify goals, and help support change happening more quickly. This said, I am always open to arrangements that work best for you. We will work together to determine what course of therapy will be most helpful and appropriate to address your unique goals. You are in control of when you wish to begin and end therapy. We will continue to check in throughout our time together to assess how you are feeling about progress on your goals.
Are our sessions confidential?
Client privacy is of the utmost importance in therapy. All communications between client and therapist are confidential and protected. No information is disclosed to any other party without prior written permission from the client. There are a few exceptions to confidentiality, due to safety, emergency situations, and legal circumstances:
1) Reporting possible abuse or neglect- a therapist is mandated by law to report any known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult;
2) Reporting imminent danger to client- a therapist will take all necessary precautions to keep a client safe if they report that they intend to harm themselves. This may mean disclosing information to a loved one, a doctor, or another necessary party;
3) Reporting imminent danger to others- a therapist will notify the police and/or the targeted person if a client discloses that they plan to physically harm another person;
4) Reporting information required in court proceedings or by client’s insurance company, or other relevant agencies;
5) Defending claims brought by client against myself or my practice;
6) Providing information concerning licensee case consultation or supervision. Supervisors are bound by the same obligations of confidentiality as I am; and
7) Assisting in the event of a medical emergency while receiving professional services- if there is a medical emergency in the middle of a session, it is likely some identifying information and confidentiality would be breached.
What kind of paperwork is involved to get started?
I utilize a secure, HIPAA-compliant, Electronic Health System for scheduling, billing, and storing your health records. Once we determine that you would like to begin counseling services with me, you will receive an email containing a secure link to complete paperwork before our first session. Completing this paperwork should take 10-20 minutes. By filling out this information, you will help ensure that we best utilize our time at our first meeting. You will also have the opportunity to review my Professional Disclosure Statement and my practice policies. At our first meeting, we will review paperwork together to ensure we are on the same page, and that I have all necessary information to provide you the best possible care. Please contact me with any questions regarding paperwork.
When are you available for sessions?
I am in the office Monday-Thursday. I offer morning, mid-day, and afternoon sessions, depending on the day. I do my best to be available to my clients between sessions for brief checkins in the case of emergency. It may take me up to two business days to return calls or emails. For crises or emergencies, I ask clients to contact Multnomah County Crisis Line at 503-988-4888, in order to get the support you need. From time to time, I will take vacation time. I do my best to inform you of vacations at least 2 weeks before I will be gone. During my time away, my goal is to be accessible by email, though this is not always possible. If I will be unreachable, I always provide emergency contact information for crisis services, my supervisor, and another trusted, available colleague.
What is your cancellation policy?
I ask for at least 24 hours notice for cancellations. Otherwise, I will bill you the full fee for the missed appointment. I hold your appointment time just for you, and I do not offer it to others who may want that time. My business depends on my clients coming to appointments. If you have an emergency, I use my discretion regarding enforcing my cancellation policy. If you cancel but I have availability to allow us to reschedule within the same business week, I will not bill you for the cancellation. If you miss an appointment without getting in touch or cancelling ahead of time, you will be billed for the missed appointment, and I will charge the card on file at the time of the session.
Family Therapy Considerations
I do not work with families in which there is currently active abuse or violence between family members. This is because it is not safe for family members to engage in family therapy while there is active violence or abuse taking place between members engaged in counseling. In these situations, I recommend individual counseling first, in order to establish support for family members and to assess for safety considerations.
In order for a child to begin the counseling process with me, I will first require sessions with both legal/ custodial parents in order to begin counseling process. Both custodial parents must give consent in order for child to participate in therapy. There are instances where therapist will agree to meet individually with each parent, rather than meeting together; however, both parents must agree to counseling and be willing to participate in sessions with therapist. I believe that the effectiveness of therapy is significantly undermined when parents are unwilling to participate.
I do not offer custody counseling or provide custody evaluations.
Contact me to set up a free 20-minute consultation. Together, we can determine if I am a good fit for you.