Therapist Profile

My Approach to Helping

My basic approach to psychotherapy starts with a firm conviction that all of my child and adult clients possess the intrinsic emotional and cognitive resources to understand and move beyond their difficulties. I also believe that my clients possess an innate and powerful drive towards health which moves the therapy forward.

I adopt a practical, client-informed approach. I take the time to get a sense of the unique internal culture and style with which you, your child, or your family presents in order to formulate potential interventions.

I believe that the ongoing dialogue (or play, if the client is a child) between client and therapist is an evolutionary one. The development of this dialogue is a crucial means of bringing to light and subsequently refining the thoughts and feeling states that undergird the client's presenting problem. As such, the therapeutic space in which the dialogue takes place is an open, safe, non-judgmental, and honest one. It is one in which I do not make assumptions and in which the client's words, not mine, set the stage for the therapeutic work that occurs.

I firmly believe that therapy should not last forever, nor seem to last forever. It has been my experience that many presenting concerns can be resolved satisfactorily over a relatively brief course of treatment. Others, of course, are more complicated or longstanding and require more time. In any event, the decision to end therapy is an important one (as is the decision to begin it). I believe that an open and ongoing dialogue about this decision, even some time prior to the actual end taking place, is an important component to the therapeutic process.

More Info About My Practice

My fees are as follows:

30 minute face-to-face initial consult: No charge
75 minute (approximate) initial diagnostic assessment: $175
50 minute individual, couples, or family session: $115

Other work that you request me to perform for you, such as writing reports or summaries for 3rd parties, attending school meetings, phone conversations with other professionals at your request, etc. are charged at $25/15 minutes if they last longer than 15 minutes. (This type of work is typically not reimbursed by insurance.)

Normal activity to maintain a client's file such as writing progress notes, billing insurance companies, formulating treatment plans, etc. are not subject to the above additional fee. I will always inform you ahead of time if an activity you request from me will result in an additional fee.

I am committed to providing care to clients of all economic situations. If you are interested in services, but anticipate that my fees will be difficult to cover, please do not hesitate to call the office and explore various options for payment that can possibly be arranged.

I participate on the following insurance panels:

Aetna
Humana
Cigna
Value Options
Medicare Part B
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois PPO and Blue Choice Select