FAQs & Fees

No. Sadly, I’ve found that for-profit corporations and mental health care don’t mix. I aim to bring you high quality treatment free from interference from a third party whose motivations don’t align with ours.

I provide documentation to submit to your insurance company, and you may receive partial reimbursement.

If you want to call your insurance company and ask about out-of network benefits, these are the codes to give:

Intake: 90792

50 minutes: 99213 + 90836

25 minutes: 99213 + 90833

60-minute intake session: MN $375, CA $475

50-minute session: MN $325, CA $360

50-minute weekly therapy: MN $295, CA $330

25-minute session: MN $220, CA $240

You may be eligible for partial out-of-network reimbursement from your insurance company. I can provide you with the paperwork to submit to them.

I live in Minnesota and work with people in MN and CA by video only.

It’s so confusing, isn’t it? Psychiatrists like me are medical doctors who can prescribe medication in addition to being trained in psychotherapy. I went to four years of medical school and did the anatomy labs and worked in the hospital and held retractors during surgeries. Then I went to four years of residency training to learn psychiatry specifically. My residency program emphasized psychotherapy alongside the pharmacology (medication).

“Therapist” is a big umbrella term with lots of different degrees under it. Someone could be a social worker, marriage and family therapist, or licensed clinical counselor, or they might hold a doctoral degree, like a PsyD or PhD in psychology. The amount of time spent earning these credentials varies widely. Therapists may have training in different specific methods of therapy. They do not prescribe medication.

The landscape is hard to understand, even for people who work in the field, but feeling a good “fit” with your provider matters more than what letters they have after their name.

Another good question! Both psychiatrists and psych NPs can prescribe medication and do therapy. The main difference lies in years and style of training.

Psychiatrists like me are medical doctors who go to four years of medical school just like surgeons, pediatricians, neurologists, and other doctors. The medical school part is the same for all physicians; residency is when we train in our specialty. Between college, medical school, and four years of psychiatry residency, psychiatrists spend 12 years in education and training.

Psych NPs come up through nursing school and are trained in the nursing model. The duration of their education and training can vary but is typically around 8 years.

There are excellent providers in both paths, and I have lots of respect for my NP colleagues.

We do! Some psychiatrists only prescribe medication, but our profession is rooted in the practice of psychotherapy, and many of us continue to value it highly. I chose a residency program with strong psychotherapy training and pursue additional therapy education and supervision. If you already have a therapist, I love collaborating in “split care,” but if you don’t, I’d love to be your one-stop shop.

I don’t treat psychosis, eating disorders, active suicidal impulses, or substance use because those folks need specialized treatment that my small practice cannot offer.

If you take daily or frequent benzodiazepines (Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax), I will likely recommend coming off of them. Folks who want to continue with regular benzo use would be best served by another provider.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts/impulses should call 911 or go to the emergency room. I don’t know you, but you matter.

No, I’m passionate about those sub-specialities, but I have a general adult practice and treat patients with all types of depression, anxiety, and trauma.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your mental health care will cost.

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, healthcare providers and facilities are mandated to inform individuals not enrolled in a plan, Federal healthcare program, or not seeking to file a claim with their coverage, both orally and in writing. This notification concerns their right to request a "Good Faith Estimate" of expected charges for healthcare items and services.

In accordance with this law, healthcare providers must provide patients without insurance or those not utilizing insurance with an estimate of expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.

You are entitled to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. You may request a Good Faith Estimate from me before scheduling a service. If you receive a bill exceeding your Good Faith Estimate by at least $400, you have the right to dispute it. Ensure to retain a copy or capture an image of your Good Faith Estimate. For inquiries or further information regarding your right to a Good Faith Estimate, please visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 368-1019.

Yes. I would really love to meet your cat.