HEALING. GROWTH. FEELING SEEN.

SONDER PSYCHOTHERAPY & WELLNESS

OUT OF THE DARKNESS COMES LIGHT

FAQ

What are the fees and how often do we meet?

We will meet for an intake session when you first begin therapy, after which we will meet once a week unless we decide otherwise. It is important that the frequency of our sessions are suited to your goals. Meeting at least once a week at the start of therapy will help keep a consistent pace in therapy. Standard sessions are typically between 45-50 minutes in length, but extended sessions (80 minutes) are also available.

Fees are as follows:
-Intake session (50 minutes): $215
-Subsequent sessions (50 minutes): $215
-Extended sessions recommended for EMDR and couples therapy (80 minutes): $320

What do you specialize in?

At Sonder Psychotherapy & Wellness, we specialize in the following:
Relationship Concerns
Individual Therapy
Men’s Issues
Trauma
EMDR
Couples Therapy

What types of payment do you accept?

In your online intake paperwork, you will be asked to provide credit card information that will be kept on file in my secure payment system. I will charge your card at the start of each session. I accept all major credit cards, as well as Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA). Additionally, some clients may pay via Zelle but please note that this is not completely HIPPA compliant.

Do you accept insurance?

Sonder Psychotherapy and Wellness does not accept insurance, but will provide an itemized receipt called a Superbill for you to file for out-of-network benefits. To find out if you have out-of-network benefits that support therapy, we recommend calling the number on the back of your insurance card to ask the following questions (if there is a number specifically for “behavioral health”, call that one!): 1. I would like to work with an out-of-network mental health therapist via telehealth (virtual therapy), can you please tell me about my benefits? 2. What is my deductible? 3. What is my copay OR coinsurance? 4. What is my out-of-pocket maximum? 5. What information and documentation are needed to file a claim? 6. How do I file a claim?

How do out-of-network benefits work?

When you work with an out-of-network therapist, you will pay the session fee up front instead of paying a co-pay (as you would with an in-network therapist). You then submit the Superbill to your insurance company, who may then reimburse you a percentage of the fee after your deductible has been met, depending on your plan. Remember, every plan is different, so it’s important to call your insurance company for details of your particular out-of-network plan!

Why don't you accept insurance?

While insurance can provide much needed financial support, there are certain non-financial costs to working with an in-network therapist (even if the therapist is great!). When a therapist is paneled with an insurance company in order to accept insurance from clients, his/her therapy is affected in the following ways:

1. The therapist will have to give you a clinical mental health diagnosis in order for the therapy services to be reimbursable. A diagnosis stays on your medical record permanently, which means if your medical record is ever requested for job or insurance purposes, your diagnosis will be revealed. Diagnoses also limit the scope of therapy because it does not allow for problems or concerns that are not pathological. For example, couples therapy is frequently not reimbursable unless one partner has a mental health diagnosis. However, we know that not all issues in a relationship are due to a clinical mental health condition! Poor communication, self-esteem difficulties, job loss, challenges with in-laws, and difficult life transitions— for example— are all very normal difficulties that, because they are not pathological, will not be reimbursed.

2. Insurance companies require a significant amount of paperwork from therapists and reimburse therapists at rates much lower than their self-pay rates, which means therapists who panel with insurance companies often book many clients to keep their practice viable. When therapists have to do this, even if they are competent therapists, therapy sessions can become more focused on fulfilling insurance requirements than on client needs. That also means that therapists have less time and energy for each client. Therefore, while you can save money on each session by working with a therapist paneled with insurance companies, your course of therapy might be much shorter than when you work with an out-of-network therapist who can give you his/her full attention. 

What is your payment policy?

All fees are collected at the beginning of each session through a payment method on file. A credit or debit card on file is required.  

Sonder Psychotherapy & Wellness accepts all major credit cards and debit cards as forms of payment as well as Zelle, Venmo, and HSA accounts. Please note that Zelle and Venmo are often not set to private and thus are not fully HIPPA compliant. Please consider your privacy before selecting a payment method.

What is your cancellation policy?

If you are unable to attend a session, please make sure you cancel at least 24 hours beforehand. If you are to cancel in under 24 hours notice or not show up for an appointment, the full session fee may be charged to your payment method on file. 

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