I live in Chicago, Illinois. I see clients in-person in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, and virtually throughout Illinois and Texas.

Diving deeper into your own personal process is a big step, and requires tremendous courage. There can be many unknowns in starting with a new therapist (or therapy altogether!). You may feel anxious, doubtful, unsure, hopeful, excited, nervous, or some combination of these feelings as you start this process. All of these emotions are natural and welcomed responses to new experiences.

Our first session together will focus on assessment and goal setting. I want to hear what brings you to therapy, your goals for therapy, and some background about you and your current life situation. By the end of our first session, both you and I will have a clearer picture of what you are wanting to work on and what shape our therapeutic work will take.

The first session is also an opportunity for you to get to know me, learn about my style, and ask questions. If I’m not the right fit, please let me know and I will be happy to provide you with referrals to other therapists.

Ongoing therapy sessions last between 50 and 55 minutes. I usually meet with people once a week, but if you are needing more or less frequency, we can discuss the benefits and drawbacks as they relate to your goals for therapy.

It is important to me that we be in conversation about your experience in therapy. While it can be hard to offer feedback to one’s therapist, I value and encourage an open dialogue about what’s working and what’s not working in therapy so that we can adjust our approach to fit your needs.

Some people are curious about how long they should in therapy. This is an important question with no "one-size-fits-all" answer. Some people I work with are interested in longer-term depth work, while others are looking for shorter-term work that focuses on alleviating a specific issue or symptom. My goal is to support you in working on aspects of your inner world and outer life that are important to you, however long or short that may be. The best answer I’ve found to this question is, it depends. If and when you find yourself needing less support, wanting something different, or feel complete in our work, I will honor your intuition and will work to create a reflective space to think through this important transition.

I am in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans, excluding BlueChoice PPO.

I am an out-of-network provider for all other insurance plans. If you would like to use your out-of-network benefits, I can provide you with a monthly receipt (called a "superbill") that you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. It is your responsibility to verify your coverage for out-of-network therapy services before beginning therapy. Some questions to ask your insurance company are:

• Do I have any out-of-network coverage?

• What is my out-of-network coverage for mental health services?

• What is my out-of-network deductible?

• What service codes does my plan cover without pre-authorization? [I use CPT codes 90791 and 90837]

Insurance can be confusing to navigate, and I encourage you to reach out to your insurance company if you have questions.

In accordance with the No Surprises Act, you’re entitled to a Good Faith Estimate that outlines the expected costs of services. Under this law, health care providers need to provide patients who don’t have insurance or aren’t using insurance with an estimate of the bill for medical items and services before those services are provided.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate at least one business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. I will review the cost of my services with you prior to scheduling our first session.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill.

For more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, please visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises.