I am credentialed with the following Insurance Plans: 

•  Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans 

• Medicare 

• United Health Care 

• Aetna 

• Cigna 

• AmBetter

• Medicaid (The Specific Plan Matters!) 

  • Blue Choice Medicaid 

  • Molina 

  • Absolute Total Care 

• Tri-Care Certified 

  • (to cover more of the cost of sessions would require a referral from your primary care provider) 

Keep in mind, it is sometimes difficult to determine the *exact* amount that you may owe per session prior to scheduling, as it is dependent upon your particular plan, deductible, co-payment, and co-insurance. You would be responsible for what is remaining of the client responsibility after insurance is billed. 

In order to bill insurance-a mental health diagnosis is a necessary part of that process. 

Yes, for the most part-what is said in my office, stays in my office! Except in the following cases: 

If I am informed or suspect past or present abuse/neglect of children, vulnerable adults/elders -as a mandated reporter I must report to the authorities. This may include the Department of Social Services and/or Law Enforcement, based on information provided by you or collateral sources (if they are involved in your therapy). 

If I have reason to suspect that you are seriously and imminently in danger of harming yourself or others, I would have to report this as well. This could mean reaching out to your points of contact, EMS, law enforcement-depending on what is reported. 

If there were to be a medical emergency in my office.

If you have legal involvement and there is a court order for your records. 

If I am billing your insurance, you must agree to them having access to your medical records (in the event of an audit). 

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This approach is a structured therapy with a background of significant research supporting healing from PTSD symptoms and traumatic/adverse life experiences. It can also be helpful with treating anxiety, anger, addiction, eating disorders, dissociative disorders, depression/other mood disorders, loss/grief, chronic pain, relationship issues, stress management, and self-esteem. 

EMDR is based off of the concept that the mind is capable of healing itself naturally, just as our body does. This natural coping tends to happen during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep. EMDR uses this natural process to treat the struggles listed above. 

Clients are led through EMDR by focusing on the traumatic or "target" memory identified in session while experiencing a type of bilateral stimulation (BLS). Bilateral Stimulation could be eye-movements facilitated by the therapist, tapping/Butterly Taps (sort of like a self-hug), Thera-Tappers which are typically held in a client's hands that vibrate on one side to the next, or head phones which play a sound on one ear then the next. 

EMDR is different compared to more typical "talk-therapy," which are more top-down approaches. EMDR is a bottom-up approach involving the limbic system. EMDR itself does not involve much talk during reprocessing phases (which can be odd at first). Everyone experiences EMDR a little bit differently, there is not "right or wrong." The idea is to stay present with the painful memory and process through it. Some people describe it as rapid day-dreaming, watching scenery go by through the window on a train, snapshots or a slide show, or meditation. You cannot do EMDR wrong, it is wonderfully different for all individuals! 

As with any trauma work, EMDR can be emotionally intense. This is where those early Resourcing/Preparation Phases are particularly important for the more intense aspects of this therapy. EMDR does not make you forget the upsetting memories, it more or less turns down the "volume" on the intensity of those experiences. Leaving them as memories.

There are 8 Phases of EMDR:

Some of these phases can happen concurrently and overlap at times.  

1. History Taking: This involves first session stuff. Getting to know you, assessing your childhood experiences, experiences as an adult, relationship patterns, building rapport, identifying themes for treatment, listing symptoms, and developing goals for treatment.

2. Preparation/Resourcing: This is where more educating regarding EMDR occurs and we shift to incorporating some Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) with coping methods. This is to teach some healthy methods of coping, while also introducing BLS. Resourcing phase also involves getting a feel for more of your present methods of coping, social supports you have available, and day-to-day stress management practices. This aspect of treatment may take longer dependent upon what you have already established. Many folks enter therapy really needing help in this area, which is appropriate! We work to build this together. 

3. Assessment: We build off of your responses from History Taking and Preparation by whittling down the specific themes and memories we want to prioritize. Together, we identify the "worst part" of the memory, body sensations you experience, thoughts and feelings that are connected to this memory, the Negative Cognition (the negative thing you believe about yourself as a result of this memory), and we then rate it on a scale of 0-10 on level of distress (called the Subjective Units of Distress or "SUDs"). We also identify what you would instead like to believe about yourself (the Positive Cognition) and rate that on a scale of 1-7. These scaling questions help to determine progress in the process and assists in measuring the achievement of your goals. 

4. Reprocessing/Desensitization: This is where the "magic" of EMDR happens. After identifying the aspects above in the assessment phase, I will encourage you to focus on those identified aspects (images, thoughts, feelings, body sensations) while we apply a form of Bilateral Stimulation (BLS). This helps you to enter a state of Dual-Attention; I will encourage you to stay present and allow "whatever happens to happen." The idea is to allow whatever comes into your attention to surface as a means of "digesting" the trauma. I stay present throughout, and available to provide support if you become uncomfortable. I will guide you, however, you are always in charge if you wish to stop or pause. 

5. Installation: Phew, the hard part is done. Once the target memory has been desensitized, meaning your distress (SUDs) is now a "0 or neutral," we shift to Installation Phase. This is where we revisit that identified Positive Cognition (PC) or what you would like to believe about yourself. We hold the PC and desensitized memory together and apply the Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) until that scaling question is at an approximate "7." 

6. Body Scan: Once Desensitization and Installation Phases have occurred, I will have you check-in on the body-level, scanning for distress/tension. We then hold the desensitized target memory, installed Positive Cognition, and body scan together while applying BLS until we determine that the body scan is "clear" or no distress. 

7. Closure: Closure happens at the end of each session, regardless of where we are in the phases. Often we have to revisit traumatic memory with EMDR over a number of sessions, and it is my job to make sure you feel as safe, secure, stable, and grounded prior to leaving my office. This is where we pull from your resourcing phase to help you center prior to the completion of your session. 

8. Re-Evaluation: Reprocessing can continue between sessions. When you return for a session, this is where I follow-up on what we worked on from the previous session. Checking-in regarding progress to see if the positive changes have been maintained.