Private Pay Online Anxiety & Trauma Therapy FAQ | IL, IN, MI, WI, OR, WA, MA

We’ll start with a free 15-minute phone consultation where we can talk about what you’re hoping for and how I work. You’re welcome to ask any questions you have. There’s no pressure, just space to connect and see if it feels right.

Once you complete the consultation request form, I’ll review your responses and email you to confirm a time for our call. At your scheduled time, I’ll give you a call at the number you provided.

This free 15-minute consultation isn’t a therapy session; it’s simply a chance for us to connect, talk about what you’re hoping for in therapy, and explore whether working together feels like the right fit. You’re welcome to ask any questions that come up.

If it feels like a good match, we’ll confirm your appointments, and I’ll send you an invitation through SimplePractice where you can complete the intake paperwork. You’ll also receive your telehealth video link and any other information you’ll need for our sessions.

No pressure. No obligation.
Just a gentle, grounded starting point to explore what support could look like for you.

All sessions are held via secure video through SimplePractice, a HIPAA-compliant platform designed for therapy. Once you schedule your first (and ongoing) sessions, you’ll receive a secure link directly through the platform each time.

If you’re joining from a computer or laptop, you can access sessions through your web browser, no download needed.
If you’re using a phone or tablet, you’ll need to download the free SimplePractice app to join the video session.

You’ll just need:

• A private space

• A stable internet connection

• A device with a camera and microphone

Everything else will be sent to you through SimplePractice, including reminders and access to your client portal.

There's no one-size-fits-all timeline. Some clients come in for a few months, while others stay longer depending on their needs and goals. We'll move at a pace that feels right for you.

I recommend weekly sessions for new clients, especially in the beginning. Consistency is what builds the relational safety that makes therapy most effective. That said, I understand life doesn't always allow for weekly appointments, so I ask for a minimum commitment of biweekly sessions. As our work deepens and your needs shift, we can revisit frequency together.

Some people choose to meet more than once a week during periods of heightened emotion, transitions, or deeper work, and that's always welcome. I also offer extended sessions of 80 minutes, 110 minutes, or longer if you prefer more spaciousness, whether occasionally or as part of your ongoing rhythm.

Therapy isn't rushed. We'll create a steady, supportive space where healing and insight can unfold at a grounded pace.

Of course! Whether it’s your first time or you’re returning to therapy, you’re welcome exactly as you are.

Finding the right therapist takes time, and I know it isn't always easy. Whether you need someone who takes insurance, speaks a specific language, or has a particular specialty, here are some directories to help you get started:

General directories

Psychology Today — one of the largest therapist directories in the US. You can filter by location, specialty, insurance, language, ethnicity, and identity. A good starting point if you're not sure where to begin.

Identity-affirming directories

Inclusive Therapists — centers the needs of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and neurodivergent communities. Therapists here are vetted for their commitment to anti-oppressive, identity-affirming care. Also has filters for neurodivergent-affirming care and sliding scale.

Therapy for Queer People of Color — a Black-led directory of affirming therapists for the LGBTQIA+ community of color.

NQTTCN — National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network, committed to making mental health care accessible for queer and trans people of color.

AAPI-focused directories

Asian Mental Health Collective — searchable by state, ethnicity, and language. Also offers the Lotus Therapy Fund, which covers up to 8 free sessions for eligible clients.

South Asian Therapists — for those seeking a provider who understands South Asian family systems, identity, and community dynamics.

CAATCH — a directory of Asian American therapists specifically in the Chicagoland area. Useful if you're based in Illinois and prefer someone local or in-person.

Yellow Chair Collective — multicultural therapy with a focus on the Asian American community. Currently serving California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and New Jersey.

BIPOC-focused directories

DMHS Provider Directory — a free directory of BIPOC and QTPoC mental health providers. Also offers a free therapy program (up to 12 sessions, currently waitlisted) for those who qualify.

Melanin & Mental Health — connects Black and Latinx communities with culturally competent, LGBTQIA+-affirming clinicians.

Therapy for Black Girls — a directory focused on connecting Black women with affirming therapists.

Clinicians of Color — a BIPOC-owned therapy directory searchable by specialty, identity, and location.

Locate Therapy — a BIPOC-owned directory for therapists of color.

Latinx Therapy — a Latinx-led directory for finding Latinx therapists.

Neurodivergent-affirming directories

NDI Directory — curated by Dr. Megan Anna Neff, an AuDHD clinical psychologist. Every provider listed is committed to ongoing ND-affirming practice. Includes therapists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, and coaches.

Neurodivergent Therapists — a grassroots directory of providers who are themselves diagnosed or self-identified as neurodivergent. Licensure is verified before listing. A good option if lived experience in your therapist matters to you.

If cost is a barrier

Open Path Collective — reduced-fee therapy ($30–$80/session) for those experiencing financial hardship. Not time-limited.

Asian Mental Health Collective Lotus Therapy Fund — covers the full cost of up to 8 therapy sessions for AAPI individuals. Spots are limited and require an application.

Inclusive Therapists BIPOC Therapy Fund — covers up to 12 fully funded sessions for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color with intersecting marginalized identities. Spots are limited and require an application.

Religious trauma & spiritual abuse

Secular Therapy Project — a directory of secular, evidence-based therapists for people leaving or recovering from religion. Useful if you want a provider who won't bring religious frameworks into the room.

Reclamation Collective — a nonprofit offering support groups, survivor resources (including a regulation toolkit and spiritual power inventory), and a clinician directory for those healing from religious trauma and spiritual abuse. Also has a therapist-specific hub with consultation and CEU offerings.

Empathy Paradigm — resources for survivors of religious trauma, spiritual abuse, and high-control groups. Includes a therapist directory, a Religious Trauma Inventory, survivor resources, and professional training.

If you have specific needs and aren't sure where to start, feel free to reach out. I'm happy to point you in a direction, even if we're not working together.

The standard fee for a 50-minute therapy session is $190.

Yes. For some clients, especially those navigating relational dynamics, trauma, or simply needing more space, longer sessions can offer the time to slow down, integrate, and connect more deeply.

I offer the following session lengths:

• 50 minutes: $190

• 80 minutes: $305

• 110 minutes: $430

• 140 minutes: $555

• 170 minutes: $675

Sessions are scheduled in 30-minute increments beyond 110 minutes. Any portion exceeding 13 minutes into the next increment is rounded up to the full 30 minutes (for example, a 125-minute session is billed as 140 minutes at $555).

Extended sessions are completely optional, and we can explore together whether a longer session feels supportive, either occasionally or as part of your ongoing rhythm. If you're on a sliding scale, extended session fees are adjusted based on your tier. I'll always clarify session length and cost ahead of time. No surprises.

Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice, no-shows, or arriving more than 15 minutes late are billed the full session fee. This helps honor both our time and the structure of the work.

Please note: if a session cannot begin due to technical issues on your end (such as being in an area with poor connectivity), and you have not given at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule, this will be treated as a late cancellation and the full session fee will apply. If technical issues arise after a session has already begun, I'll do my best to work with you to reschedule the remaining time, but if rescheduling isn't possible, the full session fee will still apply. I recommend ensuring a stable connection before each session, and reaching out in advance if you anticipate any issues.

I'm an out-of-network/private pay provider, which means I don't bill insurance directly. This allows us to focus on your care, without needing to justify sessions, assign a diagnosis, or limit our work based on what an insurance company considers "medically necessary."

That said, many clients use out-of-network (OON) benefits to receive partial reimbursement for therapy. You're welcome to use the widget below to check your OON benefits before reaching out. Please note that any estimate provided is not a guarantee of reimbursement. The actual amounts can only be confirmed once a claim has been submitted and processed by your insurance company.

Insurance reimbursement is a process you'll need to initiate and manage on your end. I'm not able to submit claims or advocate with your insurer on your behalf. I know navigating insurance isn't easy, and I'm happy to help you locate your superbill when you need it.

If your plan offers OON coverage, you have two options:

• Submit superbills yourself: At the beginning of each month, SimplePractice will automatically generate a superbill for the previous month, which you can download from your client portal and submit directly to your insurance company. Reimbursement is not guaranteed and depends entirely on your individual plan and your insurer's decision.

• Use Thrizer: A platform that can check your benefits, estimate your co-insurance in advance, submit claims on your behalf, and track reimbursements or appeal denials. If you'd like to use Thrizer instead of submitting superbills yourself, let me know and I'll send you the link to get started.

I choose not to work directly with insurance companies because therapy should center your healing, not a diagnosis code or a third party’s limitations.

Insurance requires a formal mental health diagnosis and often limits how long, how often, and what kind of care you can receive. These restrictions can:

• Compromise your privacy by requiring sensitive records to be shared

• Pathologize human experiences like grief, stress, or trauma

• Reinforce inequities by making care harder to access for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and immigrant clients

• Pressure therapists to fit into short-term, one-size-fits-all models that ignore the impact of identity, culture, and systemic harm

By working outside of insurance, I can offer therapy that is:

• Slower, deeper, and more relational

• Rooted in liberation and equity

• Free from gatekeeping or imposed timelines

I know this system isn’t perfect. There are still barriers, and I’m still learning. But I’ve chosen this path because I believe it allows us to build care based on honesty, autonomy, and equity, not diagnosis codes and gatekeepers.

If you’re interested in learning more, the following articles offer in-depth explanations:

Therapy & Social Justice: Why Insurance Isn’t Our Path

Why I Don’t Accept Insurance As A Mental Health Therapist

Why Don’t Therapists Accept Insurance

Private pay therapy allows for greater privacy, flexibility, and depth of care. It avoids insurance restrictions, protects your mental health information, and allows therapy to move at a pace that supports real healing rather than diagnosis requirements.

Yes. I participate in several programs that help increase access to therapy:

• Asian Mental Health Collective's Lotus Therapy Fund – Covers the full cost of therapy for up to 8 sessions. If you’ve been awarded this fund, please send me your confirmation code before our first session so I can verify eligibility.

• Inclusive Therapists BIPOC Therapy Fund - This fund provides up to 12 fully covered sessions for Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color/Global Majority with intersecting marginalized identities.

• Open Path Collective - Offers ongoing, low-cost therapy (not time-limited). My Open Path rate is $50 per session, and sessions are paid by the client directly. These spots are part of my Tier 1 sliding scale and are limited in availability.

Yes. To help make therapy more accessible, I offer a limited number of sliding scale spots, guided by values of redistribution, collective care, and economic justice.

Current sliding scale tiers:

• Tier 1 – $50 (2 spots, currently full)

• Tier 2 – $75 (2 spots, currently full)

• Tier 3 – $125 (2 spots, currently full)

• Tier 4 – $165 (2 spots, currently full)

• Standard Rate – $190

• Community Supporter – $190+

These rates are based on a trust-based model of access and self-assessment. No documentation is required. I trust you to choose the tier that feels honest and sustainable based on your financial realities and social location.

Sliding scale spots are reassessed every 4–6 months to ensure they remain available for those with the greatest need. If all spots are full, you're welcome to inquire about joining a waitlist.

If you're able to pay the standard rate or contribute more, you’re directly helping to sustain this model and make therapy more accessible to others. Thank you for being part of this collective care practice.

Updated July 2026: All sliding scale tiers currently have a waitlist. If you're reaching out now, please be aware that new sliding scale spots are unlikely to become available before April 2027 at the earliest, so the wait may extend into next year. If you're already on the waitlist, I'll reach out as spots open up. If you're hoping to begin therapy sooner, I'd encourage you to explore other directories and resources in the meantime.

I use a trust-based, self-reflective approach inspired by the Green Bottle Method, developed by community healer Alexis J. Cunningfolk. This model centers access, agency, and collective care, not shame, judgment, or comparison.

You're invited to reflect on more than just income. Consider your access to financial and social resources, including:

• Income stability

• Personal or family debt

• Caregiving responsibilities

• Intergenerational wealth (or lack of it)

• Public assistance or financial safety nets

• How systems of power and oppression shape your access

There is no documentation required, and you’re never asked to explain or justify your choice. Healing begins with respect, trust, and relational safety.

Not Sure Which Tier Fits?

This isn’t about guilt; it’s an invitation to practice honesty and collective care.

Ask yourself:

• Do I have reliable access to housing and healthcare?

• Am I paying off large personal or family debt?

• Do I support others financially beyond myself?

These aren’t rules, just reflections. Let them guide you gently, without pressure.

Reflection Checklist

Before selecting a tier, consider how many of the following statements feel true for you:

• I own or lease a vehicle and can afford gas and maintenance

• I live in stable, secure housing

• I have savings or financial support from family

• I have reliable income that covers my basic needs (food, rent, etc.)

• I have health insurance or access to medical care

• I can take time off or travel without significant financial stress

• I can buy non-essential items (clothes, books, etc.)

• I have manageable or low debt

• I do not rely on public assistance

• I have a financial safety net for emergencies

Let your answers, not just the quantity, but how easily they apply, help guide your selection.

Fee Tier Guide

• Tier 1 – $50/session
  You’re facing financial hardship or systemic barriers that make accessing therapy difficult. This tier exists to reduce obstacles to care.

• Tier 2 – $75/session
  You earn income but experience ongoing financial instability or precarity. This tier reflects a need for support while still making therapy a priority.

• Tier 3 – $125/session
  You can meet basic needs and are resourced enough to make intentional choices about where and how you invest. This tier supports access and sustainability for all.

• Tier 4 – $165/session
  You are financially comfortable and choose a rate that supports both your care and community care.

• Standard Rate – $190/session
  You are financially resourced and able to pay the full rate. This supports the sustainability of the practice and expands access for others.

• Community Supporter – $190+ per session
  If you hold significant financial privilege, paying above the standard rate is one way to redistribute access and practice mutual care. Your choice helps sustain this model.

Whatever tier you choose, please know it’s welcome and respected.
This system exists to honor your lived reality, not to test your worth.

I know this system isn’t perfect. There are still barriers, and I’m still learning. But I’ve chosen this path because I believe it allows us to build care based on honesty, autonomy, and equity, not diagnosis codes and gatekeepers.