FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1
What types of therapy services do you offer?
> I provide individual, family, and relationship therapy for Florida-based clients of all ages. > I intermittently offer virtual therapy skills groups as well! More information about group topics and schedules can be found on my Instagram, @counselingwholeheartedly.
2
How much does therapy cost?
> Individual Sessions (50-mins): $150 > Individual Sessions (90-mins): $185 > Relationship or Family Sessions (50-mins): $185 > Relationship or Family Sessions (90-mins): $225 I also offer a limited number of sliding scale spots based on financial need. Check out my "Fees" page for more information.
3
Do you accept insurance?
> I don't accept insurance. My practice is self-pay only. > Read more about my 'why' in the next response.
4
Why don't you accept insurance?
> My decision not to accept insurance has come from a lot of intentional thought. Ultimately, I choose this path to protect my clients' privacy, autonomy, and the quality of care that I'm able to consistently provide. > Working with insurance companies means a required diagnosis, open access to your records, and coverage decisions made by someone other than you and me. Staying outside of insurance also means treatment decisions stay rooted in what's clinically meaningful for you, not what a reimbursement structure deems necessary or how long it decides your care should last. > Additionally, to no surprise, insurance companies also tend to underpay clinicians, which pushes in-network providers toward higher caseloads just to make ends meet. All of this, along with navigating red tape and heavy administrative demands, pulls time and energy away from actual client support, which isn’t something I'm willing to sacrifice given how deeply committed I am to providing the best possible care to each and every person I work with. > With all of that said, I'm driven by social justice values, including access to quality healthcare for all, which is why I'll always reserve a number of spots in my caseload for sliding scale services.
5
How do I know if you’re the right therapist for me?
> I got into this work because I understand deep pain firsthand. As a queer, neurodivergent therapist with my own lived experiences of struggling with mental health, my support comes from a place of genuine empathy and care, not just clinical training. > My style blends warmth, humor, and lightheartedness to make the heaviness feel a little less hard. We'll dig deep, but we'll also explore creative and practical strategies that help you feel empowered and equipped to navigate whatever you're facing. I'll gently challenge or push back when needed, because I know that exploring alternative perspectives is essential to the process. Above all, I believe that you're the expert of your own life, and therapy with me means that I’ll walk alongside you, not in front of you. > Since I know that finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming and exhausting, I offer a free consultation call so that you get a sense of working with me before scheduling a initial session.
6
What is your cancellation policy?
> I ask that you give me at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule a session. > Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, or missed altogether, will be billed the full rate. > I offer a 15-minute grace period for late arrivals, but after that window, the appointment will be cancelled and billed as a no-show. > Please plan to arrive on time, as sessions will still end at their scheduled time regardless of a late start. > You are always welcome to reach out to me if you know ahead of time that you'll need to reschedule or if another time would just work better for you! I'll always do my best to accommodate your needs whenever possible.
7
If I'm under 18, will you tell my parents/guardians what I share with you?
> I know being a teenager can already mean having little control over your own life, and it's hard for anyone to know people are discussing personal things about you when you're not in the room. Honoring your dignity and privacy matters deeply to me, and I do my best to protect that every step of the way. > For the most part, what you share with me stays private between us, but there are legal exceptions when it comes to safety concerns (and in these cases I am required to loop in parents/guardians). However, even then, I will ALWAYS try my best to talk to you first before saying anything. > And, as it relates to partnering with your parents/guardians to support you: Before updating them on how things are going, I will always run it by you first to ask your permission about what gets shared. > I always want you to feel like you're part of the conversation, not just the subject of it.
8
Okay… I’m in. What’s my first step?
> Yay! Reach out to me to schedule a free, 15-25 minute phone consultation so that we can learn more about each other, discuss what's bringing you to therapy, cover logistics like scheduling and service fees, and allow you to ask me any questions that you may have. You can text/call me at 813-434-0037 or email me at emi@counselingwholeheartedly.com :)
