What does neurodiversity-affirming or LGBTQi+ affirming mean?

To me, being an affirming therapist goes beyond brief understanding of the experiences of a community or an issue. Being affirming means that I have sought out knowledge - both academic and lived experience - regarding life as a neurodivergent and/or LGBTQi person, and am always seeking more understanding. Personally, I am both neurodivergent and queer, but also understand that my experiences are only my own and that I am aware that I have privilege I acknowledge, and more to discover. Practically speaking, it means that if you change your name or pronouns once or frequently, I will be there with you. I will respect your requests regarding sensory issues as much as possible, and will try to maintain a sensory-friendly environment. I will assume positive intent if you are direct, and will follow your thought patterns as necessary. I will not require direct eye contact, nor having the camera on during online sessions. In sum, I will always work to honor your experience of the world.

I make eye contact with others, engage in social activities, etc; doesn’t that mean that I can’t be autistic?

Past understandiing of autism (and ADHD) was centered in how the autistic person’s behavior impacted others; whether or not they met expected social standards. In a neurodiversity-affirming model, we center the autistic person’s experience instead, and consider the toll that masking takes on the person’s mental and physical health.

• How much effort does it take to engage in social situations?

• How distressing are transitions - do you try to avoid them whenever possible?

• How authentic do you feel in your interactions?

• Do you feel much more “anxious” when there is a lot of sensory input around, ie, are you anxious or are you overwhelmed?

Many autistic and AuDHD women have relationships, hold jobs, have families, etc, but are constantly running on empty and feeling overwhelmed, often until they hit a state of burnout.

Why are you offering autism assessments? Can’t I just self-diagnose?

Self-diagnosis is a completely valid approach! Many, if not most, adults who seek assessment have done at least some self-assessment and self-diagnosis. I felt fairly certain that I was autistic after self-diagnosis, but decided to seek out therapeutic assessment for myself for many reasons - including validation.

My interest in offering therapeutic assessments began with how difficult it was to obtain this information for my clients and for my family members. I have worked with many people whom I suspected were struggling with autism and/or ADHD as primary issues (and anxiety secondary), who then waited months for expensive neuropsychological evaluation to confirm what we had already discussed.

Many young women and AFAB people are misdiagnosed with bipolar mood disorder, borderline personality disorder, OCD, ODD, pervasive anxiety, and more due to the lack of updated knowledge regarding presentations of autism and ADHD outside of the white, cisgender, male experience. This can contribute to an ongoing sense of brokenness and helplessness, exacerbating substance use, risky behaviors, and self-harm. Understanding is the first step to creating true self-care accommodations.

What does “verbally fluent” mean?

“Verbally fluent” is defined as a person who is able to hold a fluid conversation in one or more social realms. While you might be quiet or hard to find words in some (or most) social situations, you are able to converse about an area of interest when you feel comfortable.

Will insurance reimburse for my autism assessment?

Typically, if your insurance provides out-of-network benefits, assessment claims are reimbursed at the same rate, as they are filed using the same codes as general individual therapy.

If I am diagnosed autistic, who will know about my diagnosis?

If you file for insurance reimbursement (or are using in-network insurance), your insurer has a right to request this information (as they do with all records). Some states have mandatory reporting requirements; Maine does not currently have a reporting requirement.

Do you only see people about pregnancy/loss/postpartum/parenting?

Although I am certified in perinatal mental health, I also work with clients on general issues such as anxiety, depression, identity, relationships, family struggles, and work-related issues. There are some areas of focus for which I am not trained, however, such as substance use disorders and eating disorders.

Do you see couples?

I offer parent coaching for couples, but no longer provide therapy services for couples. I recommend seeking out therapists who are trained in relational dynamic theories, such as Gottman’s methodology and/or Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.

I’m not in Maine; can you meet with me online?

I am currently working on licensure in NH and VT. While some states are currently offering emergency coverage of telehealth sessions, most are not. Unfortunately, current laws require clients to be in the same state as the therapist’s licensure, i.e., in Maine.

Are you seeing people in-person?

I am currently seeing clients both in-person and via telehealth using a HIPAA-compliant version of Zoom. Links to appointments are sent via e-mail prior to the appointment time.

What does a session cost?

An individual session is typically 55 minutes long, and the cost per session is $175.

A limited number of sliding scale spots are available for those demonstrating financial need. Please contact me for guidelines.

Autism assessment sessions are typically 55 minutes long, and the cost per session is $225 (first intake session), $200 subsequent sessions. We will typically need 4-6 sessions in total. A follow-up report is available for an additional fee of $350.

Parent coaching is scheduled on an as-needed basis, as opposed to weekly/biweekly, and the cost per session is $200. Coaching is not reimbursable by insurance.

Brainspotting Intensives are typically 85 minutes long, and the cost per session is $250. Clients often find relief within 2-6 sessions as we are focusing on your core emotional and somatic reactions - the things that derail us from our intentions!

Are you in-network with my insurance?

I am currently in-network with Maine Community Health Options

Please confirm with your insurer that your policy continues to cover telehealth sessions. (Some policies cover telehealth, but apply to your deductible instead of a co-payment/co-insurance).

What if I have out-of-network benefits for my insurance?

As an LCSW, my therapy services are often reimbursable under most out-of-network benefit plans, and I am able to provide you with a superbill, which can be used to submit claims for reimbursement. Please note! Insurance reimbursement requires a justifiable mental health diagnosis, e.g., postpartum depression, adjustment disorder, generalized anxiety, to be submitted on the superbill.

Please contact your insurer directly regarding their coverage for out-of-network providers. The CPT codes used are: 90791 (intake session) and 90837 (55 min session).

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancellations within 24 hours of appointment time, as well as not showing up for scheduled appointment without contact, will be charged at the full cost of the session. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis for urgent medical issues, which we will discuss in our intro call.

Good Faith Estimate Disclosure - effective Jan 2022

For all clients and potential clients please read below. A new government-mandated billing disclosure takes effect on January 1, 2022.

 Good Faith Estimate for Health Care Items and Services - a subset of the No Surprises Act

As of January 1, 2022, under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients/clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.

• 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 or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises