In-person and online therapy for adults, teens, and athletes in Florida. Available afternoons, weekends, and evenings.
Policies and Procedures
These policies were last updated January 17, 2024
These policies were last updated January 17, 2024
Appointments
Available Session Times
I schedule appointments six days a week from 8:00am-8:00pm EST.
This does not mean I am available non-stop throughout the day, six days a week. My schedule tends to book up 1-2 weeks or more in advance, so please keep that in mind if you have a time preference.
This does not mean I am available non-stop throughout the day, six days a week. My schedule tends to book up 1-2 weeks or more in advance, so please keep that in mind if you have a time preference.
Session Frequency
I recommend a weekly one-hour session at minimum fore the first 6 months. Weekly appointments lead to greater momentum to accomplish goals. Every 3-weeks we will review session frequency and discuss changes based on what's clinically indicated. If you feel a change is warranted sooner, feel free to bring it up in session so we can discuss it.
A minimum of one monthly appointment is required to stay on my caseload unless we explicitly arrange otherwise. Please note I cannot be responsible for your care if I am not actively treating you.
A minimum of one monthly appointment is required to stay on my caseload unless we explicitly arrange otherwise. Please note I cannot be responsible for your care if I am not actively treating you.
Standing Appointments
If you prefer a certain day and time, I recommend that you book a standing appointment so you will have that slot reserved. A standing appointment is a recurring appointment. This means you are reserving the same day/time slot every week or every other week.
Provision of standing slots is at my discretion. Standing appointments follow the same cancellation policies and procedures as any other appointments. Please do not schedule standing appointments unless you are certain you can commit to this time slot.
If you reserve a standing appointment and cancel or reschedule it two times in a row, I will ask you to move out your standing appointment to another slot or schedule your appointments from week to week instead. Please note that I will not hold a standing slot if you take a leave of absence from therapy.
Provision of standing slots is at my discretion. Standing appointments follow the same cancellation policies and procedures as any other appointments. Please do not schedule standing appointments unless you are certain you can commit to this time slot.
If you reserve a standing appointment and cancel or reschedule it two times in a row, I will ask you to move out your standing appointment to another slot or schedule your appointments from week to week instead. Please note that I will not hold a standing slot if you take a leave of absence from therapy.
Initial Session
Your initial session will take 90 minutes, so please keep that in mind when you schedule. You will need to complete the intake process and sign an informed consent agreement before your first appointment. Once I have received your signed consent and completed intake documents, we will begin the appointment and move forward from there.
Appointment Process
Appointment Reminders
You will receive appointment reminders via text and email at approximately 48 hours and at 24 hours. These reminders are a courtesy. Failure to see a reminder will not result in a waiver of fees for later cancellations or missed appointments. You are responsible for keeping appointments as scheduled whether you have viewed these reminders or not. I recommend that you add your appointments to your phone calendar and set up reminder alerts.
Cancellations
Please help me serve you and others better by keeping your appointments as scheduled. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please give as much notice as possible so I can offer that time to someone else. I will do my best to reschedule your appointment within the same week based on availability. If you need to cancel, I suggest cancelling via both email and phone just to make sure your message reaches me. Feel free to send your message at any hour of the day or night. I keep device application notifications set to silent, so you will not disturb or wake me. Please make a point to check your calendar for conflicts prior to scheduling.
A cancellation fee is not a punishment. You have booked a spot and if you cancel with little or no notice, it cannot be offered to another client in time. When you cancel a scheduled session without at least 48 hours notice, it compromises my ability to offer that slot to someone else who needs it. I reserve the right to terminate therapy with clients who show a pattern of late cancellations. If you are on my caseload, I have a responsibility to meet with you regularly. When you cancel or reschedule 25% of your appointments, it is appropriate to evaluate whether this is a good time to initiate discharge or to switch from scheduled appointments to provisional appointments. Provisional appointments may be a more workable option for clients with unpredictable schedules or lifestyles.
Provisional appointments are same day appointments that are made less than 24 hours in advance. They are called provisional because they are offered on the provision that the time is available.
A cancellation fee is not a punishment. You have booked a spot and if you cancel with little or no notice, it cannot be offered to another client in time. When you cancel a scheduled session without at least 48 hours notice, it compromises my ability to offer that slot to someone else who needs it. I reserve the right to terminate therapy with clients who show a pattern of late cancellations. If you are on my caseload, I have a responsibility to meet with you regularly. When you cancel or reschedule 25% of your appointments, it is appropriate to evaluate whether this is a good time to initiate discharge or to switch from scheduled appointments to provisional appointments. Provisional appointments may be a more workable option for clients with unpredictable schedules or lifestyles.
Provisional appointments are same day appointments that are made less than 24 hours in advance. They are called provisional because they are offered on the provision that the time is available.
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Here is what the process looks like for provisional appointment sessions:
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Note that there will be no refunds for cancelling same-day appointments, so please do not schedule a same-day appointment unless you are able to commit to it. If the cancellation rate increases to 30% of appointments, you will be discharged and referred to community resources.
No Shows
A "no show" is when you simply do not show up for a scheduled appointment, including an online appointment - without calling or emailing. It is a missed session. If you show up 30-minutes late, that will also be considered a missed appointment, or "no show".
When you schedule an appointment and do not show up and do not cancel, you make it impossible for me to book that time for someone else. There will be no refunds for no shows and you risk termination of services if it happens repeatedly.
If you miss an appointment, I will reach out to you directly with an attempt to reschedule. If you do not respond, I will assume that you have dropped out of therapy and will make the space available for another client. In this event, I will send you a discharge notice via email and close your chart.
Please note, after three no shows (missed appointments), you will be discharged from my services.
When you schedule an appointment and do not show up and do not cancel, you make it impossible for me to book that time for someone else. There will be no refunds for no shows and you risk termination of services if it happens repeatedly.
If you miss an appointment, I will reach out to you directly with an attempt to reschedule. If you do not respond, I will assume that you have dropped out of therapy and will make the space available for another client. In this event, I will send you a discharge notice via email and close your chart.
Please note, after three no shows (missed appointments), you will be discharged from my services.
Illness or Injury
In the event that I am ill or injured to the point that it is necessary for me to cancel our scheduled appointment, I will notify you by email and I will make every effort to reschedule within the same week.
Termination of Services
Reasons for Termination
Termination of the therapeutic relationship is guided by ethics. According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) code of ethics (https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English/Social-Workers-Ethical-Responsibilities-to-Clients), "Social workers should terminate services to clients and professional relationships with them when such services and relationships are no longer required or no longer serve the clients' needs or interests. Social workers should withdraw services precipitously only under unusual circumstances, giving careful consideration to all factors in the situation and taking care to minimize possible adverse effects. Social workers in fee-for-service settings may terminate services to clients who are not paying an overdue balance if the financial contractual arrangements have been made clear to the client, if the client does not pose an imminent danger to self or others, and if the clinical and other consequences of the current nonpayment have been addressed and discussed with the client. Social workers who anticipate the termination or interruption of services to clients should notify clients promptly and seek the transfer, referral, or continuation of services in relation to the clients' needs and preferences."
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The following are common reasons for termination of therapy:
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I may terminate services if it becomes apparent that you would be best served by a clinician who specializes in services in which I do not have the needed training or expertise, or if you need a higher level of care. In the event that termination is appropriate, I will notify you in writing and provide referral resources.
Inactive Clients
If you stop scheduling sessions, repeatedly cancel appointments, or miss two sessions in a row, I will assume that you have decided not to continue therapy with me. I will attempt to contact you via email and phone to confirm. If I do not receive a response within a week of these communications, I will change your status to inactive and send you a discharge notice via email.