My standard rates are as follows:
- Individual Counseling: $100/hr
I use Square to process credit, debit, and health savings card payments.
Finkbiner Counseling Services, LLC is a private pay practice. This means that you are in control of every aspect of your care. There are no limits to the number of sessions you can have, no surprise costs, and protected confidentiality. The aim of private pay practice is to restore agency and autonomy in your mental healthcare.
I am also a member of Open Path Psychotherapy Collective. Open Path is a nonprofit network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing mental health care at steeply reduced rates to the people who need it most. A lifetime membership to Open Path requires a one-time fee of $65. I offer a limited number of these reduced fee appointments so be sure to ask about availability in advance!
Why I Don’t Work With Insurance
- Confidentiality and Privacy: When insurance companies are paying for your treatment, it means that their employees can audit notes and your treatment plan.
- Assumption of Illness: Insurance companies use the medical model and require a DSM-5 diagnosis for billing purposes. Many people who seek therapy don’t qualify for a diagnosis, and even if they do, only some are deemed a medical necessity.
- Therapy Restrictions: Insurance companies may impose limits on the amount of sessions and the type of therapeutic modality used for treatment. This means an insurance company, not your therapist, is dictating your treatment.
- Risk of Negative Consequences: Your clinical record includes progress notes, your diagnosis, and your treatment plan. This information can have unforeseen negative consequences if subpoenaed. Unfortunately, many people will avoid getting the help they need because of this.
Consider the impact of this information in the following scenarios:- Fitness for duty evaluations
- Acquiring and maintaining a security clearance
- Child custody hearings
- Divorce proceedings
- Applying for a mortgage
- Changing insurance plans
- Complex Paneling Process: The process for therapists to get paneled with insurance is time consuming and requires a lot of paperwork. It is not uncommon for it to take 6 months or longer!
- Complex Billing Process: Every insurance provider has their own billing process and some require extra paperwork. This increases the chances of clerical errors that result in claims denials.
- Clawbacks: Insurance companies can take back money they paid to a clinician for a variety of reasons. This can happen YEARS later and without any notice.
