Frequently Asked Questions

  • The most fruitful therapy experiences involve the development of a mutually engaged and effortful therapeutic relationship between the therapist and client. You bring the deepest knowledge of yourself, your world view, past experiences and future goals and I bring curiosity, support and validation, gentle challenges, and focus on empowered healing.

    I think of therapy sessions as a workout for your emotional self. When you start a new exercise program it may feel really hard and clunky or it may feel refreshing and good, or maybe some of both. The more you do it, the stronger you become, and even if it’s difficult, you usually feel accomplished and refreshed when it’s over.

    Therapy is similar. It can be hard or feel awkward at first but with some practice it will feel more natural to get into the challenging stuff. You may similarly experience the after affects of feeling validated in your experiences, develop more emotional clarity and healing, and empowered to focus on future desires.

    Therapy doesn’t just happen to us, it is a challenge we engage in because we are brave enough to hope for something better for ourselves.

  • The therapeutic process is very individualized and is completely client-centered. Some clients benefit from a brief, focused series of sessions to support a single goal or issue and other clients prefer to explore multiple avenues in therapy that may require more long-term support. We will continuously discuss effectiveness of therapy and where we feel you are in the process.

  • Your sessions are confidential under HIPAA, The Health Information Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Colorado Revised Statues 12-43-218. The only exceptions to the HIPPA confidentiality law are:

    -A client intends to harm themselves or others

    -A client communicates a serious threat of imminent physical violence against someone else

    -A client reports a serious threat to national security

    -There is reasonable cause to believe or a client has disclosed child/ dependent/ or elder abuse.

    -A court of law issues a subpoena

    -A court of law has ordered you to participate in therapy

    -A client is being evaluated for disability compensation by the Bureau of Workers Compensation

    -If you choose to use insurance, I will be required to disclose diagnosis and basic treatment plan information for billing purposes.

  • I do not provide crises counseling but will ensure that you have access to community supports that do provide 24/7 crisis counseling services. If we anticipate ongoing crises needs, we may discuss whether a different therapist with a more flexible schedule and crisis counseling services may be a better fit. We will discuss this at intake and assess ongoing.

    You may reach out to me for non-urgent needs in between sessions. I typically respond in 24-48 business hours. You may always use my scheduling platform to schedule additional sessions. We will review how to do this at the time of intake.

  • I offer virtual only sessions to residents of Colorado between the hours of 9am and 3pm MST Monday-Friday. I do not offer evening or weekend sessions at this time.

    My standard session approximately 50 minutes. I offer 30 minute brief sessions for in between typical session needs and 80 minute sessions for anticipated extended needs.

  • Some clients like to schedule regular weekly sessions while others feel like their needs are met by meeting every 2 or more weeks. I do not typically see individuals less frequently than every 4 weeks to keep therapeutic momentum; however, every circumstance is different and we will choose what feels right to you and this may ebb and flow with time. We will discuss in sessions about what frequency feels best for you and what I would recommend for your therapy goals. Ultimately, it is your choice how often we connect.

  • I am In-Network for United (Optum), and Aetna, insurance plans. For those with different plans, I encourage all clients to look into your plan for out of network benefits. Many insurance plans reimburse for out-of-network providers. I provide monthly super bills for any self-pay clients who wish to pursue out-of-network reimbursement.

    It is important that you are aware if you choose to use your health insurance coverage to assist with payment for therapy services I will be required to provide a diagnosis, proof of ongoing service need, and basic treatment plan progress to your insurance company.

    For self-pay clients, in an effort to provide more accessible out-of-network services, I have a limited number of sliding scale spots available. Please reach out if you would like to discuss if a sliding scale slot is available.

    My out of pocket fees for individual therapy sessions are:

    60 minute session 175

    45 minute session 150

    30 minute session 125

    90 minute extended session 250

Getting started with Sweet orange

STEP 1 : Just reach out! Click here to schedule a 15-30 minute free consultation.

STEP 2: During the consultation, we will discuss your needs and what you are looking for in a therapist and I can answer any questions you have to see if I might be a good fit for you.

STEP 3 : If we decide to move forward, I will help you get connected to the Client Portal for consent forms and we will schedule the intake session. I will send some questionnaires through the patient portal for you to fill out before our intake to provide some background information.

STEP 4: During the intake session, I will build on the initial questionnaires, ask questions to get to know you, gather past history, and assess information about your concerns and therapy goals.

STEP 5: Following the intake we will create a living treatment plan that may change and shift as you move through your therapy process. It is not uncommon for goals to change as your mindset transforms in the therapy setting. This living document will help us keep track of your overall journey.

*Sometimes the thought of this intake session feels so overwhelming that it prevents people from engaging at all. I want to ease your mind that we will go at your pace, it will always be your choice what you share and when. You don’t have to know what your goals are for therapy, maybe you just know you are ready for a change or want to feel different, that is all okay. Come as you are and we will go from there together.

*If anytime during therapeutic process you feel I may not be a good fit for you, that is absolutely okay. My role is to support you to meet your goals not to impede your growth or coping in anyway. In this situation, I will help you connect to a therapist that may feel like a better fit for you.

“Therapy Doesn’t just happen to us, it is a challenge wE TAKE On because we are brave enough to hope for something better for ourselves. ”

—Megan Dinnebeil, LCSW, PMH-C