FAQ

Because I have off-site appointments and responsibilities in addition to routine office visits, all appointments must be scheduled in advance. There are no walk-ins.

Appointment times available are as follows:

Before 10 am, after hours, and weekends only by special arrangement.

Yes. We have the resources to provide secure video conferencing. For the well-being of all involved, we reserve the prerogative to assess the appropriateness of video services based on diagnosis, treatment needs, age, stage, and/or condition of the Client.

We generally do not offer telehealth to Clients under age 18.

We do not offer telephone therapy.

Preferred Practice accepts no responsibility for technical problems that arise during a video call. If you have a video appointment scheduled, here are some tips: make sure you have good reception for the call; check in advance to be sure your audio and video functions are turned on and working properly; and arrive on time.

For safety reasons, we will not conduct therapy with anyone who is driving an automobile or operating potentially dangerous equipment. If it is determined that you are operating any such equipment during your video call, the session will be ended and you will not receive a refund.

I cannot provide telehealth to anyone who is not physically within the borders of the state of Georgia for the entire session. I am only licensed in the state of Georgia and, per current licensing rules, I can only provide services to you when we are both physically located within the Georgia state lines. If you become a Client and plan to be on vacation or otherwise physically in any location that is not in Georgia, you will not have access to video services during the time you are out of state.

You can contact me by using the message form included throughout this website.

Or you can call me at (478) 751-8004. If I don’t pick up, leave a message. I usually call back the same day but will certainly get back to you as quickly as possible

See my About page for a vivid description of the therapy process.

The short answer is “however long it takes.” That said, most routine therapy sessions last from 45 minutes to an hour. Initial assessment appointments are likely to run longer but are rarely more than 90 minutes.

For self-pay clients, the intake/diagnostic rate (1st appointment) $125.00.

Routine outpatient individual therapy is $80 per session (up to 60 minutes).

Couple/Relationship Therapy is self-pay only and is $100 per session (up to 60 minutes)

Additional considerations, including special pricing/packages, will be subject to your needs and preferences. A precise quote will require an individualized consultation to determine a suitable rate for the services we will be providing.

If you will be using insurance, see “Do you take insurance?” below. If you choose to use insurance, your charges will be subject to the requirements and stipulations of your applicable health insurance coverage. As with any other health provider, you will be responsible for any charges incurred that your insurance does not cover.

Yes, Preferred Practice is a preferred provider for:

• Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
• United Healthcare
• Aetna
• Cigna
• Oscar
• Oxford
• Optum

If you choose to use insurance, your charges will be subject to the requirements and stipulations of your applicable health insurance coverage. As with any other health provider, you will be responsible for any charges incurred that your insurance does not cover.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, you will need to contact Preferred Practice at least 48 hours before your scheduled appointment time.

If you fail to show up as scheduled and have not notified Preferred Practice at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment, you will be charged $75 for the service scheduled and missed as a “no show” fee.

If you arrive more than 10 minutes past your scheduled appointment time, you will be considered a “no show” and you will be subject to the $75 “no show” fee. Depending on the time lost and the circumstances of your tardiness exceptions to this policy may be considered at the discretion of your therapist.

I work primarily with children, teens, young adults, and young couples.

However, when needed, I also offer family therapy to the families of the clients I serve through individual and couples therapy.

At Preferred Practice, therapy is based on human needs and my ability to serve them.

I specialize in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with no gender preference.

Family Therapy is only provided as an adjunct to individual therapy and when appropriate based on the needs and preferences of the existing individual therapy client.

Couple/Relational Therapy is Self-Pay only.

Yes. Again, you can read my About page for detailed description.

Whatever works! I completed training in both Marriage and Family Therapy and Social Work and take a rather eclectic approach that combines the key modalities of each of these disciplines. Then, I modify as needed to personalize therapy to the needs and preferences of the individual client.

My standard “go-to’s” are Family Systems, Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Solutions-Focused, and Play Therapy. However, it is common for me to incorporate Dialectical, Mindfulness, Psychodynamic, and other modalities for a particular purpose at various times.

Refer to Modalities page for more details.

The joy of a breakthrough!

Nothing beats the thrill of helping a young person realize success or sharing a parent’s excitement when their troubled child is finally able to experience pleasure and happiness. The satisfaction of helping a teen stay in school or out of youth detention is also pretty undeniable.

Whatever the specifics, I love the feeling I get when I know I’ve helped someone change their life in ways they never thought possible!

I’ve used professional therapy in the past and experienced the relief of expressing my thoughts and feelings about the life challenges that were overwhelming at the time.  During the pandemic I found tremendous joy from watching a white squirrel I called Blessing “play” in my backyard. My faith has grown exponentially as I’ve gotten older and Blessing has moved on to frolic in a neighbors yard so now I frequently find my restoration in spiritual pursuits: prayer, scripture, and spending time with my church family. But my very best relief these days is the overwhelming sense of purpose I get from long talks with my daughter who has a phenomenal  knack for making me feel like I’m doing something right and good in the world. We don’t all need a professional therapist, but everyone needs therapy- that person, place, activity that restores your sense of purpose and belonging in the world.