I abide by all North Carolina laws pertaining to the practice of psychology and I strive to meet the guidelines set forth by the American Psychological Association in the Code of Ethics for psychologists. I abide by all HIPAA laws and the APA Code of Ethics pertaining to your PHI (Private Health Information) and to the storage of and disposal of records.
I participate in at least two peer consultation groups which meet at least monthly. Even after 31 years of practice, I challenge myself to continue growing personally and as a clinician. I also participate in personal psychotherapy on a regular basis to continue my growth as a person and as a psychotherapist.
My office affords much privacy. I rent my own suite with a private waiting room and a separate entrance from the street. The rest-rooms are shared with only two or three other people down the hall. I use paper medical records, not digital. Plastic card payments are received with software/services in compliance with federal laws for merchants (not personal money exchange services). My voicemail is confidential. My email is not encrypted. So please keep your email inquiries short.
Clinically, I treat my clients with honesty, trust, respect and integrity. I will recommend a course and length of treatment that I believe is in your best interests. I will promptly address it if I believe you are not working effectively or if I believe I am not working effectively with you. I will let you know promptly if I believe I am not equipped or the best possible provider for you. I hold myself to the highest standards of ethical conduct in my clinical decisions.
I operate my business with integrity and honesty. In the interest of financial disclosure and no surprises, I will estimate your possible overall costs as quickly as possible and as accurately as possible based on your stated therapy goals and my assessment of your strengths, supports and situation. I will discuss my fees with you before services are rendered. Exact costs for your therapy cannot be quoted, since I don’t know in advance how long your treatment will be. However, we can discuss at any time how your therapy is going and how much longer it might take to achieve your stated goals so that you can plan accordingly.
If you are paying with insurance, I will provide a tool to help you gather needed information about the terms of your plan regarding mental health coverage. Please be checking your own EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) to verify your plan is paying according to the terms you were quoted by them. I estimate the right amount to collect from you for the first couple of sessions until the first claim is paid. Ultimately, we go by what the adjusted claim is showing as Patient Responsibility amount. If you learn the amount I collected from you is not correct, please notify me immediately to straighten it out. At the end of your care, I go over your entire account again, and bring your account to a zero balance, whether by collecting any balance due, or by returning to you any balance credit.
If you have questions about confidentiality, privacy, or financial disclosure, please ask me promptly.
If you are ready to call, good for you! Here is the number: 704-776-6438.
If you need information about payment, please click on the “Fees & Insurance” tab.