Frequently Asked Questions
Starting therapy for the first time can be intimidating. You may have a lot of questions about how it works and what you can expect. Here are our answers to the most common queries.
Fees & Insurance
My fee is $250 for a 60-minute session.
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How much does a therapy session cost?
I am an out-of-network doctoral-level psychologist and do not accept insurance directly. You are responsible for payment at the time of your session.
Do you accept insurance?
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If your insurance plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, you may be eligible for reimbursement. I provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company. Reimbursement is not guaranteed and depends entirely on the terms of your individual insurance plan, including your deductible, benefits, and reimbursement rate.
Can I receive reimbursement from my insurance company?
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Before beginning treatment, I recommend contacting your insurance company directly and asking about your out-of-network mental health benefits specifically for 60 minute therapy services provided by a doctoral-level psychologist.
How do I find out if my insurance provides out-of-network benefits?
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If your insurance plan provides out-of-network reimbursement and you submit your superbill, reimbursement is generally sent directly to you, often in the form of a check. The amount and method of reimbursement are determined by your insurance company.
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How will I receive my insurance reimbursement?
Yes. HSA and FSA cards may be used to pay for therapy, along with credit cards, debit cards, checks, and cash. Using an HSA or FSA does not change how your insurance reimbursement works. If you submit a superbill to your insurance company, any eligible reimbursement is generally sent directly to you.
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Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for therapy?
Starting Therapy
The first step is to contact my office by phone or complete the secure form through the website. We will have an initial conversation about what brings you to therapy and whether I may be the right fit for your needs.
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How do I get started?
You will receive a link to my secure SimplePractice portal, where you can schedule your appointment and complete your intake paperwork.
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What happens after I decide to move forward?
Before your first appointment, you will complete intake forms that provide information about your history, current concerns, goals, and other relevant background information. You will also review practice policies, fees, payment information, privacy practices, and informed consent.
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What forms will I need to complete?
The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and develop an understanding of what is bringing you to therapy. We will discuss your concerns, history, relationships, current functioning, strengths, and what you would like to change. When clinically appropriate, we will develop a baseline of symptoms, establish a diagnosis and develop an individualized treatment plan.
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What happens during the first session?
Sessions are typically scheduled weekly or biweekly, depending on your individual needs, treatment goals, and progress.
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How often will we meet?
I offer in-person therapy, with telehealth available when clinically appropriate.
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Do you offer telehealth?
Treatment & Progress
There is no set length of treatment because every person's needs and goals are different. For many clients, treatment may be approximately 10–20 sessions, while others may benefit from a shorter or longer course of therapy.
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How long does therapy typically last?
Therapy should have a purpose and direction. We will identify meaningful goals and regularly assess your progress to determine whether treatment is helping you move toward the changes you want to make
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How will we know if therapy is working?
Do I have to stay in therapy forever?
No. The goal is not to keep you in therapy indefinitely. The goal is to help you develop meaningful, lasting change and the tools you need to move forward independently. After completing regular treatment, some clients choose to return for an occasional booster session when they encounter a new challenge, transition, or period of increased stress.
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Therapy is a collaborative process. Together, we will work to understand what is happening, identify the appropriate method of treatment, clarify your goals, develop and practice strategies to create meaningful change and symptom relief to help you move forward.
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What can I expect from therapy?
Diagnostic Clarification / Clinical Second Opinion
- Want clarification of a current or previous diagnosis
- Would like a second opinion regarding a diagnosis they have already received
- Have symptoms that may overlap across several psychological conditions
- Feel that a previous diagnosis does not fully explain their symptoms or functioning
An evaluation may include:
- Comprehensive clinical and diagnostic interview
- Review of previous evaluations and diagnoses
- Review of relevant medical, psychological, treatment, or educational records
- Standardized psychological measures
- Assessment of current symptoms and functioning
- Differential diagnosis
- Individualized treatment and support recommendations
- Feedback session
- Written diagnostic summary or report, when appropriate
Fee - $250 per hour
Most diagnostic clarification and second-opinion evaluations require approximately 4–10 hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of approximately $2,250.
Pricing may vary based on the scope of the evaluation, complexity of the concerns, and extent of testing needed.
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504 Documentation & Accommodation Recommendations
This is a focused service and does not necessarily require a complete psychological or ADHD re-evaluation.
The service may include:
- Review of the student's previous psychological or diagnostic evaluation
- Review of the current or previous 504 Plan, IEP, school records, or relevant treatment records
- Clinical interview with the student and/or parent
- Review of current symptoms and functioning
- Updated rating scales or other clinical measures when appropriate
- Assessment of how the condition currently affects learning, concentration, test-taking, organization, attendance, emotional functioning, or other areas of school functioning
- Recommendations for reasonable academic accommodations and supports
- A written psychologist's letter or documentation summarizing the relevant diagnosis, current functional impact, and clinically supported accommodation recommendations
Fee - $250 per hour
Focused 504 documentation services generally require approximately 2–3 hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of $500–$750.
All professional time—including the clinical interview, record review, assessment, consultation, and preparation of the written letter—is included in the hourly billing.
If the existing diagnosis or documentation is not sufficient to support a current clinical opinion, additional assessment or a comprehensive evaluation may be recommended before documentation is provided.
A psychologist's letter and recommendations provide information for the school to consider but do not automatically establish eligibility for a Section 504 Plan or guarantee specific accommodations. The school's Section 504 team makes the final eligibility and accommodation decisions.
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Comprehensive ADHD Evaluations
There is no single test that determines whether someone has ADHD. A comprehensive evaluation considers symptoms, developmental history, functioning across settings, and other psychological, medical, educational, or environmental factors that may contribute to similar difficulties.
Depending on the individual and the referral question, the evaluation may include:
- Comprehensive developmental and diagnostic interview
- Review of medical, psychological, treatment, and educational history
- Standardized ADHD rating scales
- Parent and teacher questionnaires for children and adolescents, when appropriate
- Assessment of symptoms across different settings
- Executive-functioning measures
- Assessment of attention, working memory, impulsivity, organization, and related areas when clinically relevant
- Performance-based or computerized attention measures when clinically appropriate
- Screening for anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep difficulties, learning concerns, and other conditions that may resemble or occur alongside ADHD
- Additional cognitive or academic assessment when clinically indicated
- Assessment of how symptoms affect school, work, relationships, and daily functioning
- Diagnostic formulation and differential diagnosis
- Individualized treatment, school, workplace, or accommodation recommendations
- Feedback session
- Written psychological report
The specific measures used are selected based on the individual and the questions the evaluation is intended to answer.
Fee - $250 per hour
Most ADHD evaluations require approximately 4–10 hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of approximately $2,250. Pricing may vary based on the scope of the evaluation, complexity of the concerns, and extent of testing needed.
The anticipated number of hours and estimated total fee will be discussed before the evaluation begins.
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How Clinical Evaluation Fees Are Calculated
For diagnostic clarification, second-opinion, and ADHD evaluations, most services require approximately 4–10 total hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of $2,250. Pricing may vary based on the scope of the evaluation, complexity of the concerns, and extent of testing needed.
The total professional time includes all work required to complete the evaluation, not only the time spent meeting with the psychologist.
- Professional time may include:
- Clinical and diagnostic interviews
- Psychological testing and assessment
- Review of relevant records
- Scoring of assessment measures
- Interpretation and integration of results
- Diagnostic formulation and differential diagnosis
- Development of individualized recommendations
- Report writing
- Feedback session
The total number of hours depends on the referral question, amount of testing required, complexity of the evaluation, records reviewed, and type of written documentation requested.
The anticipated scope, estimated number of hours, and estimated total fee will be discussed before services begin. If additional assessment beyond the original estimate becomes necessary, this will be discussed before additional services are provided.
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Insurance & Reimbursement
Diagnostic clarification, clinical second-opinion, and ADHD evaluations are provided on an out-of-network basis.
I do not bill insurance directly. Payment is made to the practice, and a superbill can be provided for you to submit to your insurance company.
If your insurance plan includes out-of-network benefits for psychological evaluation or testing, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement.
Insurance reimbursement depends on the terms of your individual plan, including:
- Your out-of-network deductible
- How much of your deductible has already been met
- Whether psychological evaluation or testing is a covered service
- Your out-of-network reimbursement percentage
- The insurance company's allowed or recognized amount
- Whether prior authorization is required
A plan that states it reimburses a certain percentage for out-of-network services generally calculates that percentage based on the insurance company's allowed amount after any applicable deductible—not necessarily the full amount paid to the practice.
Insurance reimbursement is not guaranteed.
504 Documentation Services
Insurance coverage for services provided primarily for school accommodation documentation or educational purposes may vary.
A superbill may be available when clinically appropriate, but clients should contact their insurance company directly to determine whether these services are eligible for reimbursement.
Forensic Evaluations
Forensic evaluations are private-pay services and are handled separately from routine clinical insurance reimbursement.
Health insurance should not be assumed to cover an evaluation conducted for a legal, employment, disability, insurance, or other administrative purpose.
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Forensic PTSD / Psychological Injury Evaluation
For individuals involved in a legal, insurance, employment, disability, or other administrative matter in which PTSD, trauma-related symptoms, or psychological injury are at issue.
A forensic evaluation is different from therapy or a routine clinical evaluation. Its purpose is to provide an objective and impartial psychological opinion addressing a specific legal or administrative referral question.
The evaluation may include:
- Comprehensive forensic and diagnostic interview
- Detailed trauma and psychological history
- Review of relevant medical, psychological, employment, educational, or legal records within the agreed-upon scope
- Standardized PTSD and trauma measures
- Assessment of depression, anxiety, and other conditions that may overlap with PTSD
- Symptom and response-validity measures when clinically appropriate
- Consideration of alternative explanations and pre-existing psychological conditions
- Differential diagnosis
- Assessment of functional impairment
- Collateral information when appropriate
- Integration and interpretation of findings
- Comprehensive forensic psychological report
Psychological opinions relevant to the referral question when supported by the available evidence
The $2,250 fee includes the evaluation and written forensic report within the scope agreed upon before the evaluation begins.
Additional Forensic Services
Professional services outside the agreed-upon evaluation are billed at $250 per hour, including:
- Attorney phone calls or consultations
- Additional record review beyond the agreed-upon scope
- Additional report preparation or revisions
- Conferences or collateral contacts
- Deposition preparation and participation
- Court testimony
- Travel time
- Other professional time related to the forensic matter
- A forensic evaluation does not establish a psychotherapy or treatment relationship.
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What Should I Ask My Insurance Company?
“Do I have out-of-network benefits for psychological evaluation and psychological testing performed by a licensed doctoral-level psychologist?”
You may also want to ask:
- What is my out-of-network deductible?
- How much of my deductible has already been met?
- What percentage of the allowed amount will my plan reimburse?
- Does my plan cover psychological testing?
- Is prior authorization required?
- Are there limits on the amount or type of psychological testing covered?
- How does my plan determine its allowed or recognized amount?
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Kevin Keulwein
Professional Colleuge and Refferal Source
“Incredibly intelligent, warm and professional.”
Andrew DiPrinzio
Educator of students with dislexia
“A caring and helpful psychologist.”
Mason Richards
Community Reviewer - Google
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South Jersey Community Reviewer - Google
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Frostings by venees
Local professionals serving children and families
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Megan DeFino, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor and Pediatric Referral Source
“One of the most skilled psychologists I have worked with.”
Kim Halperin
School Counselor - Google Review
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Family perspective - Google Review
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