Waves of Courage Counseling LLC

Investment

When you’re making an investment, you’re dedicating time, energy, and money. Therapy is an investment for yourself in order to be more present and focused on your well-being. Committing to working on your issues takes emotional energy and time, but the returns on this investment can bring immense relief and a sense of liberation. You’re able to cope better with life’s challenges, feel less stuck, and have a stronger sense of who you are in the world. 

How does it work?

What Happens First

If you think we could be a good fit, I invite you to book a consultation or fill out our contact form by clicking the waves above in the image. Think of it as a meet-and-greet opportunity, where you can ask any questions you have and receive guidance in the right direction. Having the right-fit therapist is one of the most important first steps for a successful therapeutic journey.
What Happens Next

Once we determine that we are a good fit to start working together, we schedule your intake assessment (about 90 min). The initial assessment is where I will likely ask the most questions to better understand your needs and how I can best support you. From there, we will work collaboratively to establish treatment goals and begin our therapeutic journey together.
Moving Forward

Our goal moving forward is to assist you in the process of healing from the past so you can start living authentically in the present. As you progress, you will gradually feel more motivated and confident to address your own needs. Eventually, you will be able to shift your focus towards your life and future with a renewed outlook.

Standard Rates

I am honored to collaborate with non-profit organizations dedicated to offering free and reduced-cost therapy services to active duty service members, veterans, first responders, and their families. Specifically, I contract with Centerstone Military Services in association with the Wounded Warrior Project, The Overwatch Collective, and I am also a dedicated clinical partner with the Headstrong Project. For further details, please inquire to see if you qualify for financial assistance.

*Self-pay discounted rates are provided for First Responders, Active Duty military and TRICARE members.

EMDR Intensive Rates

  • Meet & Greet/Consultation
    (20 min)
    FREE
  • Pre-Intensive Interview/Intake
    (90 min)
    $200
  • Intensive Sessions
    (2-3 hr blocks)
    $175/hr
  • Post-Intensive Follow-up (60 min) $175
  • Additional beyond the follow-up appointment $175/hr
    (2-3 hr blocks)

*Insurance may cover preparation sessions, Intake, and follow-up sessions, but the intensive sessions themselves may not covered by insurance. 

*Military/Veterans may qualify for 100% financial assistance via The Headstrong Project. Please inquire to see if you qualify.

*Self-pay discounted rates are provided for First Responders, Active Duty military and TRICARE members.

Yes, I offer sliding or low-cost counseling when you can’t afford the full fee. My sliding range varies and is typically discussed with an agreement form. Please connect with me directly to discuss the availability if you require a lower fee or payment plan option. As a military spouse-owned and operated practice, discounted rates are provided for First Responders, Active Duty military, and TRICARE members. Additionally, please inquire to see if you’d qualify for financial assistance via the partnering non-profits. We are committed to giving back to those who serve.

Yes, I accept private pay. The advantages of private pay include not having to submit a diagnosis or share any HIPAA-protected information with your insurance company. Many of these companies also try to dictate what kind of therapy and how much therapy you need. When you use out-of-pocket services, you have more flexibility in how you use your therapy sessions and it also allows me to provide the highest quality, most flexible care to meet your unique needs. You can read more about the advantages of private pay here in my FAQ section.

 

The “No Surprises Act”  Enacted on January 1st, 2022:
     You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate”  (GFE)
 explaining how much your medical care will cost

Under the law, healthcare providers must give patients who don’t have insurance or are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. Please visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more information

I am happy to discuss this in our consultation prior to our initial appointment.

I am a Lyra Health provider. If you’d like to use these benefits, let’s do a meet-and-greet consultation. It is best to check with your employer and insurance as coverage status is liable to change. If you’re not sure, reach out to them as this may be a good benefit to you! 

Yup, I do offer OON billing with courtesy billing.

I can provide you with a Superbill, which is a fancy medical receipt. You can submit this receipt to your insurance company for possible reimbursement (which they will send directly to you). Doing this, however, also requires a formal diagnosis.

As a courtesy I use Thrizer for insurances I am not in-network with.  You may have out-of-network benefits, which means that they will support the cost of our services. Thrizer automatically handles this process so you can pay only what you truly owe for our sessions. 

We will first check to confirm you have out-of-network benefits. If so, I will use Thrizer so that you are only charged your co-payment for the appointment. This will also allow you to track your claims and receive reimbursement payments more quickly and easily.

To learn how Thrizer works, you can visit here.

If you are interested in billing insurance, you may use Thrizer to verify your benefits. To learn more, you can visit here.

You can also contact your insurance company directly to find out the reimbursement amount for “out-of-network” counseling.

I’d recommend asking these questions to your insurance provider to help determine your benefits:

  • Does my health insurance plan include mental health/telehealth benefits?
  • Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it, and have I met it yet?
  • Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
  • Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?

Common CPT Codes for billing:

  • Intake: Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation CPT 90791
  • 60-minute Individual Psychotherapy CPT 90837
  • 45-minute Individual Psychotherapy CPT 90834
  • 30-minute Individual Psychotherapy CPT 90832

I am proud to serve as a TRICARE Certified Non-network Provider for those living in Virginia. Which means, a prior authorization or a referral may be required for your insurance type i.e. Prime. Prime members also have the option to use the point-of-service (POS) option, which means you do not need a referral to begin services with me. You would need to meet your yearly deductible and then after your deductible is met, you will be responsible for 50% of TRICARE’s allowable amount. 

As a courtesy, I am happy to submit all claims on your behalf. Self-pay reduced rates are provided for those using their TRICARE benefits. TRICARE Select beneficiaries will receive reimbursement directly from TRICARE post-deductible.

For more information or help to better understand your costs with TRICARE, visit their website.

Currently, my State Boards require that I only see individuals who are physically located in the states where I am licensed. While telehealth laws can be complex, it’s essential to consider whether driving to Virginia (VA) or Alaska (AK) for telehealth sessions is practical. While it’s technically possible, it may not be the most efficient or effective approach. If you’re seeking a therapist licensed in a specific state for telehealth sessions, I can provide referrals for your convenience.

I am in-network with Anthem BCBS.

I currently use a company called Headway to verify benefits and manage billing and admin work for Anthem BCBS.

To check your benefits, you can go here. You’ll see your cost/session ahead of time.

What to expect with using Headway?
The Headway team will email you to help you set up your account and add your insurance and payment details. You can reach them directly at hello@headway.co and they can help with any insurance, billing, or account questions. 

I am in-network with Aetna for Alaskans via Headway (who I do my billing with).

To check your benefits, you can go here. You’ll see your cost/session ahead of time.

What to expect with using Headway?
The Headway team will email you to help you set up your account and add your insurance and payment details. You can reach them directly at hello@headway.co and they can help with any insurance, billing, or account questions. 

At this time, I am not accepting Medicaid and Medicare clients. 

Message-based therapy is where you communicate with your therapist via e-chat, online text messaging, or e-Journal. You exchange these messages online in a secured way via a client portal. These messages can be in live time or with a delay. After our initial televideo session, we discuss if this fits your therapeutic treatment.

All services are via a secured platform

Payment is due at the time of service. I accept major credit cards, including HSA/FSA cards and Care Credit, through my secure practice platform, Practice Better. Your payment details are stored securely either with a third-party billing service I contract for insurance or within the Practice Better client portal. Co-pays (if any) are processed on the day of service. For EMDR Intensives, financing options are available.

 

Therapy sessions are scheduled in advance at a time reserved exclusively for you. When a session is canceled without adequate notice, I am unable to fill this time slot by offering it to another current client, a client on the waitlist, or a client with a clinical emergency.

If you are unable to attend a session, please make sure you provide me, at least 24 hours, notice of the cancellation via email or text/message.

If you cancel your appointment prior to 24 hours, you will be rescheduled with no penalty.

Cancellations made without 24 hours’ notice but prior to the start of the session incur a $50 late-cancellation fee unless rescheduled within 5 business days.

No-shows or cancellations, especially if it becomes habitual, made after the start of the session incur a $100 fee.

**EMDR Intensives: Please provide a minimum of 72 hours’ notice. Cancellations occurring within this time frame, or failure to attend without notice, will result in a charge of $100 per hour for the duration of the session (3 blocks).

**Of course, we understand when emergencies come up. Cancellation fee can be waived in the event that is out of your control ie. a natural disaster, serious illness, or an emergency situation such as a car accident. If you are unsure of your circumstances, please contact me to discuss!

I meet with Alaska and Virginia clients between the hours of 10 AM-5 PM ET. I may not respond to messages or emails past 6 PM ET.

You may visit the FAQ section or contact me for any additional questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you!