Initial appointment and psychological testing: $150 per 50 minute hour

Subsequent appointments (individual, couples and family therapy): $120 per 50 minute hour

While I routinely accept a limited number of clients for a reduced fee plan as a community service, you should not assume that this applies to you unless we have agreed to this in advance. I do not ordinarily charge for occasional and appropriate phone calls. Frequent or lengthy phone calls typically indicate issues that are probably better dealt with in a regular session, and will be billed at the hourly rate.

In order to keep overhead and fees low, I do request that you be prepared to make payment in full at the beginning of each session. Alternately, you can now make a secure payment on this website by using your credit card or Paypal. By responsibly upholding your end of the business part of the therapy relationship, it allows us to focus exclusively on your personal concerns during session time.

Usual and customary fees: My practice is committed to providing the best treatment possible at a reasonable rate. For the Birmingham area my fees are entirely consistent with those charged by similarly qualified licensed psychologists with comparable experience. Please keep in mind, however, that you are responsible for payment regardless of any insurance company's arbitrary determination of usual and customary rates.

For more information on fees, charges, and related issues concerning the business side of a therapy relationship, please see the more comprehensive discussion in the Patient Contract.

In order for us to set realistic treatment goals and priorities, it is important to evaluate what resources you have to pay for your treatment. If you have a health insurance policy, it will usually provide some coverage for mental health treatment. I have existing relationships with some, but not all, insurance companies. For the companies with whom I do have a working relationship, I will fill out forms and provide you with whatever assistance I can in helping you receive the benefits to which you are entitled. However, you -- not your insurance company -- are responsible for full payment of my fees.

It is very important that you find out exactly what mental health services your insurance policy will cover. If you have question about the coverage, call your plan administrator.

Please refer to the HIPAA Disclosure and Outpatient Service Contract for more information about your privacy rights and potential limits to privacy as they relate to health insurance companies.

By far, the "business" issue that leads to the most confusion is the policy concerning missed appointments, or appointments that are canceled late (with less than 24 hours notice). So, I will clarify this point. An appointment you have scheduled with me represents time that I cannot make available to anyone else. It is important, both for my ability to sustain my practice, and for your progress in treatment, that you come to scheduled appointments. However, schedules change from time to time, necessitating some measure of flexibility.

Therefore, if an appointment is canceled with 24 hours notice, there will be no charge. If, however, an appointment is canceled with less than 24 hours notice, or if someone fails to attend a scheduled appointment, the hourly fee will be charged for that session. Please be mindful that insurance companies typically do not pick up any portion of a missed appointment charge, and the client will be responsible for full payment of that session no later than the date of the next scheduled appointment.