FAQ

How does a psychologist differ from other therapists?

A clinical psychologist has had specialized training in graduate school for approximately 8 or so years and earned a PhD as well as completed a one year internship in a mental health setting. Currently a psychologist does not prescribe medications but can refer you to a physician if medications are needed.
A psychiatrist has been to medical school and earned the MD degree and then had 3 years in a mental health setting. A psychiatrist can prescribe medications. Other practitioners are social workers who have earned the master’s degree and may or may not have had training in psychotherapy. In addition there are master’s level practitioners who practice as counselors, or as marriage and family therapists.

How can I best select a psychologist?

Be sure to use your best instincts to select someone that you feel you can trust. Ask a friend for the name of someone who has helped. If you are able to , you may want to schedule an inital meeting with more than one therapist. Talk to the person you see about whether or not you feel the two of you are clicking. If not, your therapist may help you to find a new therapist or may appreciate the feedback about what does not feel helpful.

How can I protect myself as a consumer?

Be sure that you only work with professionals who are licensed. Ask specifically which of the state licensing boards oversees their profession and when they obtained a license. A certificate generally means nothing, as do any other terms that are used as substitute words for the word license. You may decide you want to call the state board and see if any complaints have been filed against that person.

What kind of counseling do you do?

As a psychologist I have been trained in a wide variety of techniques and will use my experience to fit my approach to your needs. I have used techniques from experiential, humanistic, analytic, behavioral,cognitive, and family systems theories. In my work as a financial psychologist, I use techniques from the fields of behavioral finance, family business consulting and communication theory. Be sure and let me know what has and has not been helpful to you in the past if you have already consulted a professional.

What is financial psychology?

This is a relatively new area of practice for psychologists and is based on the field of behavioral economics as well as incorporating clinical theories and observations. How clients make money decisions, their family history and their thoughts, feelings and behaviors related to money are areas that are covered by financial psychology. Consulting with and training financial advisors is also part of my work in this area.

Can I use my health insurance?

If you have health insurance, it typically will cover the services of a licensed psychologist if you meet the criteria for a diagnosis such as anxiety or depression. You may prefer not to use your health insurance if you do not want a record of your treatment. Use of insurance may affect your ability to purchase insurance in the future if you plan to become self-employed and self-insured. If you want to use your benefits, the best information is obtained by calling the number on your card and asking about your out-of-network outpatient mental health coverage. You may submit my receipt to your company directly for reimbursement. If this presents a hardship and you wish for me to accept an assignment of your benefits, please talk about this in the first session.

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