Practice Policies

Appointments and Cancellations

Appointments are scheduled in advance, at a cadence we agree on, based on your goals, treatment needs, and our mutual availability. Payments for each appointment will be made through this platform by debit or credit card or ACH transfer.

There is a grace period of 15 minutes provided for when clients are running late to session, after this grace period you will be charged the full session rate as the fee.You may cancel appointments in advance without charge, as long as I receive notice far enough in advance, usually 24 hours. For appointment no-shows or last-minute cancellations, you will be charged a fee of $75. Please reach out to me directly for my latest policy on the cancellation cutoff period and fees.

Availability and After-Hours Emergencies

Providers check for voice mail messages during normal business hours. Messages left outside of normal hours of operation will be picked up the next business day. If you are experiencing suicidal or homicidal thoughts, are in crisis, or need immediate help, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. If you are admitted to in-person higher level of care/psychiatric care or recommended so, you will need to provide a release of care from the attending psychiatrist releasing you back to outpatient services before we can continue with our therapy.

Contacting Me

I am often not immediately available by telephone. I do not answer my phone when I am with clients or otherwise unavailable. At these times, you may leave a message on my confidential voicemail or text message, and I will return your call once I’ve reviewed your chart, but it may take a day or two for non-urgent matters. I will make every attempt to inform you in advance of planned absences. If I need to cancel an appointment at the last-minute, I will reach out as soon as possible and reschedule.

Discharge Process

There are several reasons why we may eventually end our professional relationship. You may decide you would prefer to work with a different provider. I may reach the conclusion you would be better served working with someone else. Regardless of the case, I will first discuss with you the reasons for discharging, and if you request, provide you with a list of other qualified providers. I will also extend the discharge process length if necessary, based on your treatment needs, including continuing to provide emergency support for a time-limited period after you have been notified of the end of our treatment relationship.

Please note that ongoing failure to pay for treatment, attend sessions, or communicate with me in a respectful and timely manner can also result in discharge from my practice. In these instances, to ensure you have continued access to care, I will still make every reasonable effort to get in touch with you and provide referrals to a new provider before I consider our relationship ended.

A Note on Therapy for Minors

Young people may have a variety of responses and experiences to therapy. They may also have developmentally appropriate responses. I will address all of these with care for them. By signing this document, the parent/legal guardian commit themselves to monitoring the well-being of the minor and alert the therapist to any adverse reactions.

Confidentiality with the Minor 

Confidentiality will be maintained with general progress shared with the adult party. In the case of a crisis where risk of harm to self or others is evident, I will bring this to the attention of the adults who will commit themselves to seeking immediate emergency services. This will be documented by the therapist and agreed by therapist and adult responsible for the minor. Furthermore, should I suspect abuse, I have a duty to report it to the appropriate authorities. In addition, I may determine that a joint minor/adult session(s) may be therapeutically beneficial to the minor. I will bring it to the attention of both parties and move forward with the joint session(s) if both parties consent.

Children of Divorced/Separated Parents

Consent for treatment can be obtained from one of the parents/legal guardian unless sole legal custody is documented. I will require that an updated copy of this document be kept in the file reflecting the custodial parent's control to make decisions on behalf of the minor. Unless sole custody is established, both parents have the right to communicate with me regarding treatment issues. I have the right to communicate with either/both parents regarding treatment issued based on my clinical judgment. Because the minor is the client, it is my job to advocate for their welfare. Unresolved marital or parenting issues may require treatment in another therapeutic setting.

Technology Use and Minors

As the responsible person in the minor-adult relationship, you will ensure that the minor arrives to session on time, has technology support and is in a space that is physically/cyber safe with adult help nearby should it be needed.

Preparing for your appointments

o   Join the sessions from a private, comfortable space

o   Make sure none of the participants are in a car during appointment

o   For minors, parent/guardian should be present in home at time of appointment

o   Arrange for childcare while you are in session, if necessary

o   If patient is not present within first 10 minutes of appointment, it will be no-showed

o   After several late cancellations/no-shows, patient will be discharged from therapy

o   Make sure all participants are in the state of Texas at the time of appointment

o   Therapy appointments are with a licensed professional and should be attended with the same regard as other medical professionals.

o   If you are an adult helping a young person access online therapy, please check in with them to make sure they have understood these best practices