For initial appointments, please first complete and submit the HIPAA-compliant intake form. If the practice has space, which is usually listed elsewhere, I will reply with any additional questions, let you know if I believe I’m a good fit for your needs, and what our next steps are.

For follow up appointments, four flexible options exist: schedule at the time of another session, book online, call, or email.

First, you submit the initial contact form. After reviewing the information, we may communicate further about the problem and if I may be able to help. If we agree to an evaluation, I will send some forms to be filled out in advance.

Pediatric or Young Adult | Comprehensive Evaluation

A comprehensive evaluation is two meetings scheduled approximately one week apart.

Session 1 (two hours): In this initial meeting, we first meet all together for 10–15 minutes. I then meet with the parents alone and the young person alone. Who goes first and how this time is divided varies, depending on the situation. In this meeting I learn as much as I can about the young person and get started building a relationship.

After this first meeting, I spend time on my own formulating and conceptualizing the case, and building a set of treatment recommendations. This includes reviewing any additional screening instruments I may request to be completed, reading through any records you provide, contacting authorized parties who can add additional context, and perhaps researching information pertinent to the case.

Session 2 (50–60 minutes, one week later): This meeting sometimes includes all parties and sometimes is just the parents meeting with me. In this meeting, I clarify any outstanding information, solicit noteworthy updates, and present my impressions and treatment recommendations. These usually involve some parental/patient decision-making, some of which may be made after the meeting is completed. In this meeting, though, I provide all the information I can to help in that decision-making and remain available to consult until a clear path forward is evident.

If treatment is appropriate and desired, we agree to work together and initiate our plan.

Pediatric or Young Adult | Traditional Evaluation

A Traditional Evaluation is one meeting lasting approximately 2 hours. This single meeting aims for the same high quality, but in a more compressed timeframe. This format is typically reserved for when people are seeking medication management in less complex cases. Usually, this is when a single diagnosis is occurring where treatment algorithms are fairly well-established and patient information is readily available. For example, uncomplicated ADHD, especially after a psychoeducational assessment has already been completed and a report is available; or depression/anxiety alone while there is already a high quality psychotherapist delivering the therapy; or continuing medication started by another clinician in a stable case.

If a Traditional Evaluation is requested in a case where I don’t believe I can deliver care to excellence, I will let the inquiring party know that a Comprehensive Evaluation is necessary.

Adult | Comprehensive Evaluation

A comprehensive evaluation is two meetings scheduled approximately one week apart.

Session 1 (80 minutes): In this initial meeting, I learn as much as I can about you.

After this first meeting, I spend time on my own formulating and conceptualizing the case, and building a set of treatment recommendations. This includes reviewing any additional screening instruments I may request to be completed, reading through any records you provide, contacting authorized parties who can add additional context, and perhaps researching information pertinent to the case.

Session 2 (50–60 minutes, one week later): In this meeting, I clarify any outstanding information, solicit noteworthy updates, and present my impressions and treatment recommendations. These usually involve some decision-making together, some of which may be made after the meeting is completed. In this meeting, though, I provide all the information I can to help in that decision-making and remain available to consult until a clear path forward is evident.

If treatment is appropriate and desired, we agree to work together and initiate our plan.

Adult | Traditional Evaluation

A Traditional Evaluation is one meeting lasting 80–90 minutes. This single meeting aims for the same high quality, but in a more compressed timeframe. This format is typically reserved for when people are seeking medication management in less complex cases. Usually, this is when a single diagnosis is occurring where treatment algorithms are fairly well-established and patient information is readily available. For example, uncomplicated ADHD, depression/anxiety alone while there is already a high quality psychotherapist on the case, or continuing medication started by another clinician in a stable case.

If a Traditional Evaluation is requested in a case where I don’t believe I can deliver care to excellence, I will let the inquiring party know that a Comprehensive Evaluation is necessary.

See the Rates page for details. Contact me directly if you have further questions.

I do not work directly with insurance companies. I wish this could be different but I have not found a way to make it work. I understand this limits access to care in some situations and I’m sorry for that.

At the end of each visit, I send the financially responsible party a medical service receipt which has the information an insurance company needs to provide reimbursement for eligible customers (usually those with an PPO plan). From this medical service receipt, many people choose to pursue reimbursement for any out-of-network benefits for which they are eligible, but I consider that a private decision between a patient and insurer.

To make the reimbursement process easier, consider using Reimbursify.

Community-informed care means diagnosing and treating distressing symptoms in a comprehensive manner including considering how an environment (e.g., home, school) can be adapted to give a person the best chance of success.

Psychiatric conditions are influenced by many different factors. A "one size fits all" treatment strategy may work in some cases. However, if it was my family member, I would want treatment to take a more sophisticated approach. Treatment with young people often includes educating them and family members about the condition and treatment options; targeting neurochemistry; building coping skills; learning new strategies for relating to friends, siblings, parents, and teachers; pursuing school accommodations; and other person- and problem-specific interventions.

Community-informed care also means dedicating time to community outreach and support. I have developed relationships with many of our local schools and community organizations to donate time and resources for education and consultation.

Absolutely not. This is what I mean by evidence-driven and tailored treatment. By nature, I am therapeutically-oriented. I believe that a skillful therapist can help just about anyone feel somewhat better. Additionally, I have been formally medically trained. From this, I have acquired up to date knowledge of the most effective treatments for various conditions. In fact, I focused my training on gaining experience with these types of therapies and medication. Research on medications in the pediatric population is growing but still insufficient for some conditions. For many conditions with kids, therapy is as effective or more so than available medications. However, for other conditions, medication has been shown to be inarguably more effective than therapy.

My primary recommendation will be that which is supported by the greatest evidence. Sometimes this recommendation will not align with patient or parent wishes. After discussing the risks, benefits, and alternatives to my recommendations, we will find the approach with good evidence that does meet patient and parent wishes. You come to me for my help, but if a treatment doesn’t feel right to you, then maybe it’s not. I have expertise in psychiatry. You have expertise in yourself or your child. Treatment must be tailored and collaborative.

Treatment duration and frequency vary by condition. Whenever possible, I try to implement time-limited therapeutic approaches. This is often 10, 12, or 20 sessions; but sometimes less. Psychotherapy usually begins weekly. Sometimes—and for some conditions—treatment extends longer. When starting or changing medications, appointments are usually every 1–4 weeks. Established medication-only cases meet every 1–3 months.

Typically, Mondays through Thursdays 9 am to 6 pm. However, there is some variability, such as some evening hours up to 8 pm on M/Tu, and some Fridays. I occasionally limit some of these hours for continuing education or for community outreach opportunities. I ask that patients try to contact me M–Th unless an urgent issue arises. My available hours for any given week are visible in the online schedule.

Please note that psychiatric and medical emergencies are not appropriate for outpatient office treatment. If there is an imminent risk of danger to self or others, contact 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.

I am your doctor only after we have mutually agreed to a treatment plan and signed a doctor-patient contract agreement. Therefore, visiting this website, initial email or phone communication, initial evaluation, or any other contact prior to signing a doctor-patient contract agreement do not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or any other, do not hesitate to contact me.

This occurs occasionally. Sometimes younger children, anxious or trauma-exposed patients, or distressed teens are initially reticent to participate. With these patients, it is important that I get the chance to build their trust in the office. This is critical to treatment success. To help with a youth’s willingness to come to treatment, I have stocked my office and waiting room with a wide variety of engaging and entertaining activities (e.g., streaming music options, YouTube, Netflix, etc). The activities in my office (the non-electronic ones) also serve as useful therapeutic tools, telling me about motor skills, intelligence, creativity, ability to problem-solve and strategize, frustration tolerance, anxiety, etc.

The bottom line, however, is that the interactive styles of therapy I offer work best as a collaborative process, and less well if I’m in the role of convincing someone to change. I’ve had good success taking ambivalent (at best) young people from an initial evaluation and connecting with them, identifying their motivations/goals, and attaining successful treatment. I ask that young people give me a chance. Or, if not me, then someone else. As a parent, if you’re worried about your child, I think you need to get them into an evaluation with someone unless you have a specific alternate plan to create the change you seek. Letting the child select the therapist of his/her choosing is often times the best way to resolve this situation.

For initial evaluations, there is a 72-hour cancellation policy, as I block off several hours for these to do all the backend work. For established patients with their treatment sessions, I must be notified of cancellations greater than 48 hours before the scheduled appointment. Inside of these windows, the payment is full fee. “No shows” or being frequently late to appointments are a significant obstacle to treatment. I am willing to commit to helping with your problem, but as this is a collaborative process, I require the commitment to be mutual.

Absolutely. I use an electronic health record which complies with the highest standards of privacy protection, including secured servers.

Especially when working with children and teens, I must create a confidential and trusted space for us to do our therapeutic work. Any imminent safety concerns will be brought to the parents' immediate attention. Release of records may occur in the form of a treatment summary. See the office policies and procedures contract for more details.