Can you help me?
I'll do my very best.
I've spent many years professionally training and working specifically and clinically in the area of life-stage challenges. It seems we just get life figured out and it sends us a curveball in a new direction. During each of these transitions, I help you set goals, relieve stress, communicate better, regulate your emotions, and gain coping skills for anxiety, anger, depression, or overwhelm. Most importantly I teach you about how your own unique brain works so that you can better manage your day-to-day life with calm. While no therapist or counselor can guarantee a result, I am qualified, knowledgeable, and passionate about helping people navigate life stage challenges so they can bring calm and joy back to their lives.
Do you take insurance?
Like most relationships, it's complicated.
For purposes of confidentiality and also my belief that much of what my clients experience is a natural part of the human life stage process, I have chosen not to contract in-network with any insurance companies at this time. This means you may have as many sessions as you feel you need and that no company can request your records any time they want. It also means that I am paid a fair wage that enables me to keep my practice open so I can help take care of you and your family, as well as myself and my family.
If you have Out-Of-Network PPO benefits, I am happy to supply you with a detailed statement of your sessions and instructions of how you can communicate with your insurance company to be possibly reimbursed to the fullest extent your plan with them allows. If I am unable to accept you into my practice at this time, as a courtesy I will help you find a referral to a lower-cost community agency when possible. Unfortunately, I can not guarantee their space availability or if the clinician provided will be fully licensed or certified.
What do you charge?
I know this is hard to ask so here is the straight answer.
I understand that this is truly an investment in yourself or your family and I take that honor very seriously. Your time will be well respected. I understand it can be uncomfortable, yet if at any point you would like to discuss fees personally, please just ask.
Please note: These are current fees for new clients as of Dec 1, 2023 & for existing clients as of Jan 8, 2024.
Initial 20-minute phone consultation - FREE Required for all New Clients
Individual Session [CPT 90834] (50 min) - $190
Extended Individual Session [CPT 90837 + 99354] (80 min) - $220
Family Session without Client Present [CPT 90846] (50 min) - $190
Couples or Family Session with Client [CPT 90847] (50 min) - $190
Extended Couples or Family Session [CPT 90847 + 99354] (80 min) - $220
Travel fee added for in-home, client office, or school sessions - $80 per 1/2 hour of travel (or portion thereof)
Client Advocacy, Report Writing, or Teacher Conferences - $190/hr (or portion thereof)
Group Counseling or Support Group (90min) - $85 per session, per member (space permitting)
Phone Calls Lasting Beyond 15min - $50 per additional 15min interval (for current clients only)
Cancellation Fee (waived if given 24 hours notice) - Full cost of scheduled session if less than 24 hours
Community support: I keep a few low-cost sessions a week open for self-pay students and those with financial constraints. Please ask for an application or for a referral to best meet your ongoing needs.
Method of Payment Payments may be made by all major credit cards, FSA or HSA cards, or by check. I have a mutual respectful policy where all clients have a credit/debit card held safely on file which is run at the end of each session. This is to create a routine for you that alleviates any anxiety around bill paying and avoids outstanding balances. A credit card authorization form will be completed at the time of your intake appointment. Your therapist will review agreed-upon fees and this policy with you in person should you have any questions. If at any time you would like to change cards or method of payment, just ask.
Good Faith Estimate As of January 1, 2022, Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, healthcare providers and healthcare facilities are required to inform individuals both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling healthcare items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.
We always discuss your fee upfront and fully before the start of sessions, and you also have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” in writing explaining how much your medical care will cost any time you wish at the start or during treatment.
Under this new law, healthcare providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
Make sure your healthcare provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than was on your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your rights to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises
Jessica S Edelstein and The Limbic Lounge reserve the right to increase fees in the future to a reasonable amount, upon reasonable advanced notice. If at any time you have concerns about payment, let’s please discuss. My job is to minimize stress as best I can, not to add to it.
How long will this take?
Each person is different. Each life is differently lived.
A psychotherapy session is typically 50 minutes per session. Some clients prefer longer sessions to process their issues or artmaking further. Additional payment is always discussed before moving to a new schedule or time frame. The number of sessions needed is unique to the individual client, specific to the presenting problem of the client and their goals for therapy. Treatment begins with weekly sessions and need is continually evaluated throughout the course of treatment. Psychotherapy is an ongoing process wherein the presenting problem can be addressed in a few sessions, while other goals might be more long-term. Sometimes other issues come up along the way. We will discuss this in the initial assessment/first visit. Ongoing treatment goals and milestones are monitored together along the way as clients work toward their own self-efficacy and personal agency. Clients are welcome to discuss ending treatment at any time. I always encourage a final session to review the good work done, the toolset you are taking forward with you, and any additional treatment recommendations or referrals you might require.
What if I can't draw?
No problem. No previous art experience is necessary.
Art Therapy is not about talent. Like English, French, or American Sign Language, it is about learning a new visual language to communicate your thoughts and feelings. It is about reducing stress, not causing it. The art making is about the process, not about the final result. If you have any concerns about the materials at any point, please let me know. We work with pencils, markers, pastels, paint, clay, sand, photography, collage, 3-D building, music making, you name it. If you have materials you love to use, bring them in! I also have taught art for many years, so if you need or want, I can help you learn to use the mediums that work best for you.
Can I just sit on the couch and talk instead of making art?
Yes, yes you can.
In my practice, affectionately called "The Limbic Lounge," we'll use a vast array of art materials and a gentle pace to help unlock your cognitive barriers, while the therapeutic creative process itself is enjoyable, relieves stress & builds coping skills. I love helping make sense of life stages and bringing new tools and options for my clients, their families, and their futures. Yet I do understand it is not for everyone. I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, so if you wish not to make art and want to process your needs in a more traditional manner, I am happy to do that too. Of course, Art Therapy is so much more engaging and dynamic than traditional therapy which involves sitting and talking on a couch. (Although I do have a couch with lots of comfy pillows, so if you just want to use your time to escape the world and rest for a while - you can do that too!)
