What are your fees and do you take insurance?
I work on a fee-for-service basis and do not take insurance. However, for therapy clients I provide a detailed receipt for services, including diagnosis, diagnosis code, and billing code, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Coaching clients also receive a receipt, but this does not include any codes for insurance reimbursement.
Fee Schedule for Therapy and Coaching-Mentoring:
$50 for a 30 minute session
$75 for a 45 minute session
$100 for a one hour (55 minutes) session
$150 for initial 90 minute intake session
$390 for six 45-minute sessions prepaid (initial session excepted)
$540 for six one-hour sessions prepaid (initial session excepted)
Team/business/agency/ group sessions: please contact me for information
Do I have to live in specific states to work with you?
For coaching-mentoring, the short answer is no, you don't. In fact, you don't even have to live in the U.S.
For telehealth psychotherapy, federal law requires that you are physically located in a state where I am licensed to practice, or a PSYPACT participating state, at the time of your therapy session. I am currently licensed in Washington, Colorado, and Florida. A link to the list of PSYPACT participating states is at the end of the next question.
What is PSYPACT and how does it affect me?
The Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, or PSYPACT, was created to facilitate psychologists in their practice of telehealth psychology and temporary in-person psychology across state boundaries and is an agreement allowing psychologists in participating jurisdictions to practice across state lines within the boundaries of the compact. This compact works to not only increase patient access to mental health care and facilitate continuity of care, but also to increase psychologists’ ability to provide care to underserved populations.
PSYPACT also helps psychologists and their patients by clarifying legal and regulatory issues that have complicated interjurisdictional practice in the past. States have different laws regarding recordkeeping, mandatory reporting, and confidentiality, for example, and it has sometimes been unclear which jurisdiction’s laws a psychologist should follow.
To practice telepsychology under the authority of PSYPACT, psychologists wishing to participate undergo a credentialing process through the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) to obtain an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT). Psychologists awarded the APIT certificate can then practice telepsychology in any PSYPACT participating state without having to obtain additional licenses.
If you live in a PSYPACT participating state, Dr. Colleen is legally authorized to provide telepsychology services (i.e. psychotherapy), as she has obtained an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology.
To find out if you live in a state participating in PSYPACT, go to the following website:
https://www.psypact.org/psypactmap
You can also see a list of participating states by clicking here.
How do I make appointments? I don't see a calendar on your website
To make an initial appointment, please fill out the short form under the Contact Me tab and submit it. I will respond by the next day if you submit it Monday through Thursday. If you submit it on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, I will respond on Monday.
Follow-up appointments are scheduled at the end of each session. Some people prefer a consistent day and time each week, and others need more flexibility due to their schedules. We will work together to schedule the follow-up appointments that work for your schedule.
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle problems on my own
Every one of us on this planet has experienced or will experience difficult challenges in life. While it is likely that you have successfully navigated adversities in the past, sometimes you need a professional to help, just like you need a professional to set a broken bone. Therapy provides long lasting benefits and enhances self-growth, giving you the tools you need to effectively work through whatever challenges you are facing and effect permanent change. People seeking psychotherapy acknowledge that they are taking personal accountability and responsibility, are open to new perspectives, and are ready to make a commitment to change.
A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can help you develop more effective problem-solving skills and coping strategies, gain a better understanding of yourself, change old limiting behavior patterns, and improve communication and listening skills. People also find that therapists can be a tremendous asset to achieving personal growth, managing interpersonal relationships, resolving family or marital concerns, setting boundaries, and navigating the hassles of daily life. Psychological and emotional concerns such as depression, anxiety, past or present trauma, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image, low self-esteem or self-worth, automatic reactivity, anger, mood swings, and other mental health issues are all reasons to engage in therapy. The benefits you obtain from therapy are directly related to how committed you are to change, and how much work you put into the process.
What is therapy like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to the issues you bring to therapy, and discussing progress or insights gained from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term for a specific issue, or longer-term to deal with more complex matters, entrenched patterns, trauma, or personal development. Unless you only need to meet once for guidance on a specific defined concern or question, expect to meet weekly or bi-weekly when you first start therapy. Usually, people gradually shift to every 3 or 4 weeks, then "graduate" when they've achieved the goals they set for themselves.
It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your everyday life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, I will often recommend things you can do outside of therapy sessions to enhance your progress, such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors, or taking specific actions.
What about medication?
It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Therapy addresses the cause of psychological distress and the behavior patterns that contribute to our problems. Optimum results in achieving sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being is an integrative approach to wellness that might include the combination of medication and therapy, depending on your individual needs. If you are considering medication, talk to your primary care physician or (ideally) a psychiatrist to determine what's best for you. I am not a prescriber, but I do have advanced education in psychiatric meds, so if you're unsure about whether medication is even an option, we can talk about this in therapy.
What is a coach-mentor?
A transformational coach is a trusted mentor who can help you identify and uncover what keeps you from reaching your fullest potential. It is a one-on-one relationship that provides a supportive and non-judgmental space to help you create what you want for yourself. Your coach-mentor can help you strategize and acquire the tools you need to achieve your goals. It consists of steps to help you identify and reframe your thoughts and attitudes. It can also help you break negative habits, acquire new interpersonal skills, change maladaptive behavioral and relationship patterns, and take action to achieve your maximum potential!
What types of people have professional coaches?
People from all walks of life work with professional coaches to help attain their goals. Coaches work with people in all areas of their life including relationships, career, transitions, health, spirituality and more. Working with a personal coach is not limited to any specific type of person, but is ideally suited for those who want to take initiative in their own life. People who engage with a professional coach are committed to a more fulfilled life and are willing to do the work needed to get there.
How will coaching-mentoring help?
Coaching-mentoring can take you beyond your perceived personal limitations to actualize your greatest potential. Sometimes people work hard to achieve their dreams, but don’t realize what stands in their way and end up feeling defeated. A personal coach-mentor can offer an unbiased and objective perspective, and help you recognize the patterns and habits that get in your way. Most people experience that they are more efficient when working with a professional coach and that this provides the opportunity for them to better realize their potential. Working with a coach-mentor will give you support and encouragement along the way to attaining your goals and dreams. The results will vary depending on what brings you to a coach. If you want a coach to help you out professionally, they can help you make your current job feel more gratifying, gain better focus on managing your work, and market yourself more effectively. If your reasons are personal, you can find a coach helps you improve your relationships, resolve ongoing negative behaviors, improve your overall health, and grow spirituality. With coaching you can live the balanced and fulfilling life you envision for yourself.
What happens in a coaching-mentoring session?
Each session is tailored to the client and will vary based on individual needs. In the first session we discuss what you wish to accomplish and we'll devise a plan together based on your goals. We explore what has been interfering with your ability to make forward movement on your own, such as limiting thoughts, subconscious patterns, dysfunctional coping mechanisms, ineffective interpersonal skills - to name just a few of the obstacles to success people experience. I will give you assignments to help direct your progress and we review and discuss the homework in each session. In brief, we will work together to acknowledge obstacles, explore alternate perspectives and celebrate successes.
How is coaching different from therapy?
While the coaching-mentoring I provide can be therapeutic, it is not therapy. Coaching is distinct from traditional therapy because it is not designed to address psychological or mental health issues, such as depression. While emotional issues may arise, the primary focus of coaching is to help you identify your goals, achieve them, and develop constructive habits and skills. There is little emphasis placed on the past with coaching, but instead the focus is on creating what you want now and in the future.
How long do people generally work with a coach?
Each person is different, but in general I suggest clients make an initial 6-session commitment. At the end of the six sessions, we will evaluate progress and discuss where to go from there.
Is coaching-mentoring confidential?
What we discuss will be held in strict confidence and not shared with others, just as with my therapy clients. The difference is that our discussions are not privileged for legal purposes because the privilege of confidentiality that exists for the clergy, therapists and attorneys is not granted for coaching. That said, coaching is a confidential process, and your personal information will always be protected. See the privacy policy under the "More" tab for limits of confidentiality for therapy and coaching.