Questions?

Do you take insurance?

All our therapists are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBSP PPO plans. We are not in network with BCBS HMO or Community plans.

If you have a BCBS PPO plan, we will ask you to send us your insurance information to double check your benefits for therapy prior to the initial session. We will submit insurance claims to BCBS on your behalf.

If you have a different insurance plan, we will be considered out-of-network. This means that you would be responsible for paying our full fee each time we meet. We will give you a bill that you can submit to your insurance company to seek reimbursement directly, provided that they offer out-of-network benefits.

Insurance can be complicated to navigate, so please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

How do I make an appointment

To make an appointment, just contact us through our website or give us a call. It would help if you let us know what days/times work for you, or if you have a preference for a specific therapist. We will get back to you as soon as possible and will find a time for a first appointment. We will send you a link to complete some paperwork online prior to the initial session.

What will happen in my first appointment?

Many people feel nervous the first time they meet with a therapist. It is completely understandable. It usually helps if you let your therapist know what brings you to therapy, but there is no right or wrong way to go about it. Some people talk about what made them contact us. Some make a summary of their history or past experience with therapy. Some others talk about the nervousness they are feeling in the moment. It might also help to talk about what you may want therapy to help you with, what you hope to get out of it. Sessions for individual therapy are usually 55 minutes.

Is therapy confidential?

We take confidentiality very seriously. Confidentiality is essential to develop a trusting relationship, which we think is essential for growth and healing. Anything that you share during our sessions will remain confidential, and will not be shared with anyone without your consent. There are a few but important exceptions to this, including if you put yourself or someone else in imminent physical danger. Therapists are also mandated reporters for child or elder abuse or neglect. You will talk about it with your therapist in more detail during your first session, but please feel free to ask if you have a question about this at any time.

Do you prescribe medications?

We are not authorized or licensed to prescribe medication. If you are interested in taking medication, you can definitely talk about it with your therapist and, if needed, get a referral to a mental health professional who can prescribe them. Taking medications is not a sign of weakness but can be another way to take care of yourself.

We believe that sometimes there are good reasons to take medication, but it is most likely not the first line of defense. We understand the desire for a quick solution and relief, but often times just relieving symptoms rarely helps in the long term. At Fermata, we wholeheartedly believe that medication is not a replacement for therapy.

How long does therapy take?

There is no single answer for this question, because it depends on each person and what they bring. Each therapy experience is different, because each person starting therapy is unique. Some people come to therapy to address one specific issue, which might take fewer sessions. In our experience, that is rare, because often times people discover that what they thought was a "simple" issue, has many deep personal ramifications. Getting to the root requires getting to know you in depth, and that takes time. Because of that, the work we do is usually long term.

At the beginning you will be meeting your therapist at least once a week. It is really important for us to develop a relationship in which you can feel safe, heard, and seen, and that cannot happen if you don’t meet with your therapist regularly and consistently. Down the line, your therapist will be open to talk about whether it makes sense for the two of you to meet more or less frequently.