The Most Important FAQs for Potential Clients
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Almost. I must be licensed in the state I am in (Connecticut), as well as the state my client is in. Because I’m licensed in the states of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Kentucky, I can see you if you live — or are physically located — in one of these five states, or in a participating PSYPACT state (which at this point is most of the U.S.), at the time of our session. These rules apply to both therapy and coaching services.
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I primarily work with women in their 30s to 60s. I do not treat adolescents or children. I also do not provide family or couples therapy.
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$350 for the first two-hour session, $250 for subsequent 45- to 50-minute sessions. These rates apply for both therapy and coaching sessions.
With regard to therapy: No, I do not accept insurance, and am not in-network with any insurance companies. I have also opted out of Medicare. I have a self-pay arrangement with my clients, and accept payment in the form of a credit or HSA card. If your insurance company offers out-of-network reimbursement, I can provide Superbills when appropriate. You may obtain a Good Faith Estimate of charges upon request prior to scheduling.
With regard to coaching: Coaching is not a healthcare service. It is not medical or mental health treatment. It is therefore not reimbursable by insurance.
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I am in the office Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and see clients between the hours of 9:00 and 5:00.
I recognize that my hours may coincide with your work hours. However, my clients and I have found that, because they are able to log on remotely, they have been able to schedule a session during their lunch hour, or on a day when they’re working from home. Virtual sessions have proven immensely beneficial to many of my clients, allowing them to prioritize their self-care and fit therapy or coaching into their busy lives in a way a session that requires a commute does not.
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I do ask all potential clients to review this information, in The Most Important FAQs for Potential Clients, to ensure that my policies are in line with your expectations. (If you reach out and you’ve read through these questions already, please mention it!)
If so, then we schedule an initial consultation call. Over a 20 to 30 minute phone call, you can tell me a bit about your specific situation, and I can talk with you about what working with me might look like. Then, we make sure we’re on the same page as far as logistics and, if we’re on the same page at that point, we can look at scheduling.
You can reach me directly by filling out the Contact form or sending me an email. I hope to hear from you soon!
Virtual Sessions
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You’ll get an e-mail 10 minutes before our session starts. If you’re on a computer, you click the link and the session opens in a new browser window. If you’d like to use your mobile device, you’ll need to download an app — Telehealth by Simple Practice — from your app store, and then when you click the link, the session will open in the app.
I’ll send you a User Guide before our session to walk you through the setup. (You’ll want to check your video and audio settings before our session.)
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A strong internet connection, a computer or a mobile device, privacy, and time.
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I did have a typical in-person therapy practice, in Cincinnati, Ohio. I initially added telehealth when I moved to the east coast and needed to be able to continue working with my clients from Cincinnati.
But, my clients and I both quickly discovered that the work was just as powerful as it had been in the office… and we now had the added bonuses of convenience, flexibility, and comfort. If you’re curious to learn more, check out the Why Virtual page.
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My clients are paying for my knowledge, training, and expertise, as well as the guidance and support to make powerful changes in their lives. The work I do is the same if it is in-person or online, and therefore the cost is also the same.
About Coaching
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I’d recommend you check out the Areas of Focus section on my Coaching page and if you see yourself in any of those descriptions – and have been unable to make the changes or progress you’d like to make – then therapy may be a beneficial next step.
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While coaching is not mental health treatment, it is a service with a goal of helping you move from insight to action, and from intention to follow-through. It is about building trust in yourself, creating sustainable change in your mindset, habits, and daily life, and learning to live with greater intention. Over time, coaching helps you support your health, well-being, and long-term vitality in a way that feels grounded and lasting.
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Unlike therapy, coaching is not mental health treatment. It does not focused on diagnosis or treating psychological disorders. It is growth-oriented, action-oriented work designed to help you create change, build healthier patterns, and move toward the life you want with greater clarity and consistency.
If you are primarily looking for accountability, strategy, support around behavior change, and help building a healthier, more intentional life, coaching is likely the better fit.
About Therapy
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I’d recommend you check out the Areas of Focus section on my Therapy page and if you see yourself in any of those descriptions – and have been unable to make the changes or progress you’d like to make – then therapy may be a beneficial next step.
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Therapy is a clinical service with a goal of helping you to heal, find relief, and create deeper change in the patterns that are interfering with your well-being. It is about easing suffering and learning to respond to life more skillfully. Over time, therapy can help you loosen the grip of fear and self-doubt so that you can live with greater freedom and a deeper connection to what matters most.
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Therapy is a clinical service focused on emotional distress, mental health concerns, and patterns that are causing significant suffering or getting in the way of your well-being. It may include diagnosis, treatment planning, and work aimed at symptom relief and emotional healing.
If what you need is space to work through anxiety, intrusive thoughts, chronic worry, perfectionism, or other forms of suffering that are interfering with your life, therapy is likely the better fit.
Working with Julia
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I fully believe the mind-body connection is real and can be used as a powerful vehicle for healing.
I believe that the present moment is all we really have… so we need to learn how to make the most of it.
I believe that we often confuse our thoughts and feelings. And, I firmly believe that we are not simply our thoughts. When we learn to question our thoughts, to wonder if they’re actually true, we become much more in control of how we feel.
I believe we must struggle to grow. And, I further believe that your struggle is genuine, and that comparing (or perhaps minimizing) your difficulties to those of others less fortunate than yourself does not make your pain any less real.
I believe we all have the ability to reach our highest potential… but that it takes work — regular, consistent practice.
I also believe that our happiness is largely within our own control. The way we think, the way we talk to ourselves, and the way we interpret and respond to what happens to us is much more influential than what has occurred.
I believe that some of us have a leg up with this happiness thing, and that some of us have to work harder to be happy than others.
And, I believe we often prioritize the wrong things, that we strive for external validation, foregoing our own needs and ignoring our own voices, in order to do what “looks good,” and that striving causes significant suffering.
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I only share information about myself that will benefit your growth or advance our work together. I’m clear that our relationship is about your journey, not mine. Therefore, I may share an example from my personal life, or my own feelings, but only when it is helpful to you for me to do so.
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It is hugely important to have loving, supportive people in your personal life. You may talk to them about the same things you talk to me about. But, a therapeutic or coaching relationship is entirely different because it’s wholly about you. It’s 100% about hearing you, supporting you, and helping you process what you’re experiencing, and you being able to share and process it without being concerned about their reaction or their feelings.
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Unequivocally, and in the most welcoming way, YES! Come as you are, and rest assured you’ll find a safe place to explore and grow.
I relish the opportunity to spend time with people different from myself in my personal and professional lives. I tend to operate in a direct manner generally, and find this approach translates well into working with diverse populations as well. I am willing to acknowledge what I don’t know, and will approach conversations with others who come from a different background than mine with openness, respect, and curiosity.
When I do not have the necessary training, knowledge, or experience to work with a specific population, however, I will be direct and forthcoming about that, and refer out.
Although I have much to offer in the room in the realms of psychotherapy and coaching, I find that, without fail, my clients have much to teach me as well, about themselves, but also about myself and the world.
I believe that long-term change happens with small changes done consistently over time.
