• What are your rates, and do you accept insurance?

    Fig Tree Services is transitioning to a fully private-pay (out-of-network) model. This structure protects the therapeutic container, allows for deep, highly individualized care, and gives us full freedom to tailor sessions to your unique clinical needs without restrictions imposed by insurance companies.

    You may be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement through your health insurance provider. I can provide you with a monthly statement called a Superbill. You can submit this document directly to your insurer to request partial reimbursement, depending on your plan's out-of-network mental health benefits.

    Tip: Call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask: "What are my out-of-network mental health telehealth reimbursement rates for outpatient therapy?"

    How does your sliding-scale payment model work?

    I believe that sustainable healthcare requires community care. To make somatic, trauma-informed therapy more accessible while maintaining a viable practice, I utilize a Tier-Based, Self-Assessed, Community-Supported Pricing sliding scale:

    • Full Investment Tier — $185/ session

      • Who this is for: You are financially secure and comfortably able to meet all basic needs (housing, food, healthcare, transportation). You have discretionary income, savings, or assets, and can afford personal extras, travel, or investments without financial strain.

      • Community Impact: Paying this full rate supports the sustainability of my practice and directly subsidizes reduced-fee care for clients who cannot afford standard rates.

    • At-Cost Tier — $120/ session

      • Who this is for: You meet your basic daily needs and have stable housing and income, but money is tight. You have limited discretionary income or savings, and paying the full rate would require significant sacrifices or budget cuts in other essential areas.

    • Supported Access Tier — $60/ session

      • Who this is for: You face significant financial barriers, income instability, high medical or living expenses, or debt. Meeting basic needs can be a stressor, and paying a higher therapeutic fee would create genuine hardship.

    If you have the financial stability to pay the full rate, I warmly encourage you to do so. Your investment creates space for others in our community to receive life-changing care.

    How can I use session frequency to manage therapeutic costs?

    Therapy is a financial commitment, and session frequency can be adjusted to fit both your clinical needs and your budget.

    • Standard Clinical Progression: We typically begin with weekly sessions to build rapport, establish nervous system safety, and lay a strong therapeutic foundation. As your self-regulation, insight, and independent coping capacity strengthen, we gradually titrate frequency down to bi-weekly, then monthly, and eventually as-needed check-ins.

    • Financial Adaptation: If weekly therapy presents a financial barrier, meeting bi-weekly or less frequently right from the start can be an effective way to make care accessible—provided that an initial clinical assessment shows you are stable enough to thrive with less frequent touchpoints.

  • How does scheduling work?

    I utilize a self-scheduling client portal with a rolling 2-week booking window. This flexible system allows you to select session days and times that adapt to your changing weekly schedule, energy levels, and life commitments, rather than locking you into a static time slot month after month.

    What if I prefer a consistent routine or struggle to remember to book?

    I honor that a 2-week rolling window feels liberating for some, but can feel uncomfortable for clients who rely on fixed routines or who find administrative tasks overwhelming. Here are practical strategies to make the portal system work seamlessly for you:

    • The End-of-Session Routine: Make it a habit to log into the portal during the last 2 minutes of your session (or immediately after) to book your next appointment while you are already in the mindset.

    • Calendar Reminders: If you meet less often than bi-weekly, set a recurring calendar alarm on your phone to remind you to log into the portal exactly two weeks before your ideal appointment week.

    • Checking for Openings: If your preferred day or time is unavailable when you first check, check back closer to the date. Cancellations naturally occur as life happens, reopening prime spots.

    • Same-Day & Last-Minute Requests: Portal scheduling automatically closes 24 hours prior to session start times. If you are looking for same-day availability or last-minute openings, send me a direct portal message! I can often accommodate you even if the online calendar shows no open slots.

  • Why is your practice transitioning to fully virtual care?

    Fig Tree Services is transitioning to a fully virtual telehealth practice across Minnesota. For clients navigating complex trauma, neurodivergent burnout, or chronic illness, virtual sessions offer profound therapeutic advantages:

    • Energy Conservation: Eliminates the sensory overload, physical toll, and time drain of commuting, leaving more energy for processing and healing.

    • Lowering the Mask: Meeting in your own familiar home environment makes it significantly easier to drop social masking, let go of perfectionism, and feel safe.

    • Physical Regulation: You can attend therapy from your couch, bed, or regulated space using your own comfort items.

    How can I make my virtual therapy space feel safe and supportive?

    If virtual therapy feels unfamiliar or daunting, creating a sensory-friendly container can deepen your comfort:

    • Privacy & Sound: Use a sound machine, white noise app, or fan outside your door, or wear headphones to protect your privacy.

    • Tactile Comfort: Bring heavy blankets, weighted lap pads, cozy pillows, or plushies into your view.

    • Sensory Supports: Keep fidget tools, essential oils/favorite scents, or a warm, comforting beverage nearby.

    • Grounding Activities: You are warmly invited to engage in low-demand tactile tasks during our sessions—such as coloring, drawing, knitting, or fidgeting—to help keep your nervous system grounded while we process.

  • What are the minimum technology requirements for virtual sessions?

    To ensure our sessions are uninterrupted and run smoothly over Google Meet, here are the recommended minimum technical requirements:

    • Internet Connection: A stable broadband internet connection with sufficient bandwidth and low latency for video calling.

      • Tip: A download/upload speed of at least 3–5 Mbps is recommended for high-definition video. If possible, disconnect other bandwidth-heavy devices during your session or connect via Wi-Fi close to your router.

    • Device: A computer (laptop or desktop), tablet, or smartphone equipped with at least a dual-core processor and 2GB of memory.

    • Webcam & Audio: A built-in or external USB camera, along with a working microphone and speakers/headphones.

    • Supported Browsers: Google Meet works best on the latest versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Apple Safari (no installation required on computers). On mobile devices, downloading the free Google Meet app is recommended.

    How can I optimize my device and environment for the best connection?

    To prevent technical glitches, frozen screens, or dropped audio during session time, consider these quick prep steps:

    • Close Unnecessary Applications: Close heavy background apps, video streaming services, or extra browser tabs before logging in to free up device memory and processor speed.

    • Use Headphones: Wearing headphones or earbuds (especially those with a built-in microphone) significantly reduces echo, improves audio clarity, and adds an extra layer of privacy.

    • Test Your Audio & Video Early: Click the Google Meet link a few minutes before our start time to test your camera and microphone settings in the pre-call waiting room.

    • Keep a Backup Device Ready: In the event of an unexpected hardware or internet failure, keep your phone or a secondary device nearby with the Google Meet and portal links accessible so we can quickly reconnect.

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    How is AI used in your practice?

    I utilize select AI technology as an administrative tool to streamline clinical workflow and documentation. AI is never a substitute for clinical judgment, human empathy, or therapeutic connection.

    How is my privacy protected when AI tools are used?

    Protecting your personal health information (PHI) and confidentiality is my highest priority:

    • HIPAA-Compliant Infrastructure: All virtual meetings occur over a secure, HIPAA-compliant Google Workspace via Google Meet.

    • Consent-Based Session Audio: With your explicit, written permission, Google Meet transcribes session audio. You may opt out of transcription at any time without impacting your care.

    • Strictly Limited Scope: Transcripts are used exclusively to draft legally and ethically required clinical documentation—such as progress notes, intake summaries, and treatment plans—and to support my clinical conceptualization.

    • Immediate Data Deletion: Once documentation is finalized and uploaded to your secure chart, all raw transcriptions are permanently deleted.

    Additional Privacy & Autonomy Guarantees

    • Zero AI Override or Autonomous Decision-Making: AI has zero authority or presence in live sessions. It operates purely as a drafting assistant for paperwork. Every note, plan, and diagnosis is independently reviewed, edited, and approved by me.

    • No Public Model Training: Your session data, transcriptions, and notes are strictly isolated within HIPAA-secured containers. Your information is never fed into public AI algorithms or used to train commercial AI models.

    • Complete Transparency: You retain full authority over your care, including the right to inquire about how tools are used or request that AI transcription be disabled for any session.

Frequently Asked Questions