Frequently Asked Questions + Billing Information
Powell provides individual therapy for adults in Georgia, California, Colorado, and Florida.
Read below for more information about therapy, the process, and billing.
Therapy Session Fees + Insurance
I am licensed to practice psychotherapy as a clinical social worker in the states of Georgia, California, and Colorado.
I also hold registration to provide psychotherapy via telehealth in the state of Florida.
What are your fees for therapy services?
My standard fee is $215 per 50-minute session.
Do you accept insurance for therapy sessions?
I am considered a self-pay (or “private-pay”) provider for all insurance plans. However, a portion of my fee is typically covered after your deductible has been met if you have out-of-network coverage. This means that you are responsible for paying the full fee for each session and your insurance will reimburse you directly if you have out-of-network benefits.
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If you are not familiar with your out-of-network benefits for mental health, call the number on the back of your health insurance card and ask for “member services.” Be sure to ask these questions to verify out-of-network coverage:
Do I have out-of-network coverage for mental health services (including through telehealth)?
What is my yearly deductible? Has it been met or how much more until my deductible is met?
How many sessions per year does my plan cover?
How much does my insurance plan reimburse for an out-of-network provider for CPT codes 90834 and 90791?
What is my co-payment (if applicable)?
Do I need prior authorization?
Do I need approval from my primary care provider?
How do I submit a superbill? Is there an online portal or do I have to mail or fax a copy?
What is the time limit to submit a superbill?
* CPT codes refer to the type of service you received. CPT code 90834 refers to a typical 45-50 minute session, and CPT code 90791 refers to an initial intake assessment (first session).
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A superbill is a document, like an invoice or receipt, that outlines therapy services you received. I can provide superbills to you on a monthly basis that you can then choose to submit to your insurance company in order to seek partial reimbursement for the therapy fees you have paid.
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To assist individuals and families with getting the help they need, I’m able to offer a limited number of slots on a sliding fee basis.
Getting Started & Scheduling
Do you offer free consultations?
Yes. You can schedule a free 10-minute phone consultation here.
If you do need see any upcoming timeslots that work with your schedule, you can feel free to email or call me.
How can I schedule my first appointment?
If you already know you want to have an initial intake session, you can select a day and time here.
You are also invited to reach out to me via email or phone to schedule, if you prefer.
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The best way to inquire about therapy is to book a free 10-min phone consultation here, or reach out via my contact page.
You can feel free to email or call me.
Please note that I don’t use text messaging (SMS) for communication in my practice.
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The practice’s phone system is hosted through the iPlum platform for healthcare professionals, so all communications, including any voicemails you leave, are secure and HIPAA-compliant.
The practice’s emails are handled through Google Workspace. It is encrypted in transit, meaning messages are protected while being sent between servers, but standard email is not fully end-to-end encrypted.
If we need to communicate about sensitive issues or personal health information, I have a secondary, fully encrypted email account through Hushmail.
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I may not be able to respond to your emails and calls immediately. You can expect a response within one business day (weekends and holidays excepted). I may be able to reply more quickly than that, but please be aware that this will not always be possible. Also, please be aware that there may be times when I am unable to receive or respond to emails or voicemails, such as when I am out of town.
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If you are ever experiencing an emergency, please call 9-1-1 or your local hospital and then afterwards call me to let me know how you are and if I can help.
For urgent mental health needs that are not life-threatening, you can call Lifeline at 9-8-8 or contact the Crisis Text Line (text “START” to 741741). Both are staffed 24/7 by trained mental health professionals. Please let me know if you do utilize these or other crisis resources, so that I am aware of how you’re doing and have the opportunity to assist as appropriate.
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The preferred standard of care for effective therapeutic work is consistent, weekly sessions. In some cases -- due to financial, logistical, or therapeutic reasons -- scheduling sessions every other week is more appropriate.
For new clients, I recommend that we meet weekly for at least the first month of therapy. This will allow us to capitalize on the momentum you’ve already demonstrated by scheduling your first appointment. It will also allow us to build our therapeutic relationship quickly. In short, we will be able to begin making real progress toward your goals.
There are some situations where it’s not feasible to meet weekly or every other week. If at any time you believe you need to decrease the frequency of sessions, just let me know, and we can figure out how to best balance effective therapy with the responsibilities of your daily life.
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For clients who are able to commit to either weekly or every-other-week sessions, I can reserve a specific day and time for you on my calendar. Please let me know if this is something you would like at any point in the therapy process.
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I have evening appointments (starting at 6pm Eastern Time) Monday-Friday. I do not currently offer weekend appointments.
Philosophy, Approach, and Experience + Background in Therapy
What issues do you specialize in?
I specialize in issues related to gender identity, life transitions (such as relationship change job change, moving, and retirement), and self-worth and relational patterns, including things like shame, self-doubt, people-pleasing, and boundaries.
I also work extensively with trauma, depression, and anxiety.
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What sorts of clients do you work with?
I work with individual adults, 18+.
I have special interests in working with artists and creative professionals; transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming people; and other members of LGBTQIA+ communities.
I am committed to maintaining a psychotherapy practice that is safe and comfortable for those seeking support. This includes people of color, transgender and gender nonconforming people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, and those with disabilities. I warmly welcome clients of all nationalities, belief systems, neurotypes, immigration & citizenship statuses, and ethnic backgrounds.
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I am considered an integrative psychotherapist. This means that I am trained in a variety of treatment modalities and will draw on specific interventions depending on the client’s needs. Modalities I am trained in and practice include, but are not necessarily limited to, Internal Family Systems (IFS); Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP); and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
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I am most philosophically aligned with the related schools of Humanistic Psychotherapy and Existential Psychotherapy. Humanistic Psychotherapy is a holistic approach that focuses on self-exploration, personal growth, and reaching our potential. Existential Psychotherapy is very similar and emphasizes freedom, personal choice, and creating meaning in our lives.
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I am Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). This means that I hold a Master of Social Worker degree; completed clinical internships during my graduate work; completed 3000 hours of post-graduate work experience prior to being licensed; and completed 120 hours of clinical supervision during that time. I also successfully passed the national clinical social work board examination, and complete a minimum of 35 hours of continuing education credits every two years.
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I hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Florida State University’s College of Social Work.
Trainings I have completed:
Internal Family Systems (IFS) | The IFS Institute
IFS and Polyvagal Theory | Trainer: Alexia Rothman, PhD
IFS for Healing Traumatic Wounds | Trainer: Alexia Rothman, PhD
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy | Polaris Insight Center
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Trainer: Daniel Moran, PhD
Trauma-Focused ACT | Trainer: Russ Harris, MBBS
Clinical Hypnosis | American Society of Clinical Hypnosis
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Individuals and Couples | International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
Hakomi Mindfulness & Somatic Therapy | Hakomi Institute
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) | EMDR International Association
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Organizations include:
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Institute
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Georgia Society for Clinical Social Work (GSCSW)
World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)
International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
Association for Contextual Behavioral Science
To see more about me, please visit my about page.
Privacy
Is what I tell you private?
Confidentiality is the cornerstone of a therapeutic relationship, and your privacy is the utmost importance to me. In general, I will never either confirm or deny knowing you to any person or entity without a Release of Information signed by you on file, and without also discussing it with you first.
The rare exceptions to this include imminent life-threatening danger, or certain mandatory reported laws involving child and elder abuse. In those cases, I will still attempt to discuss any disclosure with a client before it occurs whenever feasible.
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My scope of practice includes diagnosis of mental health disorders. However, as a private-pay therapist, I am not required to add a diagnosis to your record for purposes of billing.
If you choose to receive superbills for potential reimbursement, I am required to include a clinical diagnosis.
For clients seeking letters of support for gender-affirming medical care, this would include a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Once a diagnosis is submitted to an by you, I cannot control how that information is used or disclosed by those entities, and it may become part of your broader medical or insurance records.
Mental health diagnoses can have implications for certain occupations (for example, airline pilots and other safety-sensitive professions may have specific reporting or fitness-for-duty requirements that you should consider).
You are encouraged to reflect on your comfort level with particular diagnoses being part of submitted records before choosing to request superbills.