At Better Balance Psychology Dr. Rachel is a Licensed Psychologist offering online therapy (telehealth) and mental health services for individuals. She specializes in helping adults overcome their stress, fear, and confusion when faced with major life changes. Stress management therapy, relationship concerns, perfectionism, healthy boundaries counseling Hopkins, job dissatisfaction - you name it - all topics are welcome! Check out her website for more information and call or email to schedule a free phone consult! Why Telehealth Therapy? Therapy online offers many benefits to my clients and I have found that those willing to give it a chance end up falling in love with it very quickly. Telehealth therapy allows for greater: Convenience - you can schedule an appointment that works for your schedule and not have to worry about adding in commute time or dealing with traffic. This leads to no gas costs and limited time off work needed to accommodate a therapy session Comfort - from the comfort of your own space, be it home, car, or the office, people tend to enjoy being in a familiar environment while trying to be vulnerable and lean into the discomfort that can come up with therapy Connection - wherever you are in Minnesota or Wisconsin, we can connect online for therapy. Even if you take a vacation to visit another gorgeous part of these great states and you would like a telehealth therapy hour, we can do it. Confidentiality - Some people get discouraged from seeking counseling services due to the possibility of being seen walking into or out of a therapy clinic. Therapy online removes this barrier for people - it’s fully up to you to disclose to others that you are in therapy. Of note, all of the platforms that I use in my practice are HIPAA compliant. What do I need in order to be able to do telehealth therapy? A computer with both a camera and microphone are recommended, though a smart-phone likely will work, too. Also needed are a well-lit room, limited distractions, and strong internet connection. It’s recommended that you and others in your location limit the amount of internet bandwidth (e.g., streaming, surfing, etc) you are using at the time of your therapy appointment to get the best results possible. How long are people in therapy for? This is a great question, but there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer. Therapy is a science, but it is also an art form. The length someone stays in therapy depends on a lot of factors including the client’s concerns, their goals, and the frequency of sessions just to name a few. I do recommend that people give therapy at least 3 sessions in order to “gain traction” and to form a foundation for a therapeutic relationship. As we continue, we can adjust the frequency of sessions as necessary for your current life stressors and goals, ranging from multiple times each week to once every few months. Can I see you if I don’t live in a state you are licensed in? What if I vacation somewhere else? Unfortunately, due to state licensure laws, I cannot see my clients (even online) if you are not physically located in a state I am licensed in at the time of the therapy session. I will verify this at the beginning of every session with you. As a member of PSYPACT, I am licensed to provide telehealth to those residing in numerous states. Please check the listing for the most up-to-date-information regarding whether or not we can work together, since it is continuously changing and expanding. Map of PSYPACT participating states Why don’t you accept insurance? Not accepting insurance in my practice is a professional choice I made after a lot of thought. By choosing to be private pay only, I am optimizing the ability to work with you in a more customized and flexible way. What I mean by that is that there is no one dictating how many sessions we can have or how these sessions are structured. This ultimately gives YOU the power and control over your own therapy without restrictions imposed by insurance companies. Private pay can actually be CHEAPER in the long-run for people sometimes, especially those with high deductible plans. Additionally, your mental health diagnosis is kept ONLY within Better Balance Psychological Services, LLC, (as opposed to submitted on an insurance claim). With this, you can feel more comfortable that your private information is being kept completely confidential and away from your insurance company. This also allows me to to give a higher quality of care to my clients instead of investing time and energy into haggling with insurance companies about payments or requesting additional sessions. I am happy to create a “superbill” for you that you can submit to your insurance company yourself and they can decide if they will reimburse you for the services you paid for Out of Network. Can you prescribe medication? As a Psychologist, I am not a medical doctor so I cannot prescribe any medication. If, during the course of your treatment, we decide that a medication consultation may be appropriate, we can work together to identify referrals! Do you do psychological testing?