Question 1

Do you work in person? Do you see patients online?

Accepted Answer

I only work in person. The way I work, I really need to be with you, in person, in the same place, at the same time. I don't see patients online (except, perhaps, for an initial brief consultation). I know many excellent therapists and analysts who would be happy to work with you online; if you'd like help finding one, I will gladly consult with you and refer you to a trusted colleague.

Question 2

What will our first meeting look like?

Accepted Answer

I'll escort you from my waiting room to my office and invite you to sit in one of my chairs. I'll sit across from you and I will likely invite you to tell me a bit about why you have come to therapy with me now. All the parts of that question matter to me: Why have you come to therapy? Why me? And why now? I'll listen closely and share with you my reactions as you speak. Beyond that? We'll have to see.

Question 3

If you're not available today, may I be added to your waitlist?

Accepted Answer

I don't maintain a waitlist. If you're ready for therapy, start! Don't imagine that I'm the only one for you. There are lots of great therapists in New York. If I'm not available, I'll be glad to refer you to a trusted colleague.

Question 4

Do you accept insurance?

Accepted Answer

I do not accept insurance. I'm happy to provide you with a statement (a "superbill") that you can submit to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement, if your benefits provide that.

Question 5

What do you charge?

Accepted Answer

For an initial fifteen-minute consultation, and for our first two full sessions, I will not charge you. In those first two sessions, as we decide whether we want to work together, one aspect of that decision will be fee. If we're not able to agree on a fee that works for both of us, I'll be glad to try to refer you to a colleague of mine with whom you might be able to reach agreement.

Question 6

So our first couple of sessions are free?

Accepted Answer

I wouldn't say your first couple of sessions are "free." Choosing the right therapist is hard - and important! I want you, and me, to be sure that we are a good fit. I see our first two sessions as a sort of extended consultation - you with me, and me with you - in which each of us, and the two of us together, will be deciding whether we want to work together. It doesn't feel right to me to charge you to engage in this process with me. If we decide to work together, part of that decision will include the question of what you pay me going forward.

Question 7

How often do we meet?

Accepted Answer

That's a question for us to discuss together, but generally speaking, I meet with people twice a week initially and as many as four or five times a week if and when they decide to undergo psychoanalysis.

Question 8

How can I afford to meet multiple times a week?

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalysis requires a considerable investment of time, and money. My clinical experience has taught me that this frequency increases the possibility of real lasting change. I am committed to making this depth of work possible when we both agree it is right for you. My goal is for the cost to represent a serious investment, without being a source of unmanageable stress that hinders the work itself.

Question 9

I'm not sure if I need "analysis" or just "therapy." What should I do?

Accepted Answer

In general, I think analysis isn't something people "need." I think of analysis as one among many very valid and reasonable responses to suffering, and to curiosity. People don't "need" analysis; they "get to do analysis." My experience is that people rarely start in analysis; rather, some people decide, over time, that what we are doing is valuable, and that they want to deepen the treatment, to come more frequently, and to embark on a deeper, longer, more committed project.

Question 10

What is psychoanalysis and how is it different from regular therapy?

Accepted Answer

For me, psychoanalysis differs from "regular therapy" in three ways: First, the primary tool of a psychoanalytic treatment is the relationship between the patient and the therapist. Second, a key object of investigation in psychoanalysis is the unconscious of the patient - wishes, hopes, and fears that may be evident in the patient's behaviors, dreams, slips of speech, etc. Finally, psychoanalysis, as I practice it, typically requires that we meet three or more times a week, and most likely, you will lie on my couch during our sessions.

Question 11

Do you work with couples?

Accepted Answer

I do not. If you're a couple seeking treatment, I'm happy to meet with you and to refer you to a trusted colleague.

Question 12

Do you work with people across the spectrum of gender and sexuality?

Accepted Answer

I do. I work with people who are cis and trans and non-binary. I work with people who are straight and queer and gay and bi and asexual and lesbian. I work with everyone, regardless of their relationship to gender or sexuality.

Question 13

I'm poly. Or kinky. Can you work with me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I'm comfortable and have experience working with people regardless of their relationship to sex, sexuality, or relationships and relationship structures.

Question 14

Do you have an area of specialization?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Many people come to me because of my experience in working with sex and sexuality, because of my tolerance of ambiguity and conflict, because of my comfort with sexual desires and expression with which some therapists struggle to work. But people who choose to work with me generally do so not for these reasons, but because they feel safe, comfortable, and seen with me.

Question 15

Do you work with people who have been arrested?

Accepted Answer

I do. I work with people who have been arrested, with people who have been convicted, with people who fear being arrested, and with people who have no prospective involvement with the criminal justice system. I work with people whose treatments are mandated by the court, with those whose treatments are suggested by their lawyers, and with those who simply think therapy would be helpful.

Questions.

When you’re ready.