Please complete the contact form on this site or call me at 651.355.9045, which is a confidential line with confidential voicemail. I offer a free 30-minute consultation to determine if I can provide what you are looking for in therapy, and to answer any questions you have about the process or my practice. If you decide to proceed, we will schedule your first appointment, and I will send you some forms to be completed prior to our first session.

Beginning in February, 2022, you will have the option of meeting in person for our sessions, or having remote/telehealth sessions.  If we are meeting in person, my office is located at 1580 Thomas Center Drive, Suite 100, Eagan, Minnesota. If we are meeting remotely, click this link to access your session (if you and I are meeting remotely for EMDR, that link is included in the last FAQ): https://doxy.me/achristensen.

The following measures are in place to minimize any health risk to you and I, including
1. An air purifier that meets recommended standards for CADR rating and HEPA filter
2. Daily or more frequent sanitization of surfaces in waiting area as well as between sessions in my office as appropriate
3. Accessible masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes in both the waiting area and my office
4. The option for either you or I to request that masks be worn in our session
5. Strict adherence to CDC recommendations and guidelines

Telehealth is therapy via remote technology. I will provide you with a link when you schedule your first session. Clicking on the link at the time of your appointment will connect you to a HIPAA-compliant electronic platform (I generally use Doxy.me or EMDRremote.com) and put you in a virtual “waiting room.” Once I am ready for our session, I will “retrieve” you from the waiting room and our session will begin.

Our first session, or “intake session,” is a 60-minute introduction session for both of us. Prior to our first session, you will have completed paperwork and we will go through that together. I will ask questions to learn about what is bringing you to therapy, what you hope to get out of therapy, and what concerns or question you have about therapy. I will seek information about your symptoms, your personal history and your support system. In addition to getting information, I will share more about the process of therapy, discuss risks and benefits with you and talk about how we will proceed if you choose to schedule more sessions. Since the therapeutic relationship is the primary indicator for successful outcomes in therapy, it is important that you assess your own comfort while I assess to ensure that my skill set is appropriate for your presenting issues and desired outcomes.

All records and notes regarding therapy (scheduling, billing, etc.) are maintained through a HIPAA-compliant third party electronic health records (EHR) service called Simple Practice. Your client portal will be established when you complete your intake paperwork. Any time you have new documents to review or complete, you will be emailed a link to access your portal. If you cannot locate your link or wish to access your client portal for other reasons at any time, click here and request a link be emailed to you. 

Typical sessions are 50-55 minutes long. Our work in these sessions will be guided by the goals and strategies outlined in a collaboratively developed treatment plan. 

EMDR can be done with telehealth. I use a HIPAA compliant platform called EMDRremote.com to assist with the process. This platform supports the video call and has options for both visual and audible bi-lateral stimulation. EMDR can also be done virtually without a special platform with the client doing their own bi-lateral tapping. Due to the recent emergence of telehealth as a primary modality, there is no conclusive research at this time to indicate relative efficacy of EMDR done remotely verses EMDR done in a face-to-face setting. If we are meeting for EMDR virtually, please use this link to access your sessions: https://www.emdrremote.com .  

Scheduling is a flexible and collaborative process based on client preference, severity and urgency of presenting issues, and treatment goals. Generally, I encourage clients to attend 4 weekly sessions at the start of therapy, and then we will discuss how frequently we will meet after that, but this also is flexible. To make scheduling more manageable for myself and my clients, it is helpful to establish a recurring day and time (weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) that works to schedule out several sessions. 

Fees and payment information is on the Fees and Payment page of this site. Since therapy is a significant commitment of resources, including finances, I encourage you to ask any questions about the cost of therapy and look carefully at the Fees and Payment page to ensure your understanding of this part of the process. Payments are due at the time of service unless arrangements have been made for fees to be paid at another time. Payment can be made via major credit card, personal check or cash. Credit card payments will be processed electronically through the client portal. Payment via check or cash can be mailed. 

I am an out-of-network provider for most insurance plans. If you would like to use insurance to pay for a portion of your therapy, your out-of-pocket cost will depend on your insurance plan. Please contact your insurance provider to find out if and how your benefits apply. Contact information is typically located on the back of your insurance card. If you do have out-of-network benefits, I will provide a receipt/superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. (If you decide to seek some reimbursement through your insurance provider, note that insurance companies require documentation of a clinical diagnosis – e.g., Depressive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Your insurance company will also have the right to request documentation of progress made over the course of therapy.) 

I have a limited number of spots for clients who qualify for a sliding scale fee based on annual income. Please contact me directly to inquire about the availability of a sliding scale fee for your financial circumstances.

The length of therapy varies quite a bit among clients based on a number of factors. Treatment for complicated grief, chronic or developmental trauma, dissociative disorders or persistent mental illness tend to be more intensive and require a commitment to longer-term therapy. As with all other aspects of treatment planning, determining how long therapy lasts is a collaborative process. Scheduling and treatment planning is always done collaboratively. 

You have the right to
• Receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• Dispute a bill that is at least $400 more than your GFE.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your GFE, which I include in the fee payment and policy agreement you sign before we begin therapy. For questions or more information about your right to a GFE, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.