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How do I know if I need to see a therapist?

Seeing a therapist can be a step outside of your comfort zone and it takes courage to seek help.  Some signs (although there can be more) that could indicate that you would benefit from professional help are:

  • A distressing traumatic event in your life is getting in the way with daily living. Many different types of experiences can be traumatic, including: car accidents, medical procedures, sexual abuse, physical abuse, being robbed or attacked, rape, emotional abuse, childhood neglect, domestic violence, war, natural disasters

  • You are struggling with depression including lack of interest, lack of energy, feelings of hopelessness, lack of self-worth, isolation, suicidal thoughts and it is impacting your daily life

  • Anxiety, panic attacks, nervousness or fear is getting in the way of friendships, relationships, work and social activities.

  • Family relationships are strained and there is more arguing in the home.  It is hard to remember a time when the house felt happy, relaxed and fun.  Sometimes you dread going home.

What happens during therapy?
First, we’ll spend some time getting to know each other.  Part of starting therapy is learning about strengths, challenges and hopes that you have for therapy.  Meaning: what is going well, and what do you want to be better?  Then, we develop a treatment plan together in which we outline specific goals and how we will work towards those goals.  We then spend sessions putting the treatment plan into action. 

How long does therapy last?
The initial intake appointment is 60 minutes.  Subsequent sessions are 45 minutes.  Usually,  we meet on a weekly basis and adjust frequency as we move closer towards the treatment goals. As for how long someone goes to therapy, it really depends!  Some people go to therapy for a couple months, others are in therapy for much longer.  It varies a lot on how severe the problems are and individual goals. We will continue to check in on progress throughout treatment and make adjustments as needed.

How do I make an appointment?
The first step to make an appointment is to contact me at (240) 753-0160 or e-mail me at shoshana@pearlmantherapy.com.  We will arrange a free initial 20 minute conversation to see if we are a good fit and if so, then we will set up a time for an intake appointment.

Does the practice participate with insurance panels?

At this time PearlmanTherapy, LLC only participates with Medicare insurance.

 

 If you do not have Medicare, please contact your insurance provider regarding your “out of network provider benefits. ”  This will allow you to determine:

  • The type and amount of mental health coverage available to you

  • The coverage for out of network providers

  • If there is an annual deductible you must meet

  • If a note from your physician is required indicating your need for therapy

Please note, I will provide you with a superbill after each session with the following information: 

  • Date of service

  • Diagnosis code

  • Procedure code (e.g., “90834 Individual Psychotherapy, 45 minutes”)

  • Session fee and proof of your payment

 

You can submit the superbill to your insurance for reimbursement of any "out of network" benefits you may have. 

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