Anchored Child & Family Counseling

Thanks for your interest in my practice.

I see children (4-12), teens (13-19), young adults (college age – 28), as well as parents and families. I also provide psychotherapy to adults struggling with grief/loss and transitions.

I partner with clients and their families to provide psycho-education (education on diagnosis and symptoms), support, and guidance for depression, anxiety, grief/loss, a traumatic experience, bullying, school-avoidance, ADHD, poor grades, and parenting skills. I also see adults struggling with trauma and life transitions.

You can learn more about my practice here: https://anchored-child-family-counseling.business.site/.

I currently accept the following payments:

1. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (including Medical Assistance plans and CHIP)
2. Optum/United Behavioral Health (including some Medical Assistance plans)
3. Aetna Better Health
4. Aetna
5. Cigna
6. Magellan
7. Beacon Health Options (formerly Value Options)
8. WPEE
9. UPMC Commercial Plans and UPMC For Kids (not including Medical Assistance or UPMC For You)
10. TRICARE
11. Certain EAP programs (please ask in advance)
12. HSA/FSA accounts
13. Self-pay/cash pay clients

I accept all major credit cards and payment methods. I offer a variety of convenient forms of payment to fit your needs.

*I am not currently on the panel of UPMC For You. I do apologize for the inconvenience. Please ask about my payment policies.

Sliding Scale fee/payment arrangements:

*I offer a sliding scale fee arrangement to clients who truly need assistance paying their bill. Please ask about this service if you are interested.  I have clients sign a notice during the first session stating the pay agreement with dates on when each payment is due. Proof of income will be requested to put on file. At the end of the month/billing period, you will get a receipt, called a statement, which lists what you are responsible for paying for.

Counseling Services for Pennsylvania Residents

Billing for psychotherapy:

Individual therapy is often a great place to learn new skills with a trusted therapist. Sessions are often 45 minutes to 60 minutes. If you are using your insurance, sessions will be billed to your insurance company if I accept that insurance payer. My office will process your insurance claims and you will be responsible for paying the copayment or coinsurance as well as deductible if you have one. You will be billed for this portion of the payment.

When completing the patient portal (which will be emailed to you before your appointment), please have your insurance card and email address ready. You will also be able to put your credit card on file so that each session will be charged without you having to input that information each session.

Course of treatment:

I offer psychotherapy that is a collaborative journey between client and therapist. I often reach out to other providers who have worked with you to ensure we’re collaborating and all on the same page. I strongly believe teamwork is the best approach for clients.

Family Psychotherapy:

Family psychotherapy focuses on the relationship dynamics within the family system and strives to provide a platform for open communication and problem-solving. Education on mental health conditions and how to cope is also provided.

Trauma Therapy

I am board certified as a clinical family trauma and child & adolescent trauma therapist. I utilize cognitive behavior therapy from a trauma perspective including a bio-psycho-social lens to assess and work with clients. If you are interested in trauma-based therapy with me, please indicate that on the form below.

Online/Teletherapy:

I do offer teletherapy or online sessions to residents of Pennsylvania. All teletherapy clients in PA must visit the office at least 1 time a month.  *No exceptions due to state guidelines. If you are interested in teletherapy nd live in PA, please contact your insurance company and ask if you have a teletherapy benefit under your plan. Some insurance companies such as Highmark, Aetna, and United Healthcare offer teletherapy but only under certain plans. You’ll want to find out if your plan covers half or all of the cost of the service.

Teletherapy is also offered to self-pay/cash clients nationally and internationally.

TELADOC:

I am also a provider under Teladoc which is a national platform designed specifically for treating mental health conditions online with or without insurance. If you are interested in starting teletherapy through Teladoc please contact Teladoc services at: Teladoc.com and click on “get started.”

Online Psycho-education through YouTube:

I offer online psychoeducation on Youtube. You may join my Youtube page by subscribing to www.youtube.com/TamaraHtherapist. These psycho-educational videos can be used as a supplement to counseling or for the purpose of learning additional information outside of psychotherapy. Please be mindful of confidentiality and the limitations to posting publically online.

To get started you may complete this form. Please allow 2-8 hours for a response.