Pricing for sessions are as follows:

$125 for a 50 minute session with Guthrie

$145 for a 50 minute session with Vanessa

$150 for a 50 minute family session

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We understand financial circumstances can often interfere with someone engaging in therapy.  We don't want this to be the reason you don't consider therapy, so we offer a sliding scale upon request and based upon individual need.  Don't hesitate to talk to us if cost is a barrier to getting help you need.  

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We do not accept insurance, but that doesn't mean you can't get reimbursed for our services.  Many clients are very successful in obtaining out of network coverage, but it rests on their shoulders. We can happily  provide you with a monthly superbill (yeah, it’s not as super as it sounds, but that’s the industry name for it) which includes all of the information most insurance company require to reimburse for services.  Now, this sounds amazing, but it can be a little misleading.  This bill does not have the superpower of insurance approval, so if you’re considering this as a way to mitigate the expense of therapy, you should probably contact your insurance company in advance of services so you don’t inadvertently rely on reimbursement and blow your budget.  

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Go on with your bad self!  We love seeing people slaying life on their own terms.  Deciding to add in therapy is a very individual choice.  There are lots of reasons why people choose to have therapy.  Sometimes they want to deal with long-standing struggles (like anxiety, depression, self-image, or trauma) that seem to persist even as they manage life.  It quietly nags at them even though they appear content and successful to others.  Other times, therapy seems like a good resource in response to an unexpected life change (like divorce, death of a loved one, blending or expanding a family, a work transition, a recent move, etc.). Still yet, many seek a therapist as they pursue personal meaning and growth.  Working with a therapist can facilitate awareness, insight, support, motivation, and new strategies and perspectives. Therapy can help address a multitude of concerns and any overwhelming stressors. Therapy can be right for anyone interested in breaking free from whatever is holding them back by creating greater self-awareness and moving toward transformation.  Ultimately, only you can decide if you “need” therapy. 

We don’t have any beef with meds.  We believe medications can be very useful and will always remain a personal decision.  But, it’s okay to use a hammer and a screwdriver to build the house.  Therapy is just another tool to assist you in managing your struggles.  Science shows us medications treat symptoms, and that may be just what you’re looking for.  Therapy is a different tool.  Instead of treating symptoms, it addresses the causes of our distress and the behavior patterns that confine our progress. Therapy takes a little more elbow grease, but the pay off often feels greater.  Sustainable growth and sense of well-being may require an integrative approach.   In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the best course of action.  You’ll need to work with your medical provider to determine what’s best for you.

Maybe you’ve got images of Freud with his legal pad. Client stiffly laid out on the couch, eye contact and personal exchange forbidden.  And now you’re starting to wonder if this is really a good idea.  Don’t fret, we aren't cold and impersonal, nor do we smoke a pipe and wear glasses (yet), but we do have two comfy couches and a variety of chairs.  In fact, we love our session room furniture and hope you will, too.  We've got pillows and blankets, too.  You won’t be asked to, but you’re welcome to lay down if you want. In case my (Vanessa speaking, here) personality hasn’t started to leak out in this question, I’m down to earth, authentic,  and humorous.  I value a strong therapeutic relationship.  I want you to be comfortable and feel safe and secure.  That’s the set up.

As for the actual sessions, each one is unique and caters to you and your goals.  It’s to be expected that we’ll explore primary issues and concerns in your life while also empowering you to control the content, intensity, and direction of the session.  It’s your time, We want it to address what you want.  We may nudge, but your hands are always on the wheel.  It is common to schedule weekly sessions, with each session lasting around fifty minutes.  Therapy can be short-term and focused on a specific issue, or long-term and addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth.  There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of your session, such as reading a relevant book or article, keeping track of certain behaviors, maybe even experimenting with insight or communication tactics.  It is important to process what’s been discussed in session and then integrate it into your life.  For therapy to be an effective tool, you’ll have to be an active participant, during and in between sessions.  We want to move your transformation off our comfy couches and into your real world experience.

Sadly, we can’t measure your growth with a scale or a tape measure.  The changes are often slow and gradual, like a redwood or butterfly (depending on what resonates better with you).  Transformation can sneak up on you and sometimes you won’t even notice until those around you mention “something seems different about you.”  It’s not as helpful for us (the therapists) to reach insight for you, so sometimes we are waiting (even nudging, yep, there it is again) for you to see the change.  If you start feeling better or behave even a little differently, then we’ve done something.  Uh-oh, feels a little too fuzzy and nebulous?  In a way it is, we won’t deny that.  However, several “tangible” benefits can emerge from participating in psychotherapy.  We can provide support, problem-solving skills, awareness building exercises, and enhanced coping strategies. Ok, ok, maybe they aren’t tangible in the purest sense of the word, but they can be reduced to writing and paper is tangible.  Seriously, though, research demonstrates that even just talking with a therapist that provides unconditional positive regard can help reduce distress around issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved past traumas, grief, stress, identity and body image concerns, and creative blocks. 

No worries, you won’t be asked to chant (but, I won’t stop you) and levitation is outside my area of expertise.  If it all sounds kind of vague and “woo-woo,” let me explain.  Mindfulness is simply the process of observing your own experience in the present moment without judgment.  This means just noticing what you are noticing without trying to change it or criticize yourself for it–and ideally throwing in a dash or two of self-compassion. It’s very similar to meditation, an ancient concept. 

But modern science has been studying the effects of mindfulness for over 30 years and research shows that practicing mindfulness increases frontal lobe activity, grows cells in areas like the hippocampus, and strengthens the insula which nourishes self-compassion. Let me say that again in a different way, observing ourselves non-judgmentally changes our brain!!!!  Ok, ok, this is mind blowing (er, growing) stuff and while I won’t be able to measure physical changes in your brain, what I will be able to notice (and hopefully you, as well) is you beginning to find equanimity and strength in the face of difficult feelings, thoughts, and circumstances. 

Now initially, what I ask may seem counterintuitive.  I’ll be asking you to turn your awareness towards your internal experience and feelings.  This can be frightening for many.  After all, many of us have spent years perfecting our ability to avoid our emotions and allowing auto-pilot to guide our decisions.  Why would we want to run toward the fire?  Well, no one said being an outlaw against our patterns, thoughts, big feelings, and auto-pilot mode of decision making was easy, but I’m trained to be here with you and to assist you as you learn to feel the fullness of your feelings.  My presence can serve as a containing function and you won’t have to feel alone.  I can stand in the well with you, pull you out when it’s gotten too deep, and remind you later how deep you got and still survived.  Being an outlaw has pay offs...it really can free you from the things holding you back.

I’m no lawyer, oh wait, yes I am, but I won’t be providing any legal advice.  However, I feel safe in sharing that in general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist. No information will be disclosed outside of sessions without prior written permission from the client. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, and in fact are required by law. Exceptions include:

• Suspected child abuse or dependant adult or elder abuse. Therapists are required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.

• If a client intends to harm themselves.  Therapists will make every effort to work with the client to ensure their safety.  However, if the client does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.  Nutshell: Your well-being and safety is my priority.

•  If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person.  Therapists are required to notify the police and inform the intended victim.

• When there is a valid court order for the disclosure of client files. (This is very rare and will be reviewed by my attorney (yep, another one) before handing anything over to the courts.)

CAVEAT: I have seen more than enough of the inside of a courtroom in my previous profession. I have not entered into the mental health profession to be a witness for you.  If you are searching for a therapist who will assist you in building a case (for whatever reason), I am not the therapist for you.  You should know in advance that if I am required to testify related to your treatment, there will be a hefty fee involved.  

Small town, big heart.  So true, but if we see you in public, we can promise you we won’t initiate contact.  This might seem harsh, but really it’s one of the best ways we can show you we really care about you and your confidentiality.  Since we’ve already covered confidentiality, you know how important it is.  Our duty to preserve that extends off our comfy couches and out into the public.  It is our responsibility to make sure you aren’t placed in a position of explaining who we are and how you know us to someone with you or to someone who sees us talking from across the grocery store produce section. We hereby empower you to make that decision for yourself.  If you feel safe talking to us, please feel free to say hello.  We will eagerly return the greeting, keep it quick and light, and talk about it in our next session.  Say hello...or not.  We promise not to take it personally.  Remember, we are trying to keep our relationship on the down low so you can remain comfortable meeting with us.

If you are considering therapy and already know one of us in some capacity, then we will need to have a discussion regarding dual relationships.  If our relationship is not too close and personal and we can retain objectivity, this may still work.  However, the potential impact on you will need to be explored and if necessary, we can refer you to another therapist.  No worries, we will talk about this until you feel comfortable.

Finally, it’s highly likely that if you’ve gotten this far into the FAQs and haven’t moved on with your online search for therapists, we might just be a good fit.  But sometimes a bad fit in a therapist isn’t immediately obvious.  That’s okay.  It is more important to us you get the most out of your mental health treatment than it is that we keep you as a client.  We want therapy to feel like a great decision for you and if we are the barrier, then we'd be happy to try to help you find a better fitting therapist.  No hard feelings.

Please feel free to contact us with your questions through text, email, or let's schedule a 20 minute telephone or video consultation.  Contact information is below.

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You are invited to contact us directly by email or phone:

Vanessa         vanessa@outlawtherapy.com           706-342-6233

Guthrie          guthrieoutlawtherapy@gmail.com     706-431-7273

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