Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is when you work with a trained therapist to understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It’s a safe and private space to talk about things like stress, trauma, relationships, and mental health issues.

How Does It Help?

In therapy, you will:

• Learn about your feelings and behaviors
• Develop ways to cope with challenges
• Improve how you think and relate to others
• Grow and feel better mentally

Want to Start?

Request to book a 15-minute introductory call for therapy services. 

Schedule Now

What is Integrative Mental Health?

Integrative mental health combines regular and alternative methods to help with mental health. It looks at your whole well-being, including your body, feelings, relationships, and spirit.

How Does It Help?

It uses proven practices from different fields and complementary therapies to create a personalized plan just for you. By looking at all parts of your life, integrative mental health aims to:

• Improve your overall mental wellness
• Increase your resilience
• Enhance your quality of life

Integrative mental health helps you feel better in many ways, considering the whole you. 

Please note that I do not prescribe medications or recommend special diets. These services are outside of my professional scope of practice. 

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy helps people heal from past traumas. It involves an eight-step process where the therapist helps you recall bad memories while doing activities like moving your eyes side to side, tapping your hands, or listening to sounds. These actions help your brain heal and make the bad memories less upsetting.

How Does It Help?

EMDR is great for treating PTSD but also can help with:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Chronic Pain
• Panic Disorder
• Phobias

By dealing with past traumas, EMDR can reduce anxiety, improve coping skills, and boost emotional well-being. It also helps with depression and addiction by changing negative thoughts and feelings linked to past events and dealing with emotional triggers.

To learn more about experiencing EMDR, please visit the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).

Understanding Therapy Costs

Therapy is an important step, and I want to make costs easy to understand. Here’s what you need to know.

Session Rates 

• Introductory Call (15 minutes): Free
• First Therapy Session (75 minutes): $175
• Regular Therapy Session (60 minutes): $140
• Longer Therapy Session (90 minutes): $200

Insurance 

I am not in-network with insurance. See Payment Options below. 

How Many Sessions Will I Need? 

The number of sessions you need depends on:

• Your schedule and daily life
• My availability
• What you want to work on
• Your budget

Everyone is different, but here’s a general idea:

• Some people feel better after a few sessions.
• Many need 15 to 20 sessions to see big changes.
• Some need 20 to 30 sessions over a few months.
• If we are working on complex trauma and using EMDR, therapy might last a year or more.

We will make a plan together and adjust as needed.

Payment Options

Even though I’m out-of-network, you may get some money back from your insurance. You will pay upfront and then submit a receipt (called a superbill) to your insurance for possible reimbursement. Each insurance company has different rules. I’ll give you a list of questions that you can use to call your insurance company to help you understand your out-of-network benefits.

Ways to Pay

• Credit Card: Secure online payments. 
• HSA/FSA Cards: Use Health Savings (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) cards.

Have questions? Let’s talk! Click below to schedule your free intro call.

Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Intro Call

Notice to clients and prospective clients: Good Faith Estimate

Under the law, health care providers need to give clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.

You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service, or at any time during treatment.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, or how to dispute a bill, see your Estimate, or visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises 

How to Schedule an Appointment

Want to see if we’re a good fit? Book a free 15-minute intro call. 

*Note: This call is just to learn more. It doesn’t mean that you have to choose me as your therapist. 

Schedule Now

Current Clients: Log into TherapyPortal to request an appointment.  

Cancellation and No-Show Policy

Sessions will start on time and end on time. Your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you. To provide the best possible service to all clients, please be aware of the following policies: 

24-Hour Notice Required: If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please provide at least 24 hours’ notice. Failure to do so will result in a $100 cancellation fee.

No-Show Policy: If you do not show up for your scheduled appointment and have not provided at least 24 hours’ notice, you will be charged a $100 no-show fee.

Late arrival policy included in the paperwork you will receive when you start therapy.

Do You Offer Online Therapy?

Yes, all therapy sessions are done online. For the best experience, using a computer with fast internet is ideal, but you can also use a smartphone if needed. This way, you can have your sessions from the comfort of your home.

How Do You Protect My Privacy?

I take your privacy seriously and follow HIPAA laws to keep your information safe. When you start therapy, you’ll receive a Notice of Privacy Practices that explains how your personal information is protected. Your confidentiality is a top priority for me.

Can I See Client Reviews?

As a clinical social worker, I follow ethical guidelines that discourage client testimonials. This protects your safety and privacy. If you are a psychotherapy client, I will never ask you to write a review. I also ask that clients avoid posting reviews publicly to keep your identity secure.

You may occasionally see endorsements from other licensed professionals or agencies I’ve worked with.

Do you offer training or workshops for healthcare professionals? 

Yes. Shepherd Wellness, LLC is approved by the MN Board of Social Work as a Continuing Education Provider – CEP-1012.

Not all of the classes, workshops, or training that I provide qualifies for continuing education credits.

If continuing education units are provided, this information will be stated in the marketing and training materials for that particular course or workshop. 

What states are you licensed in? What laws do you follow?

Minnesota: Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker #16803

Wisconsin: Licensed Clinical Social Worker #11947-123

To ensure ethical and professional practice, I adhere to a comprehensive set of guidelines and regulations, which include the codes of ethics, standards of practice, and statutory requirements from various professional organizations and state boards. Below are the specific documents and statutes that guide my practice:

• Minnesota Statutes Chapter 148E. Board of Social Work Practice
• Minnesota Statutes Chapter 146A. Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practices
• Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters MPSW 1-6 and 19-20
• Wisconsin Statutes Chapters 46, 48, 51, 55, 457, and 938
• National Association of Social Workers – Code of Ethics
• Alliance of International Aromatherapists – Code of Conduct
• Alliance of International Aromatherapists – Code of Ethics
• Alliance of International Aromatherapists – Standards of Practice
• National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy – Code of Ethics