Dr. Brett Swords
Psychologist, Ph.D.

The short answer: yes. In research, psychotherapy has been found to be effective for a wide variety of concerns, and the majority of people who engage in psychotherapy experience improvement in their symptoms. This does not mean that all of your symptoms will be gone after participating in therapy, but it does mean that more likely than not, you will feel better. Exactly how effective therapy will be is difficult to predict and depends on a host of factors. If you are unsure if therapy is right for you, feel free to contact me, and we can decide together what the best path is for you to move forward.

At this time, I am not offering in-person sessions; all of my work is via telepsychology. In particular, most of my work occurs through videoconferencing (i.e., virtual sessions). For more information on virtual sessions, please read through the "Telepsychology" section of the FAQ page.

Overall, the number of sessions required for a person to address their concerns or reach their goals can vary quite dramatically. I focus on providing brief psychotherapy (i.e., approximately 8 to 16 sessions); many concerns can be addressed in this timeframe. With that said, some concerns can be addressed more quickly, and others may take longer. After evaluating your particular concerns, we will discuss how long you might expect to be in therapy, and we will continue to discuss this throughout your course of therapy.

This depends on the particular type of treatment and on your needs. In general, though, you might expect to have sessions once per week. In my experience, clients benefit the most from engaging in weekly therapy. In some cases, it might be possible to address your concerns by meeting every other week.

That's great to hear! The first step would be to schedule a 15-minute phone/virtual consultation (which is free!). During this time, we'll briefly chat and ensure that potentially working together would make sense. If we both decide to move forward after the consultation, then we will schedule an "intake" appointment (i.e., an initial evaluation). During this evaluation period, I will focus on learning more about what brought you into therapy and on collecting background information. I will also answer any questions that you have. When the intake process is complete (typically within one to three sessions), we will work together to determine the next steps.

For the telepsychology sessions, I use TherapyAppointment. The sessions will take place via videoconferencing, similar to FaceTime or Zoom. If you have ever used these or any other videoconferencing software, then you will likely not have any problems with the technical aspects of the telepsychology sessions. For more information on the technical requirements for the telepsychology sessions with TherapyAppointment, click here.

Research on virtual/remote sessions (also frequently referred to as telepsychology or teletherapy) is ongoing. However, based on the available research, when conducted properly by a qualified professional, virtual sessions are just as effective as in-person sessions. Additionally, retention rates are higher. You can read more about telepsychology from APA here.

Teletherapy/telepsychology has a number of benefits. The primary advantage is convenience: you can engage in therapy from your home without needing to travel to the therapist's office on a regular basis. For some people, this increased convenience makes it more likely that they will remain in therapy. However, teletherapy is not an appropriate form of treatment for everyone. Additionally, you will need to make sure that the technological requirements are met and that you have (or can create) a private space for your sessions. If you have additional questions, please contact me, and we can discuss whether teletherapy is right for you.

I am currently licensed in Maryland and Pennsylvania, which means that I am able to provide psychotherapy to clients in those states. Additionally, I am authorized to practice interjurisdictional telepsychology through PSYPACT. This means that if you reside in a PSYPACT participating state, then I am able to see you for telepsychology sessions. The good news is that the majority of states now participate in PSYPACT, and more and more states are joining on a regular basis. For an up-to-date list of states that participate in PSYPACT, please visit the PSYPACT webpage.

Through the Alma network, I am in-network with Aetna, UnitedHealthCare, and several of their subsidiaries. For a full list, you can check the Alma website.

If I am in-network with your insurance company, your out-of-pocket costs will depend on your particular health plan. Prior to our first appointment, Alma will run an "Eligibility Check," during which they will determine your estimated responsibility for each session. To learn more about your in-network benefits, you can also contact your insurance company directly. For private pay clients (if I am out-of-network with your insurance or you opt not to use your insurance), the charge for a typical 45 to 50 minute therapy session is $180, and an initial evaluation is $225. If I am out-of-network with your insurance, you may still be able to get reimbursed for a portion of my fees by submitting your own claim to your insurance company. In this case, I can provide you with monthly "superbills," which you can then submit to your insurance company. Please note that under the No Surprises Act, if you do not have insurance or are not using your insurance, then you have the right to an estimate of the bill for services (i.e., Good Faith Estimate).

I'm glad you asked! If I am out-of-network with your insurance company and you would like to have a portion of your fees reimbursed, I would highly recommend that you first contact your insurance company to ask about the reimbursement policy for out-of-network mental health services. More specifically, you may want to ask the following questions: -Does my plan include out-of-network benefits for mental health services? -Is there a deductible for out-of-network mental health benefits? If so, how much is it, and have I met it yet? -Do I need a referral to see an out-of-network mental health provider? -Are telepsychology (i.e., videoconferencing) sessions covered any differently than in-person sessions? -Are there limits for mental health coverage (e.g., number of sessions in a year, length of sessions, etc.)? If so, what are they? -Is there a specific list of diagnoses for which services are covered? -For a 45-minute psychotherapy session, what percent of my session fee will be covered with an out-of-network provider, up to a maximum of what amount? -How do I submit claims for out-of-network reimbursement? -Are there any other requirements that must be met in order to get reimbursed? Please note that this list of questions is geared toward out-of-network benefits, but you may also want to ask similar questions about your in-network benefits.