VALIANT PSYCHOLOGY
FAQS
It was a series of things, but I’ve always sensed a calling since I was young. My father began calling me “counselor” when I helped two quarreling friends reconcile as an adolescent. The title has changed a little but the concept has stuck. I love hearing people’s stories and helping them along their journey as a sure and faithful witness.
Yes!! But I also work with people from all over the world from different walks of life and faiths. If you desire counseling from a Christian perspective, please let me know and we can discuss this in detail–it is one of my loves in the work I do! I value your spiritual health and your walk as much as your physical, emotional, and mental health.
No, I do not prescribe medication as a psychologist. A psychiatrist is a MD with psychology training and has the ability to prescribe. In some states a psychologist can prescribe with additional training and credentialing, but I have chosen not to go that route. However, I will collaborate with your physician with your permission. I believe it is very important to approach your situation as a member of a multidisciplinary team whenever possible, whether we are working with a psychiatrist, your primary care provider, or even your social worker.
I won’t make you, but as to whether you may need it or not depends on your situation and how severely impacted your functioning is. In many cases while collaborating with their medical provider, I have worked with people successfully where they no longer needed the medication they were on! Others may need medication for the long term and there is absolutely no shame in that. It really varies on a case by case basis and is best discussed in person and in conjunction with your prescribing physician.
I used to work with adolescents, but with federal confidentiality laws that passed in recent years, it got complicated. I ran into issues related to what I believe a parent should know that their teen was struggling with. I was unable to share due to confidentiality issues that often apply to teens aged 13 and above. As a Christian and a parent, I would want to know what’s going on with my child. As a psychologist, it’s a legal bind without a teen’s consent, provided certain parameters are met (e.g. no abuse, intent to harm, etc.). I felt that I had no choice but to stop working with anyone under the age of 18.
Psy.D. stands for “Doctor of Psychology.” When it comes to how I was specifically trained, there’s not a whole lot of difference, with the exception of a couple of areas. A main difference is how we approach research. PhD’s tend to be producers of research more often than not, but as a Psy.D., I am more of a consumer. Another main difference is at the dissertation stage. A Psy.D. has more options as to how to go about their thesis. It does not necessarily have to be an empirical research study. As long as a program is APA accredited, the standards are pretty similar across the board in terms of education and training. In the particular program I was in, we had a substantial amount of rigorous hands-on training, coupled with critical thinking skills to evaluate research. An analogy would be parallel to an MD vs. a DO. They have very similar training—but differences in philosophy on how a situation might be handled.
Oh my stars, do you really want to know?! I’m a voracious learner:
A.S.: Communication Media
B.S.: Liberal Studies with an emphasis in psychology and theatre
M.A.: Education Administration and Supervision with a Christian counseling emphasis
M.S.: Clinical Psychology
Psy.D.: Clinical Psychology
This is why I have you contact me so we can make a determination as to whether we would be a good fit. Personality Disorders, psychotic disorders, chronic suicidal ideation and self injurious behaviors, domestic violence issues, sex offenders, rageaholics, moderate to severe substance abuse/dependence or legal troubles. These disorders and issues were manageable when working with a team, such as in community mental health settings. I am not comfortable offering such services as a solo private practice practitioner.
Please feel free to use the contact form on the website. I will then reach out to you directly to discuss your needs and whether I am a good fit for you. If it’s the weekend, or a holiday, know that I may not get back to you until I am at work again.
No. While I was trained as a clinical psychologist, I have chosen a counseling/psychotherapy path. I strongly dislike technical writing. If you have had testing with a clinical or neuropsychologist, I would absolutely look over the results of those tests, because they are highly informative and helpful, however.
I offer a 15 min free phone consultation to get a sense of what you desire to work on, answer any questions you may have, and to determine if we are a good fit.
- First time Meeting Evaluation (75-90 min long): $325
- Regular individual follow up (53-60 min) session: $215
- Couples Follow up Sessions: (53-60 min): $265
No, sorry. I know not everyone can afford my fees. However, I’ll do what I can to assist you to receive care that is in your budget by providing recommendations.
I no longer accept insurance. To be reimbursed by a third party, such as your insurance provider, I am required to provide certain information about you. In many cases this may include a diagnosis or other information that would “justify” why you “require” mental health services. If you have concerns about how this information is utilized by the insurance company, I encourage you to contact your insurance carrier to ask them how they manage your privacy and how this information may be used for future health concerns.
If you have out of network benefits, and you are willing to waive your confidentiality with the insurance company, after you pay me in full, I can provide you with a statement of reimbursement (superbill), that you can submit to your insurance provider. They may or may not reimburse you any amount. It just depends on your plan, deductibles, copays, out-of-pocket costs, and the integrity of the insurance provider. I can’t guarantee anything.
Yes, I accept credit cards and checks.
Yes, as much as I am able within the limits of the law. This means I am required legally and ethically to break your confidentiality when you are a danger to yourself, a danger to someone else, and when you inform me of child or elder abuse. There is also always the chance that your records may be subpoenaed if you are ever in a legal proceeding or if required by federal investigation. Please do not hesitate to ask me more about your privacy.
This is tricky, because I cannot acknowledge that your person is even a client of mine without their consent. So you can call and tell me what’s on your mind, but I won’t be able to confirm or deny that they are being seen or respond to what you have to share without their permission to preserve their confidentiality. With few exceptions, I almost always get their permission before responding to you. If you don’t hear back from me, it means the person did not consent.
To safeguard your privacy. It’s up to you to tell the people you interact with whether or not you are in counseling. I will smile and say/wave hello, but I will not engage you in conversation unless you’re comfortable initiating it. This way, it’s up to you to know whether it’s okay or not to stop and chat for a few.
Licensed mental health professionals are NOT allowed to respond to google or yelp reviews due to confidentiality laws—whether they are positive or negative. Unfortunately, that puts us in a difficult position in cyberspace, because there is always the occasional troll, who never even met with the provider sometimes. Or, we cannot provide context for a misunderstanding if it is a legitimate concern. The most we can do is attempt to resolve any concerns privately. We are simply not allowed to ask for testimonials. A person can offer, but we should never ever solicit. “Can you give me a 5 star review on google?!” is a violation of our ethics.
Possibly! I hold special licensure with PSYPACT. If your state has enacted PSYPACT legislation, then I may work with you. However, it is complicated tax wise. I may be limiting which states, so my accountant doesn’t get too stressed out! Check out this PSYPACT website and specifically this map, which is periodically updated to see if you are in a PSYPACT state! https://psypact.site-ym.com/page/psypactmap
I have closed the Conroe office location and am looking for an office again. Meanwhile, I will continue to meet with clients online.
