Intake Process
Thank you for your interest in setting up an appointment!
Please review the information below to learn more about the process of scheduling with me.
Except under specific circumstances, I do not offer brief initial consultations, and instead request that you schedule a full first session. The reason I structure my intake process in this way is so that (1) we can get started on the therapy as soon as possible if it is a good fit, (2) we can be sure to have enough time to talk about all the things that go into therapy for you, and (3) I am fairly compensated for the work of consultation. Thank you for your understanding. Please feel welcome to email me at kitt@defianttherapy.com with any questions or concerns.
The first step is to go to my client portal and click the button “I’m a New Client.” Choose what kind of appointment you are interested in scheduling, then select Video Office for virtual appointments or Bmore Liberated for an in-person appointment at my office in Baltimore. If you are scheduling for ongoing therapy, please choose an appointment time that you think you will likely be able to attend for at least 6 weeks. The appointment time you choose is a time I have open for ongoing therapeutic work, not just for the intake session.
Within 24 to 72 hours after you schedule an appointment, I will send you an email tentatively confirming your appointment. This email will include a link to sign into the client portal and review several intake forms. These forms must be completed at least 24 hours before your initial appointment. If you find you are not able to do so, your appointment will be rescheduled. The intake forms include important information for you about the nature of therapy, and will ask you more about why you are seeking therapy. It is important that they be completed with enough time for me to review them before we meet.
One of the forms you will complete asks about which fee tier you feel is most appropriate for you. Please review my fees page and sliding scale information to help you determine which fee tier to request. At this time, I am only able to take on new clients at tiers 4 and 5. Your appointment will be gently declined if you request a lower tier. You are welcome to check back in a few months as a lower fee tier may be available then.
Should we decide to move forward with therapy after our initial meeting, you will be charged the full fee for this first session at the fee tier we have agreed upon. If we find for any reason that it is not a good fit and that we will not be working together, you will only be charged 50% of the fee for this initial appointment.
Some additional information to note:
I am only able to meet with clients virtually if you are in the state of Maryland at the time of our appointments. This is because I am only licensed to practice therapy within the state of Maryland.
You do NOT need to include your “legal” first name, even though it is a required field in the appointment request form – you can just put the name that you would like me to use. The only time I will need your legal first name is if you plan to submit for out-of-network insurance reimbursement for our appointments. Please include your legal last name in all appointment requests.
Appointments are scheduled so that I have adequate time in between sessions to rest and prepare for the next. This means that appointments are sometimes on the :15 or :45 minute of the hour.
If you do not see an appointment time that works for you, or if the appointment that works for you is in the next three days and you are unable to choose it in the portal, please email me!
You have the right to receive a good faith estimate of the cost of services. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
Because of the more intensive nature of relationship work, my intake process for couples and polycules includes two initial sessions. The first is charged the full fee, and if after the second appointment we decide it is not a good fit, I do not charge for the second appointment (essentially evening out so that both appointments are charged at a 50% fee). In addition, if the second appointment is scheduled and then cancelled or unattended, the full fee for the first appointment will remain as charged and not discounted 50%.
If my current available sliding scale tiers are not accessible to you, I can offer referrals to other providers. Please indicate this in your fee tier request form and I will send you a separate form to complete for referrals.
I do not accept insurance directly but can work with you to be reimbursed for sessions if you have out-of-network insurance benefits. There is an option to indicate this on the fee request form. For this option, clients are requested to pay the full fee per session.
Have other questions? Find answers in the FAQ!