Frequently Asked Questions

Fees range from $85-$220 depending on clinician and session duration. We recommend an hour-long appointment for the initial session, but after your first meeting a lot can be accomplished in sessions of shorter durations. This can be discussed and tailored to meet your individual needs.

We do not accept insurance directly, but are considered an out-of-network provider by insurance carriers. Depending on individual coverage, services may be partially or fully reimbursable. Call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out what your out-of-network benefits include.

In our first meeting, we will identify and establish a time frame for treatment goals. As your needs dictate, we may decide that weekly sessions make the most sense. Or we may decide on sessions of a different duration and frequency.

Yes. Please get in touch for more information about how online therapy can help you or a family member from anywhere in Massachusetts.

We do not accept insurance directly, but we are considered an out-of-network provider by insurance carriers. We can provide documentation that you can submit to your insurance company for out of network coverage.

Amherst Cognitive Therapy provides monthly “Superbills” to its clients. These are generated on the 4th of every month and include all the necessary diagnostic information as well as the required identification information for our practice. ​

Superbills are emailed automatically to the client or their guardian and are always available in our client portal.

Depending on individual coverage, our services may be partially or fully reimbursable. You can call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out what your out-of-network benefits include.

Your insurer may be required to provide you with adequate treatment by properly trained practitioners for certain disorders such as Phobias and OCD Spectrum Disorders (including OCD and Body-focused Repetitive Behaviors).

Specialists are in short supply, and you may not find a qualified professional within your insurer’s network to properly treat your diagnosis. As a result, you are likely eligible to negotiate a “Single Case Agreement” with your insurer. This would allow you to receive full reimbursement from your insurer for out of network services.

There is currently no standard policy among insurers in Massachusetts. Please contact your insurer to inquire about the benefits associated with your policy.

You can always contact our Practice Manager with specific questions or to talk. Here are some frequently asked questions that might be helpful to you:

What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach that harnesses children’s natural language of play to foster growth, healing, and connection. Though it may simply look like “playing” to adults, play is so much more to children. In the therapeutic space your child will use play to communicate what they perceive as challenging, which they can then work through. In this play-based communication with a trained professional, children develop awareness (mental, emotional, and interoceptive), build agency and self-confidence, learn coping skills, enhance their impulse control, and foster trust and connection to self and others.

I was told my child needs CBT. Will you do CBT with my child?

I am a CBT-informed Play Therapist. This means that I will use Play Therapy to build trust with your child and gauge their readiness and fit for CBT-focused work. CBT interventions tend to be highly cognitive and tend to work better with older children. Through play, children have the potential to gain comfort and ease with using words to describe their experiences. If your child seems comfortable with and drawn to CBT, we’ll do that! But if they get dysregulated when a more directive approach is provided, I will use a more client-centered, play approach. This doesn’t discount the learning and exposure that your child can do in the therapeutic space, it might simply look different from what adults imagine.

How will Play Therapy work with CBT?

Many families are referred to our practice because we specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps children and teens understand the connections between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. However, CBT requires a certain level of verbal and cognitive readiness—skills that younger children are still developing.

For younger children, play provides a developmentally appropriate way to build trust, comfort, and emotional regulation. When children feel safe and engaged through play, they are better able to learn new skills, recognize feelings, and practice coping strategies. In this way, play serves as both a bridge to CBT and an essential part of helping your child develop the readiness to benefit from it.

What will I do while my child is in sessions?

You will typically wait in the seating area right outside of the therapy room. Additionally, there may be times that you are invited into the session.

Can I observe or be a part of sessions?

Therapy works best when children have a space that feels just for them—a place where they can explore thoughts and feelings freely, without worrying about how a parent might react. When parents remain in the room, even with the best intentions, children often stay more focused on their parent’s presence than on the play or conversation. Meeting individually will allow your child to build confidence, learn to express themselves more openly, and ensure that therapy time supports their growing sense of independence. We’ll keep you closely involved through regular updates and parent sessions so you stay connected to your child’s progress.

What if my child won’t go in without me?

Many children who come to our practice experience worry or self-doubt, and part of therapy is helping them build confidence in their ability to handle challenges on their own. One important way we support this growth is by creating space where your child can practice trusting themselves and connecting directly with the therapist. If your child is not ready to attend therapy without you in the room, we will collaborate closely to support your child’s readiness while maintaining a positive, trusting therapeutic environment.

How will I know what’s going on in sessions?

We will be in regular contact via brief check-ins and lengthier caregiver meetings. During the check-ins, I will share the themes arising in our sessions, the skills your child is working on, and how this aligns with our mutually determined goals. In our caregiver  meetings, we will check in about how you and your child are doing outside of the sessions. This will allow us to track your child’s progress in treatment. NOTE: if there is ever a safety concern that I feel you need to be aware of, I will let you know right away.  To protect your child’s sense of privacy and independence, I won’t share detailed play-by-play accounts of each session, but you’ll always be informed about their progress and what we’re focusing on in treatment.

You can access your client portal at any time by going to: https://practice.mbpractice.com/ClientPortal/ClientLogin

If you cannot remember your password, please can use the “Forgot Password” feature here: https://practice.mbpractice.com/ClientPortal/ClientForgotPassword