Contact Information & FAQ

The best way to begin is by scheduling a free 15-minute consultation. This brief call allows us to discuss what you’re looking for, answer any questions, and see if working together feels like the right fit.

During this free 15 min telehealth video call you will tell me a little bit about what is bringing you to therapy, and I will summarize my therapy approach, training, and specialties. You can ask any questions you have about your cost estimate, insurance coverage, bill process, what to expect in therapy, and any other questions you have for me!

Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other. We will talk in more depth about what brings you to therapy, your goals, and any important background that may help guide our work together. I will administer several assessments to gather information about your symptoms and create a draft of a treatment plan with you. All assessments are included in the cost of therapy (with the exception of the Gottman’s Couple Check-up)

Standard therapy sessions are 55 minutes. During this time we focus on your goals, explore challenges you may be facing, and work on practical tools and strategies to support your progress.

For most clients I recommend starting with weekly sessions, especially to build some positive momentum. As progress is made, sessions may shift to every other week or on an as-needed basis depending on your goals and needs. I recommend engaging in therapy for at least 3 months to feel real progress. My clients generally feel a lifting of symptoms within the first month and it gradually improves from there. Your length of time in therapy (3 months, 6 months, 1 year+) depends on the intensity of your symptoms and range of your challenges. You have the option to take a break from therapy or to switch therapists at any time. I will try to check in with you frequently to see how you feel the therapy process is going to make sure you are feeling the benefits of it. It's important for you to communicate your needs and feelings about therapy with your clinician so we can make adjustments to improve your experience. For people coming to therapy for the first time, I suggest giving it 3-5 sessions. If you are not satisfied with the experience, let your therapist know, and remember it is totally fine to find a different therapist that feels like a better fit.

Each session will start with positive talk about what’s been going better for you, and review the therapy homework or goal from the previous session. We will explore challenges you may be facing week to week, and work on practical tools and strategies to support your progress. At the end of each session, you will identify take-aways and I will provide therapy homework and/or a goal that you want to focus on until the next session. About every 3 months we will do assessments again to check on progress of symptoms and update your treatment plan to reflect your growth and changes/updates to your therapy goals. Sometimes we may do a brief meditation (as you feel comfortable doing so).  Sometimes we may watch short video clips related to mental health, emotional regulation, social skills, or healthy relationships.  Sometimes you may be asked to do writing/reflection exercises I have lots of handouts and resources to share with you related to whatever topics that are most helpful to you For minors- I might engage them in play therapy interventions, art, and games to help children/teens engage in the therapeutic process.

We have a 24-hour cancellation/reschedule policy. If you do not cancel or reschedule 24 hours before an appointment, a $125 fee will be charged for late cancellation. If you need to reschedule, the therapist is happy to help you do so but we can not guarantee an opening in the same week. You can cancel your appointment in the patient portal (Simple Practice), but if you wish to reschedule you need to email (rebecca@mountainpeacetherapy.com)(mailto:rebecca@mountainpeacetherapy.com), text (973-913-4385) or send a portal message to the clinician directly in the patient portal system.

Of course! Different therapists have different approaches to therapy, so sometimes switching it up can help you make progress or get a different point of view. Be aware that insurance companies may not provide coverage if you are seeing two different therapists at the same time, unless one is for individual therapy and the other is for couples/family therapy.

After you book your free 15 min consultation, you will be prompted to upload a photo of the front/back of your insurance card to the patient portal, and provide your full legal name, address, and date of birth.  Our Billing Manager will send an email to you with a cost estimate and a summary of your insurance coverage, or if you have a deductible that needs to be met. This email will outline how the billing process will work. The Intake Session (first official full session) at Mountain Peace Therapy is the same fee as a regular session (many providers charge additional fees for the Intake process).  Before your first session/Intake session, you will receive an email with a link to all the necessary Intake paperwork to complete (i.e. privacy policy, steps to upload your credit card to the patient portal, confidentiality, etc). This paperwork and your credit card upload to Simple Practice (our patient portal platform) MUST be completed before the first intake session, otherwise we will use the first 15 min of the session to complete it.  Your credit card/HSA or FSA card on file will be charged each session. We will then submit your claim to your insurance provider for you. Once your deductible has been reached, your insurance company will mail you your reimbursement checks directly within 2-4 weeks. If for some reason you do not receive your reimbursement, please notify us and we will help resolve the issue as promptly as possible. It is important to us that there are no surprises for you with payments or billing.  If you have any questions about billing you can contact our billing manager at billing@mountainpeacetherapy.com(mailto:billing@mountainpeacetherapy.com) Or call 973-913-4385

Please bring this to my attention during the free consultation. I can do a suicidal assessment to determine if I’m the right level of care, and if not, I will provide referrals for you to receive the appropriate care.  If you ever feel unsafe please call 988, 911, or go directly to the ER.  I am not a crisis provider for high risk suicidal ideation.

Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is a collaborative, confidential process with a trained professional aimed at improving mental health by understanding, managing, and changing unhealthy emotions, behaviors, and thought patterns. It facilitates healing, enhances coping skills for life challenges, alleviates symptoms of mental illness, and improves relationships IOP- Intensive Outpatient Program An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides structured, high-level therapeutic support for mental health or addiction issues, serving as a flexible, part-time alternative to hospitalization or a step-down from residential care. The main purpose is to help individuals stabilize, learn coping skills, and prevent relapse while maintaining daily routines. PHP- Partial Hospitalization Program A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for mental health provides intensive, structured, day-time treatment—usually 5 days a week for several hours—designed to stabilize severe symptoms, prevent or follow inpatient hospitalization, and teach coping skills while allowing patients to live at home. It bridges the gap between 24-hour care and traditional outpatient therapy. I help clients transitioning out of PHP or IOP, starting therapy for the first time, or returning to therapy.  Watch this short YouTube video for more information about different levels of care: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHUIhjGoMXY(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHUIhjGoMXY)

Psychotherapy treats mental health conditions, focusing on healing past trauma and dysfunctional patterns to improve emotional well-being, usually requiring licensed professionals. Life coaching is forward-focused on goal achievement, behavioral changes, and optimizing performance in the present, generally without addressing deep-rooted psychological issues. Choose Therapy if: You are struggling with emotional pain, trauma, mental health disorders, or deep-seated dysfunction. Choose Life Coaching if: You are functioning well but want to achieve specific personal/professional goals, improve performance, or navigate a life transition. I provide both services, but if you are seeking life coaching, this is not covered by your insurance benefits, and you will need to pay out-of-pocket.

Our first suggestion is to give telehealth a chance if you’re not sure. Many clients find it to be just as effective as in-person therapy, and more convenient if you have a busy schedule, lack of transportation, living in a remote area or have mobility limitations.  Many clients feel more comfortable opening up from their own home or have a private, quiet space to talk without interruptions.  It’s important for you to have a stable internet connection if you choose to do telehealth therapy. Some prefer telehealth if experiencing severe anxiety or trauma, and having some physical distance from the therapist gives you a sense of safety and protection.  For children under 10 years old, I recommend in-person therapy. When I work with minors 10 years old through adolescence, I monitor whether the telehealth setting is appropriate for their care or not. This is discussed during the consultation with parents as well. I'm happy to provide a free 15 min consultation with the minor to see if telehealth is an appropriate setting for their care. After 3-5 sessions if parents or clinician feel the client would benefit more from in person therapy, we will counsel together to discuss the next best steps and the clinician will provide referrals for in-person therapy.

• Make sure you have a stable internet connection.  • You have to be on camera the entire therapy session. • You may not drive while in session (as a passenger or as the driver), but you can pull over in a parking lot and take the telehealth call in a vehicle that is not moving.  • I'm licensed to provide therapy in NJ, NY, and UT so if you are not in those states during a therapy session, we will need to reschedule/cancel and you may be charged the $125 late cancel fee. I can only provide telehealth therapy to people residing in these states.

Simple Practice is the patient portal system we use to provide you safe email and messaging exchanges, manage notes, maintain your medical record, and manage billing and insurance documentation. It is HIPAA compliant and completely confidential and safe for all telehealth sessions, documentation, and messages between providers and clients.

Yes for an additional fee of $50 or more (depending on the request). Just let me know what you need, and we will discuss the next best steps. You will also need to sign a Release of Information giving consent for me to communicate with the party you indicate.

We are happy to provide a copy of your medical record to you or other providers requesting it, but only with your consent. You will need to sign a Release of Information to give consent for the medical record to be released. Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing. If you have been receiving couples therapy, both partners will need to agree to a release of the record.