Therapy FAQ | Common Questions About Therapy in NYC

We don’t accept insurance, but we do offer sliding scale pricing to help make therapy more accessible. Additionally, we partner with Mentaya, a service that handles the insurance reimbursement process for you. With Mentaya, you won’t need to submit superbills yourself—we take care of everything on your behalf. If you’d like to learn more about our rates or how this process works, feel free to ask!

Once you reach out via our contact form (https://www.shiftingtidestherapyny.com/therapist-consultation)or by emailing us directly, we will get back to you within 24 hours to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call with the clinician you’re requesting. If you're not sure who you'd like to work with, we’ll help match you with a therapist based on your needs, preferences, and availability. During the consult call, you’ll have a chance to briefly share what’s bringing you in, ask any questions you may have, and get a feel for whether it’s the right fit. If it feels like a match, we’ll schedule your first session and send over your intake paperwork to complete before getting started. We aim to make this process as simple, supportive, and timely as possible—so you can begin therapy with clarity and confidence.

Yes. We are a fully virtual psychotherapy practice, offering secure video sessions to adults across New York, Connecticut, and Florida. All sessions are held via a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.

Yes, if you do not give at least 24 hours notice before cancelling OR rescheduling your appointment, you will be charged your session fee.

We offer sliding scale pricing for therapeutic services. We highly encourage you reach out about this option. Deanna's Pricing: Individual sessions begin at $150 and go up to $300. Adjunct IFS/EMDR sessions: sessions start at $250 and go up to $350. EMDR/IFS Intensives (90 minute long sessions): sessions start at $400 and go up to $500. Consultation/ Supervision: Reach out to Deanna directly to learn more as this varies depending on what you are looking for. Kelsey's Pricing: Individual sessions start at $175 and go up to $250. Couples sessions start at $225 and go up to $300. Kelsey also offers intensives. Reach out to her directly to learn more. Ava's Pricing: Individual sessions start at $100 and go up to $200. Madeline's Pricing: Individual sessions start at $100 and go up to $175. Group Pricing: Groups are advertised as $80 per session, but we offer sliding scale as low as $40 per session. We strongly encourage you to reach out about sliding scale. Check out our Reimbursement Calculator on our site to see if you qualify for out of network benefits.

Choosing between coaching and therapy depends on your specific needs and goals. Here are some key differences: • Coaching may be right for you if: • You are looking for guidance, accountability, and strategies to achieve personal or professional goals. • You want support in improving relationships, career advancement, or work-life balance. • You are not experiencing significant mental health challenges or symptoms of trauma, depression, or anxiety that require clinical treatment. • Therapy may be right for you if: • You are struggling with emotional distress, past trauma, anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions. • You need a licensed professional to help you process and heal from past experiences. • You are looking for a deeper, therapeutic approach rather than structured goal-setting and coaching. If you're unsure which service is best for you, we offer a free 15-minute consultation to help determine the best fit for your needs.

Therapy can be short-term or long-term, depending on your needs. Some clients work through a specific issue in 8–12 sessions, while others stay in ongoing care for deeper healing. Your therapist will collaborate with you to assess progress and adjust as needed.

You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. If you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious, depressed, grieving, or simply unsure of how to move forward in your life, therapy can help. It’s a space to process emotions, build coping skills, and gain clarity and confidence. Therapy is also helpful if you’re navigating relationship challenges, whether in your romantic life, family, or friendships. If you and your partner are feeling disconnected, having recurring conflicts, or struggling with communication or intimacy, couples therapy can help you reconnect and strengthen your relationship. If you're experiencing concerns around sexuality, desire, or emotional closeness, sex therapy offers a nonjudgmental space to explore those issues with a trained professional. Many clients seek sex therapy for support with low desire, mismatched libidos, painful sex, shame around sexuality, or navigating nontraditional relationships. No matter your reason, seeking support is a sign of strength—not failure.

Your first session is a chance for you and your therapist to get to know each other. You’ll be invited to share what’s bringing you to therapy, any history that feels relevant, and what you hope to get out of the process. Your therapist may ask some guiding questions to better understand your goals and challenges, and together you'll begin mapping out a plan for your care. We know that starting therapy can feel intimidating or even scary—especially if it's your first time or you’re opening up about something vulnerable. That’s completely normal. Our therapists are highly trained, compassionate, and nonjudgmental, and we prioritize creating a space where you feel emotionally safe and genuinely seen. You don’t need to have the “right” words or tell your whole story at once—we’ll move at a pace that feels manageable for you. Our job is to help you feel supported, grounded, and gently guided—especially in those early sessions where everything might feel new.

We are licensed to see clients virtually in New York, Connecticut and Florida.

Yes. We provide virtual individual therapy to adults located in New York, Connecticut, and Florida. All sessions are conducted via a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform and are provided by licensed clinicians authorized to practice in these states. Because therapy is virtual, you can attend sessions from anywhere within your state, including New York City, Westchester, Staten Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, Hartford, New Haven, Greenwich, Darien, Fairfield, Norwalk, Milford, Stamford, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Naples, Sarasota and surrounding areas.

We work with adults experiencing: • Grief and loss • Trauma and PTSD • Anxiety and panic • Depression • Perfectionism and high-achiever burnout • Relationship and attachment concerns • Family-of-origin and estrangement issues • Caregiver stress • Life transitions and identity exploration • Chronic Illness • Issues related to sex, kink and intimacy • Issues in current intimate relationship (Couples therapy) • Life changing medical diagnoses • Addiction And more!

Our clinicians use evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches, including: • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for trauma, PTSD, and distressing memories • Internal Family Systems (IFS) for parts work, self-compassion, and healing inner conflict • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) principles for attachment and relational patterns • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for thought patterns, anxiety, and behavioral change • Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) for chronic pain Treatment is always individualized. We do not take a one-size-fits-all approach.

Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy where individuals come together with others who share similar experiences or challenges. Groups are facilitated by a licensed therapist and provide a space for connection, validation, skill-building, and healing in community.

Yes. Research shows group therapy can be just as effective as individual therapy, especially for concerns involving isolation, shame, grief, trauma, and relationship patterns. Many people find healing happens faster when they realize they are not alone.

Groups are intentionally kept small, typically between 6 and 8 participants, to ensure everyone has space to participate while still benefiting from shared experiences and perspectives.

Groups are currently offered virtually via a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. This allows participants to join from the comfort of their own space while still experiencing deep connection.

Yes. We offer virtual group therapy to adults located in New York, Connecticut, and Florida. Groups are facilitated by licensed clinicians who are legally able to provide psychotherapy in these states. Because groups are virtual, you can participate from anywhere within your state, including New York City, Westchester, Long Island, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Fairfield, Norwalk, Greenwich, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, and surrounding areas.