Frequently Asked Questions

I’m available for in-person and telehealth sessions Monday through Thursday (10am to 5pm) and Friday (10am to 3pm).

Telehealth sessions are also available on Mondays and Thursdays (7pm to 9pm).

Sessions are approximately 50 minutes, with an initial intake of up to 90 minutes, depending on what brings you here.

YES. We currently accept most plans within the Fidelis, HealthFirst, and Aetna networks. We can easily verify your benefits with a quick call to our office. If you’re in-network, be aware that using your insurance obligates us to share information with your provider, so be mindful of this confidentiality issue.

We are also happy to work with other insurances, but our practice is considered out-of-network. To use your out-of-network benefits, we can provide you with a “Superbill” to submit to your insurer for processing and reimbursement. Sorry, but we can’t guarantee any reimbursement from your insurer.

Please call us at (516) 313-6338 for a free consultation to see if we’re a good fit.

If so, we’ll schedule your first appointment. No referral is needed.

My preference is a recurring appointment on the same day of the week. I find this routine works best for most individuals and their busy schedules.

Counseling is more effective with consistency. Random appointments with varying intervals make it harder to apply and reinforce the new life skills you will surely learn in counseling.

The best work happens when you are consistent, so I hold a steady spot in my weekly calendar just for you. If you need to reschedule during the week, we can do that with advance notice.

If you cancel or miss your session, you are charged in full for the time reserved.

We waive this fee for the first cancellation but not for a no-show. I will respect you and your time, and I ask that you do the same for me.

I am currently providing services virtually and in person. If you choose virtual therapy, I will send you a link before your session. It’s that easy!

I use a HIPAA-compliant platform, and all you need is a decent Wi-Fi signal and a device that allows for video chat.

I primarily work with men and both male and female preteens and teens.

I also work with women – typically to offer them a male perspective and sounding board to help them with the men in their lives.

I am not working with couples at this time.

I have been told that I am calm and grounded; I tend to be direct and upfront. I will go toward you emotionally; I don’t expect you to come toward me.

I listen hard to get your full story – the whole picture as you see it.

I ask lots of questions. When I nod, I am not just hearing you; I’m getting you and learning to see the world through your eyes.

I believe in the healing power of humor, so I use it (I know I need it!). Life can be absurd sometimes, so it’s good to laugh at it (even through tears) when we can.

I like to think outside the box and believe therapy is best when it is individualized. I am a realist and enjoy building a roadmap for clients to recognize and track their progress. I also believe in chasing your dreams and desires (and rainbows on occasion).

Life has few guarantees, and we don’t know much with certainty. But we’re all free to pursue our happiness every single day. That’s what keeps many of us going. It’s not a promise, but it is a possibility.

In many situations, I suggest exercises, readings, or videos to watch that support our discussions or apply lessons and skills.

It’s also a good way to process what we’ve covered in our sessions and prepare for our next meeting.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York State.

I received both my master’s degree and advanced master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Montclair State University.

After graduation, I worked in a hospital as a graduate student and was hired as a staff mental health clinician. I completed my 3500 supervised training hours in New Jersey and passed the New York licensure exam when I relocated to New York in 2015. I began my practice here in Huntington soon after.

In the first few sessions, I’ll be asking you a lot of questions to understand you better and appreciate your life experiences. I’ll gather information about your history, what brought you to the current place in your life, and what forged you into who you’ve become.

I’ll gather information about YOU – from your favorite ice cream to how you spent your earlier years. So, the more open and detailed you can be, the better it is for us both.

I’m happy to share relevant personal stories and experiences related to what you are going through.

But remember: Your therapy sessions will be grounded in you, not me.

I love dogs and may ask to see the pooch’s face!

There are no strict rules here. This is your session, so come as you are (nothing must be perfect to be effective and meaningful).

Let’s see how it goes. We can always make edits so it works better for you.

This is exactly why our first step is your free consultation call. We can get a better idea of how we might work together and see if we are a good fit. If either of us doesn’t feel the connection, I’ll happily refer you to someone else that might.

If we aren’t sure after the initial consultation, you can try 3-4 sessions with me so we can make a more informed decision. There will be no pressure to stay with me if it doesn’t feel right, and I will let you know if I don’t think I’m the right person for you to continue with based on what we’ve learned. Sound fair?

This is a relationship like any other: a connection is important. Generally, every session after the initial session becomes easier, calmer, and deeper. Nothing is out of bounds, and nothing is inappropriate, so feel free to lose any shame you might feel, and let’s really talk (you know… talk-talk… REAL talk).

You have a dedicated audience (me). It’s just me and you, so the faster we can start going deep, the faster we can transform what was into what should be.

I’ve been with the same woman for nearly 20 years, have two children, and enjoy the parenting ride. We live in Cold Spring Harbor, a mile from my office.

As a slightly younger person, I co-founded a small tech company based in New Jersey and Virginia; I founded a tiny non-profit, too.

I like cats and dogs (and guinea pigs, and birds, and squirrels, and all other animals).

I enjoy horror movies.

I started riding motorcycles at nine (and still ride).

I’m a tinkerer, gardener, and creatively passionate soul.