229 East Main Street

(entrance on Ralph Street)

Westminster, MD  21157

(443) 974-8868 

 

 

 

 

 

...helping you stop fighting and start talking…

 

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Westminster, MD

You can call me at (443) 974-8868  or email me at alex@communicationforcouples.com. We can discuss your hopes for therapy and whether I am the therapist who is best suited to help you. 

Individual, couple, and family sessions are 45-50 minutes in length.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.    I do have both evening and weekend hours in my schedule.

Do you have evening or weekend hours available for counseling appointments?

How long are your counseling sessions ?

How much does it cost?

As a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), I have been specifically trained in understanding the ways in which individuals are affected by and function with each other.  I work with the belief that all individuals function within various systems that effect them.  Examples can be: the neighborhood, the work environment, extended family, nuclear family, children’s school, faith organization, etc. 

Included in this systems perspective is the view of the couple relationship as a system that is constantly changing from the interaction of the individuals, personality characteristics, work, family history, past experiences, and current circumstances. 

When I work with individuals, my point of view remains as I see all individuals as part of a larger relational, familial, and social system.

A “Marriage and Family Therapist”(LCMFT) is different than a Professional Counselor (LCPC) or Social Worker ( LCSW-C).  Furthermore, a “Marriage and Family Therapist” is different than a LCPC or LCSW-C who specializes in couple counseling and family therapy.  The training we receive as Marriage and Family Therapists differs in significant ways.  If you are curious about the differences, please feel free to ask me during our phone consultation.

If you would like to know about Marriage and Family Therapists, please visit the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Frequently Asked Questions page.  This site provides a great deal of information about the training, practice, and qualifications of MFTs as well as information about the nature, outcomes, and quality of the therapy MFTs provide.

You are a Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT). What does that mean and how is it different than other therapists, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrist, etc?

The fee for 45-50 minute sessions is 120 dollars.

The fee for the first initial therapy session is 140 dollars. 

 

 

How can I figure out whether or not you can help me?

Do you accept insurance to cover the costs of counseling?

I understand your desire to use your insurance benefits to cover the cost of counseling.  As a Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT), the costs of my services should be eligible for reimbursement through your “out of network benefits.”  While I will not bill your insurance directly, I can provide a summary sheet for you to submit for reimbursement from your insurance company and/or for reimbursement from your Flex Spending Account.. 

I am not an in-network provider with insurance companies for several important reasons:

1) I specialize in helping couples and some insurance companies do not cover the cost of couples counseling under “in network benefits.”

2) In order to bill your insurance, I would have to give you (or your partner or child, depending on the circumstances) a mental disorder diagnosis that would be shared with the insurance company.

3) Commonly, it is not possible for me to diagnose someone with a mental disorder.  Many of the couples and families I help do not have mental disorder diagnoses.  Instead, they have difficulty communicating, solving problems, and getting along.

4) If I were to communicate directly with your insurance as an in-network provider, I would need to discuss with the insurance company: your mental disorder diagnosis, your progress, and your continued need for therapy.  Then someone or several people at the insurance company would decide whether or not to cover the cost.  

5) I value the confidentiality that counseling provides to you and I am not comfortable with the idea of the insurance company knowing about our discussions and experiences in counseling.   I believe that your concerns and progress are ‘our business’ and, as such, do not participate in the “in network provider” system of insurance companies.

 

 
Text Box: Counseling for Couples and Families Alexandra Goerl Rickeman, LCMFT

What can I/we expect in the first session?

First, you can expect to read and review some standard, initial paperwork.  Then, we will discuss why you have come to see me, and what your hopes are in coming to counseling.  Finally, I will give you feedback about your situation and how I can help, and we will work together to develop a plan for future sessions.