Welcome to my practice. I hope that this page provides answers to some of your questions, as you explore a collaborative process of therapy. If you still have questions, I welcome you to ask for more clarity.
Services Offered
I provide psychotherapy services for individual adults in my Tenleytown office, or via teletherapy. In the event that you are out of town or sick, phone or teletherapy sessions are available.
Location
The Tenleytown/AU metro stop is on the red line. There is plenty of metered and street parking around the office, as well as a paid garage at Whole Foods, which is across the street from the office. Exit on the EAST side of Wisconsin and cross Albemarle to 4000 Albemarle St, NW There is a little map on my website: www.annkewing.com
Communication
I attempt to return messages as quickly as possible, Monday through Thursday. Messages left on the weekend may be returned Monday. I do not guarantee 24-hour crisis coverage. If you need to speak to someone urgently, NAMI DC Helpline is recommended (1-800-950-NAMI (6264)), proceed to your local hospital emergency room, or call 911.
Please do not contact me through text messages or emails regarding clinical issues. These are not a method of secure communication, and there is a possibility that I will not get the message in a timely manner, or that communication will be interpreted in an unclear manner. Text messages and emails are only to be used for scheduling, changing or canceling appointments.
Forms
You will find several forms for your review and signature, which can be submitted online using my HIPPA compliant portal. Please complete and sign them at your earliest convenience. These forms include:
This Notice of Policies, Procedures, and Consent for Treatment (please sign below)
Initial Appointment, Diagnosis, and Therapy Process
Initial assessments take place during the first appointment, which is 45 minutes. These appointments are used to learn more about you as a person, some of the challenges that led you to make an appointment, your intended goals, and to determine the best course of care. I ask that you submit the "Patient Information" form at least 48 hours before your initial appointment, in order for me to have time to review the documentation.
An initial diagnosis will be given, just as with a visit to a medical doctor. If ongoing treatment is recommended, and we think it will be a good fit to work together, I will diligently work to provide the best therapeutic care possible.
For the therapeutic process to be successful, your commitment to the process is essential. This commitment includes regular attendance, active participation, and completion of the process through planned termination of psychotherapy. Homework may be used between sessions to help enhance your growth process. If a "therapy break" is indicated, I will work with you to plan a successful wrap-up. This is an important part of the therapy process, and I highly encourage you to honor your own work by not neglecting this phase.
Rates and Insurance
Therapy sessions are commonly set for once per week, for 45 minutes. We may decide together that more frequent sessions, or sessions of a different duration would be most beneficial. Teletherapy and phone sessions are charged at the same rate as in person sessions.
30 minutes: $160
45 minutes $250
60 minutes $320
75 minutes $400
If you have out-of-network benefits, a portion of my fee should be eligible for reimbursement by your insurance company. I am not an in-network provider for any insurance company, but individual psychotherapy visits are covered under the Mental Health Parity Act (2008). Check your insurance policy for detailed information about what is covered, and at what rate.
Once a person becomes an established patient, invoices are sent at the beginning of the month, with payment for sessions in the previous month due upon receipt.
Late Cancellation or Missed Appointments
Although I make every effort to reschedule appointments when things come up, the full session fee will be charged for missed appointments not cancelled 48 hours in advance of the appointment. If you are late to an appointment, we will do our best to make good use of the time left in the scheduled session, but the session time will not be extended. You are financially responsible for the time you have reserved with me. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you.
In the event of inclement weather, teletherapy or a phone session is recommended. In some cases, the cancellation fee may be waived. To have your fee waived you must contact me prior to your appointment to notify me that you will not be able to meet due to inclement weather.
Please note that I work many state, local, school, and federal holidays. If a holiday "day off" is scheduled for a Monday, because the actual date falls on the weekend, I will generally be working. If you are unsure about whether we will be scheduled to meet, please check with me first. If it is important to you to observe a particular holiday, let's be sure to check in about the missed session in advance.
The following is a list of holidays and dates I do not work. January 1, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (+ the Friday after), December 24th, and December 25th.
Social Media Policy
In order to maintain your confidentiality and our respective privacy, I do not interact with current or former patients on social networking websites. I do not accept friend or contact requests, on personal accounts, from current or former patients on any social networking sites including X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. I will not respond to friend requests or messages through these sites. I will not respond to testimonials, ratings or grades on websites, whether positive or negative, in order to maintain your confidentiality. My hope is that you will bring concerns about our work together to the therapy session so we can address concerns directly.
Confidentiality and Release of Information
Legal and ethical standards require me to maintain confidentiality with the following exceptions: if you threaten or attempt to commit suicide or become a danger to yourself or others, I become aware of any actual or alleged abuse to children, elderly, or incapacitated people (in which case I am a mandated reporter for the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland), and if I receive a properly issued subpoena accompanied by a court order to produce records.
Should we decide together that communication with another provider would be useful, you will be asked to sign a release of information for each individual or practice that states what information is to be shared, and for what purpose.
If we see each other accidentally outside of the therapy office, I will not acknowledge you first. Your right to privacy and confidentiality is of the utmost importance to me, and I do not wish to jeopardize your privacy. However, if you acknowledge me first, I will be more than happy to speak briefly with you, but feel it appropriate not to engage in any lengthy discussions in public or outside of the therapy office.
Notice of Privacy Policies
A copy of my Notice of Privacy Practices/ HIPPA is available in the forms link I have sent for your signature. For more information about healthcare privacy, see: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html
Termination & Transfer Plans
Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may recommend termination of treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process, if I believe that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment.
I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If therapy is terminated for any reason, I will provide you with the name of a qualified psychotherapist to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source. Should you fail to attend our appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless we have discussed the gap in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.
Signature of Informed Consent for Treatment
When you sign this document, you are stating that you understand and will adhere to the information in this Informed Consent for Treatment.
