Faq’s & PRACTICE POLICIES
A common misconception about therapy is that it’s going to be painfully serious and hard work, which is why so many people put it off—while it IS an investment of time and energy and can definitely feel emotionally vulnerable, we aim to integrate joy and humor into our practices because we believe that joy and pain can, and must co-exist. You may often hear one or both of us laughing, singing, dancing or spastically running in late to work.
We bring our WHOLE human selves with us and encourage you to do so too! The above photo is a good mirror of who we are as therapists and as humans—we are committed to scientifically-valid, evidenced-based compassionate-driven-care WHILE doing it in the safest and most lighthearted way possible for our clients!
How do I know if my therapist is a good “fit”?
Therapy is a lot like dating (weird metaphor I know!) but it is important you find someone you feel safe with, can be yourself around, who you enjoy talking to and ultimately who invites you into seeing yourself differently. Just like with dating, we know that we aren’t always the right fit for each client and ask that you pay attention to how your body feels in our space and throughout your session. We trust your intuition and want to honor it—we’re always happy to refer you to someone else we trust when either the specialty, chemistry or safety feels “off”.
Do you accept insurance?
Neither of our practices take insurance at this time. We accept cash, check, debit/credit, or an HSA card. Additionally for clients looking to submit out-of-network claims independently to their insurance company we’re happy to provide you a superbill with the hopes you get reimbursed for partial coverage (this is solely dependent on your insurance coverage and plan). A superbill is similar to an invoice and it has our practice information on it, the services we’re providing and the fees you’ve incurred through therapy.
You could additionally deduct therapy expenses when you submit your taxes should you decide to itemize your deductions instead of doing the standard deduction. Some insurance companies want a diagnostic code included, which will be on your medical record—we defer to you whether you want your insurance company to have that information and typically err on the side of insurance knowing less than more for no other reason than we value your privacy and respect confidentiality.
Good Faith Estimate Notice
Under federal law, healthcare workers are required to offer patients an estimate of the costs involved in treatment which includes psychotherapy/mental health support. You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much therapy costs so you can make informed decisions that align with your needs, vulnerabilities and budget.
The amount of time and money invested in therapy varies significantly dependent on the skill level, safety, needs and community support each person has, in addition to the specific goals identified for treatment. You can ask your therapist and any other provider you choose for a Good Faith Estimate before and/or at any point during treatment.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
How much does therapy cost?
Therapy is an investment of time, emotional energy and money—everyone has a schedule and a budget, we get it—we have them too! We recommend initially coming as often as both your budget and schedule allow and aim to meet clients where they’re at without pressure. For some clients this may mean coming 1-2x/wk and for others, it may look like coming every 3-6wks. You will never feel coerced or pressured by us to come more frequently than aligns for you, although coming less frequently may mean that it takes longer to experience the changes you’re seeking.
Initial Intake Assessment:
$250/90min
Follow-up individual appointments:
$180/50min
$270/90min
Family Therapy:
$295/90min family
Group Therapy: $75/per 90 min group for 12 weeks or $825 if paid in full at the start of the series. (Groups are typically offered 1-2xs/year depending on interest, please inquire with Mel for more information).
cancellation policy
Both Sarah and Mel’s practices have a 24hr minimum cancellation policy—if you cancel with less than 24hrs notice you will be charged your full session fee with the card held on file. Should you no-show to your appointment without communication more than twice each practice may use professional discretion to move you to an inactive status and give priority to other clients and/or those waitlisted and pursuing care.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Mel’s practice offers a limited number of grants per year that subsidize therapy with her practice. Grants are offered for a set period of time and prioritized for those experiencing financial hardship and/or who would otherwise be unable to access therapy without compromising other foundational needs.
Sarah offers a sliding scale in specific situations for existing clients, please inquire directly with her.
How long can I expect to be in therapy?
Short answer: You can expect to be in therapy for as long as it feels helpful and as long as your budget and schedule allow!
Long answer: Both Mel and Sarah specialize in complex-trauma and attachment repair, as such we often provide support to our clients for several years which provides a consistent safe, therapeutic space to engage in reparative trauma work. (You can read more about the type of therapy each practice provides by clicking on their names at the top of the page!)
What are your business hours?
Mel
M/T: 8:30-2PM
Wed: 3:30-6:30
Th: 11-2 / 4:30-6:30
F: 8:30-2PM (1X/mo)
Sarah
Tue-Fri from 10-4.
do you see patients in-person and/or virtually? do you have a COVID policy? what about artificial intelligence—will ai be used in my therapy?
We follow CDC’s guidelines for public health recommendations and are each fully vaccinated. For clients who feel more comfortable doing therapy via telehealth (numerous valid reasons), both Mel and Sarah provide a HIPAA compliant platform to engage in confidential, virtual therapy.
Currently, our businesses use SimplePractice, an online Electronic Health Record (EHR) that uses various technologies, one of which is artificial intelligence (AI). Our practice, professional ethics, and values are not aligned with the use of AI, however as artificial intelligence becomes more widespread, there’s simply no certainty that AI is not being used without our full awareness or consent.
SimplePractice provides the option for mental health clinicians to use an AI tool called Note Taker for note-taking, recording, transcribing sessions, interpretation and analysis of personal information. We have this feature turned off, meaning it does not employ AI for any of these uses—your sessions will not be recorded or transcribed.
Please note there is no guarantee that AI is being used outside our knowledge however to our best understanding we have ‘smart features’ turned off. Please inquire if you’d like to make changes to any automated feature for appointment reminders, payment process, etc.
I think I’m ready to move forward, How do I set up an appointment or contact you?
Since Mel and Sarah each run their own separate practices, it’s best to contact the therapist you are interested in working with directly to see if she has availability. Both are admittedly more responsive to email than phone calls.
Mel: mbosna@gmail.com, 623-398-9050
Sarah: sarah.vanholland@gmail.com, 480.434.9552
Where are you located?
Our address is 4225 East Windrose Ave, Suite 103
Phoenix, AZ 85032
*Offices are inside the Universal Technical Institute on the lower level, southeast corner (essentially facing REI and Target). There are entrances in both the front and back of the UTI building, clients are welcome to park anywhere that doesn’t explicitly say reserved or have a business name on the parking spot.