Frequently Asked Questions

How do i get started with therapy?

Good news! You’ve already taken the first step, which is to search for a therapist! Next, you can contact me via phone (call or text), email, or my contact form and schedule a free 15-minute consultation call or video chat so that we can learn a bit more about each other.

do i have to talk on the phone?

Not if you don’t want to. Although many people find the consultation helpful, if you would rather skip it and go straight to scheduling an initial intake visit, you may do so by emailing me or going to my client portal. Please note that the intake visit is subject to my cancellation policy, detailed below, and a credit card is required for booking.

what happens after we talk?

After the brief consultation, if you and I decide to work together, we will schedule an initial visit. We can do that at the end of the consultation itself, or I can send you a link to my client portal so that you can log in and set an appointment time at your convenience. I will then send you some forms to fill out before our first meeting. The more of these you can do ahead of time, the more time we can spend really digging into what’s bringing you to therapy!

what are your fees?

My fees are dependent on type and length of session. Initial sessions (approximately 60 minutes) and follow-up sessions (50-55 minutes) are $285 per session. Longer sessions (75-90 minutes) can be scheduled with advance notice and are billed on a pro-rated basis in 15-minute increments. I typically see clients on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Payment is due at the start of session and can be made via credit card, cash, or check. I am also happy to store your credit card on file for hassle-free processing for you.

Do you take insurance?

At this time, I am an out-of-network provider for all insurances except Lyra Health. This means that unless you are referred through Lyra, you are responsible for your session costs. Some PPO plans are able to reimburse you for a percentage of the charges incurred. Please call your insurance to inquire whether they cover out-of-network mental health services and at what rate. I am happy to provide a summary of charges (also known as a “superbill”) that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement of your fees to me. Please note that in all cases, you are responsible for full payment of fees at the time of service and for any ongoing communication with your insurance carrier.

You may cancel or reschedule your visit via text, email, or online portal up to 48 business hours prior to the beginning of the session with no penalty. Do note that rescheduling will depend on my availability and may not always be possible before your next regularly scheduled visit. No-shows and cancellations after the 48-hour cut-off will be billed at the full session rate. Please note that if you are a Lyra client, you may be responsible for the full session rate in case of a no-show or a late cancellation depending on your empoloyer’s policy.

what do i call you?

There are several options! You may call me Dr. Blank (pronounced like Blahnc), Elaine, or even Doc. My legal name is Yelena Blank, so that’s what you’ll see on official documents, but don’t worry about trying to pronounce that! My pronouns are she/her.

I’m ready to reach out, now what?

Awesome! Just click on the big button below to get in touch with me!