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Getting Started
Schedule an Appointment!
If you would like an initial (free) appointment, please go to my client web portal and pick an available time that is good for you. When I receive your appointment request, I will get back to you and confirm the appointment. I will then call you at the time you picked.
You can also call me at 888-933-3539 to request an appointment, but that runs the risk of phone tag.
Initial Conversation
The purpose of the initial conversation is to make sure I am qualified to help you with the issues you want help with. If I am not qualified to help you, I will let you know and we can talk about how to find someone who is. We need to discuss my availability and how to handle telephone and video sessions. We also need to discuss how you will pay for sessions.
Intake Packet
If you think I can help you, and I think I can help you, I will mail or email you an intake packet. The intake packet includes information about me, who I am and who I am not. It also includes information about what you can expect from sessions with me as well as benefits and risks of sessions. This is part of what is called "Informed Consent". The intake packet also includes a number of consent forms you can complete either by mail or through my client portal.
Beginning Regular Sessions
When I have received your consent forms, you can schedule an appointment and we can get started.
Things we need to set-up for sessions
There are some things we need to have in place in order to work together.
Phone Sessions
We can have sessions by phone or video. If we use phone calls, you give me a phone number and when our appointment time comes, I call you. Simple.
Video Sessions
For video sessions you will need a PC, laptop, tablet or cell phone. You will need to use a web browser on a PC, laptop or cell phone and login to my client portal. If problems arise, I'll be happy help.
Secure Email
Normal email is not encrypted. It is bascially a postcard anyone can read. Most free email services read your email so they can sell your information to advertisers, etc. In working together online we need to exchange private information, such as the issues/problems you want to work on, depression and anxiety assessments, a medication list and so forth. This is called Protected Health Information (PHI).
In order to protect your Protected Health Information we need to use email encryption. Encryption makes whatever is in the email message unreadable, except by you and me. there is a free email service called Protonmail.com. I have a business account with them; they are HIPAA-compliant. When you have the time, please look into getting a free account with Protonmail.com. They have an app for both iOS and Android as well as webmail.
Informed Consent
"Informed Consent" refers to you understanding what being in therapy is about. Below are some of the forms I will include in the intake packet I will mail to you which you need to read and sign. Reading them will give you a good idea of who I am as a psychologist, what I can and cannot do. I also need to know some things about you and you need to give me permission to handle your information in various ways. You need to know the limits of confidentiality and what our agreement to work together looks like.
Practice Brochure:
Telepsychology Informed Consent Form:
Notice of Privacy Practices:
- You may go to my client portal and book an appointment. My client portal is located here.
- You may also call me directly, although this risks becoming phone tag. To call me directly please call: 888-933-3539.
My Practice Brochure helps you know who I am, what I am qualified to do and not do and how things work in therapy. Informing you about who I am and what to expect during our work together is part of a process called "Informed Consent". Informed consent helps you understand what seeing a psychologist is about. I will review it with you and answer any questions you may have.
My Practice Brochure should be readable in any browser on any device size from a smart phone to a desktop PC (but probably not a smart watch).
My Practice Brochure can be read here.
The form discusses the potential benefits and potential risks of using video conferencing and telephone calls to have therapy sessions. Since my sessions will ALL be via video conferencing or telephone calls, we need to review the do's and don'ts of conducting sessions "remotely", that is, not in an office.
The Telepsychology Consent Form can be found here.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a law designed, among other things, to protect and ensure confidential handling of your protected health information (PHI). The information about HIPAA is contained in The Notice of Privacy Practices. You can read it here as a standard HTML webpage (viewable on a cellphone, tablet, laptop or destop PC) or as a PDF. I will answer any questions you may have about privacy and confidentiality before or during our first session. The consent form has to be completed before our first session after the initial free consult.
The Notice of Privacy Practices is available here.
Your Privacy
Please read my Privacy page to learn how I protect your privacy and confidentiality.
How to contact me
There are two ways to contact me:
I would be happy to speak with you.
Sincerely,
Mike Feeley