Interested in Therapy, Consultation, or Supervision?

 

I’m glad you’re here and considering taking that first step.

 

If you’re interested in working with me for therapy, consultation, or supervision, the process below is the most straightforward way to begin.

 

1. Start by emailing me

 

Please email me at paulina@drpaulina.com and briefly tell me what type of service you are seeking.

 

In that same email, include three possible times or windows of availability for a complimentary 15–20 minute phone consultation sometime over the next few days.

 

It is especially helpful if you can give me broader windows rather than very narrow time slots, since that makes it easier to find a time that works for both of us.

 

2. If you are seeking therapy and plan to use insurance

 

If you are contacting me for therapy in Florida or Massachusetts* and would like to use your insurance, please complete the insurance verification form below before our consultation:

 

https://secure.helloalma.com/check-my-insurance-coverage?provider=paulina-moad&request=1j2hmo

 

I use Alma to manage the insurance-related side of my practice. Once you submit your information, Alma will notify both you and me about whether I am in network with your plan and, when that information is available, what your expected copay or other costs may be.

 

It is important to complete this step before we speak. If you intend to use insurance and I do not accept your plan, there may be little reason to schedule a consultation unless you are also open to private-pay services.

 

*At the moment I can only take insurance in Florida and Massachusetts (USA), but offer different rates and options for private pay. Feel free to inquire more if this applies to you. 

 

Please note: I do not work for Alma. I use Alma as an outside company to assist with the insurance portion of my private practice.

 

3. I’ll get back to you by email

 

I will respond as soon as I am able and let you know whether one of the times you proposed works for me.

 

If none of those times fit my schedule, I’ll send you some alternatives and we can find another option from there.

 

4. We’ll agree on a consultation time

 

Once we confirm the time by email, I will plan to call you at that scheduled time.

 

5. A little preparation can help

 

Before we speak, I recommend spending some time looking through my website and becoming familiar with my background and the way I work.

 

You may also want to jot down any questions you would like to ask. Because the consultation is brief, having your questions ready can help you use that time well.

 

6. What to expect when I call

 

I will call you by phone at the time we agreed upon.

 

The call may appear on your phone as “Private,” “Unknown,” or “No Caller ID.” Before our consultation, please make sure your phone is not on Do Not Disturb or using another setting that could prevent the call from coming through.

 

7. If I cannot reach you

 

If you do not answer the first time, I will make two additional attempts to call you.

 

If I am still unable to reach you after that, I will not continue calling or following up. Of course, unexpected things happen. If you missed the call because of something unforeseen and would still like to speak, feel free to email me and we can discuss rescheduling.

 

8. We’ll cover the practical details first

 

At the beginning of the consultation, I will start with a few logistical questions before asking you to share personal information.

 

This is very intentional. It is not meant to feel cold or impersonal.

 

Contacting a therapist can require a great deal of vulnerability, and I want to respect both that vulnerability and your time. Before you begin telling me more about yourself, I want us to establish that working together would actually be possible.

 

That means first confirming things such as:

 

* Whether we can find a consistent appointment time that works for both of us.

* Whether the financial arrangements are clear to you.

* Whether there are any practical issues that would prevent us from working together.

 

9. After that, we’ll talk about why you reached out

 

Once we know the logistical pieces are workable, we can spend the remainder of the consultation talking briefly about what is bringing you to therapy, consultation, or supervision; what you hope to find; and whether I may be a good fit for what you need.

 

The consultation itself is not a therapy session. Its purpose is to help both of us form an initial impression of whether working together appears appropriate and whether moving forward makes sense.

 

10. If we decide to continue

 

Ideally, we will use the end of the consultation to schedule your initial evaluation.

 

If you would rather take some additional time to decide, that is absolutely fine. Just let me know.

 

Please be aware, however, that I am not able to hold or reserve potential ongoing appointment times that we may have discussed during the consultation. If you decide later that you would like to move forward, we will review my availability at that time and see what options remain open.

 

11. What happens before the initial evaluation

 

Before your first evaluation appointment, I will send you intake paperwork and questionnaires that you will need to complete.

 

Please submit everything no later than 24 hours before your scheduled evaluation, as I need time to review the information in advance.

 

Also, please note that autopay is required and must be set up as part of the intake process before we begin.

 

12. The initial evaluation

 

At this point, we are ready to get started.

 

During the initial evaluation, I will ask a number of questions about what brings you here, the concerns you are experiencing now, your relevant history, and the broader context of what is happening in your life.

 

It is also important to understand that neither the initial phone consultation nor the initial evaluation is meant to represent what ongoing therapy with me will feel like. These appointments are more structured because they serve different purposes. They allow us to determine whether we are a good fit, give me the information I need to understand your concerns, and create a foundation for the work ahead.

 

During the evaluation, we will also talk about:

 

* Any applicable diagnosis, including the fact that a diagnosis is required if you are using insurance.

* Your initial treatment plan and goals.

* The recommended frequency of sessions.

* Any questions you have about what our work together may look like going forward.

 

Once those foundational steps are complete, we can begin the therapy process itself.