Frequently Asked Questions

At Rivergreen Psychology, we know it's important to give clear information to our clients.

These frequently asked questions cover lots of different topics and are meant to answer common concerns. If you don’t find your answer here, please don’t be afraid to reach out!

  • Welcome, we are glad you’re interested in Rivergreen Psychology Group and appreciate you’re here.

    You can call, email, or use our confidential contact form to get in touch.

    We will contact you by the end of the same business day and will likely call you unless you indicate otherwise. If we can’t reach you by phone, we will email you to set up a time to speak.

    An initial phone consultation usually lasts for 15-20 minutes, but we’ll never rush you and encourage any and all questions about getting started that you may have. There is no cost for the consultation.

    We will ask about your current situation and symptoms, and openly discuss whether we are the best practice to address your needs. If it is determined that we are not, we’ll take some time to help with a referral to another trusted provider.

    We use a secure online portal (Valant MYIO) for paperwork, billing, and telehealth, and will help you set up the portal after we have scheduled an initial session.

  • Congratulations, you have made it to your first session as an important step in taking care of yourself! You may feel a mix of anticipation, hope, and anxiety - this means you’re just like all of us.

    In your first session, your clinician will ask questions and take some notes to get to know you. We will work together to help you define the struggles that led you to therapy and identify how we can begin to help relieve your distress. The first couple of sessions are typically a bit more structured to aide with this, but the time is all yours to discuss anything you need to address.

  • After the first two sessions we should have a very good sense if therapy will be a mutual fit and whether we are the best practice to help you. There is never any pressure to set up future sessions if you are not ready to start therapy, but if you are, we think a weekly model of meeting is the most effective cadence of treatment. Twice weekly sessions for individuals looking for more frequency is also offered and welcomed as it can lead to greater relief and a deeper understanding of what led you to therapy.

  • We live in a hectic world, so when we meet remotely, take a few minutes beforehand to ensure your systems are working, your browser tabs are closed and notifications are turned off, and that you have a quiet and private space to sit, speak, and feel.

    Please do you best to have your camera in a steady position. Feel free to have some water or a drink, but we ask that you hold off on eating until after session.

    After session it might be helpful to take a short walk or give yourself 5-10 minutes to consolidate feelings and insights, but we know that sometimes you have to hop back to work. Just do your best and let us know how we can make the experience as helpful as possible.

  • We offer in-person and teletherapy sessions. You are welcome to use whichever modality is best for you, and we would love to meet you in person at some time!

    We use a secure and HIPAA-compliant patient portal for teletherapy sessions called Valant MYIO.

  • Our New York City office is located in the Financial District, near the 2/3, 4/5, A/C, J/Z, R, and PATH trains. We are two blocks from the NYC Ferry Wall St./Pier 11 stop.

    We are located on the 3rd floor of 75 Maiden Lane (bet William St and Gold St). The waiting area is directly outside of the elevator bank.

    Our Kingston office is located in The Fuller Building, 45 Pine Grove Ave, Suite 213. There is plenty of free parking on site. You can wait in any of the chairs on the second floor in front of the elevator, or in the common area.

  • Like many New York City providers we are out-of-network with all insurance carriers. That said, we will do out best to help you navigate the maze of insurance by providing monthly statements in the patient portal with all of the information you should need to submit the receipt directly to your own insurance company for reimbursement. Below you can find a list of FAQ’s that should help you feel a bit more empowered if you contact your insurance carrier with questions about coverage.

    We are considered an out-of-network provider for most PPO plans, and most flexible spending plans typically consider services rendered by a licensed therapist to be qualifying expenses.

    If you have a PPO plan, services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. We will provide you with a statement to seek reimbursement from your insurance company or flexible spending plan. The following questions may be helpful when interacting with your insurance provider:

    Do I have mental health benefits?

    What is my deductible and has it been met?

    How many sessions per calendar year does my plan cover?

    How much does my plan cover for an out-of-network provider?

    What is the coverage amount per therapy session?

    Is approval required from my primary care physician?

    Is tele-therapy covered?

    If your insurance company inquires, the CPT code we will most likely be using for in-person therapy is 90834. The CPT code for teletherapy is usually 90834-95.

    Fees

    Dr. Nichols’ standard fee is $325 per 45-minute session for individuals and $350 for couples.

    Ms. Ide’s standard fee is $250 per 45 minute individual session.

    Reduced fee services are available for students or those with financial constraints or other special circumstances. If you are not able to pay the full fee, we encourage you to let us know. If Rivergreen Psychology Group cannot accommodate your financial situation, we will try our best to assist you with finding appropriate referrals as we appreciate you taking the time to contact us.

  • If you do not come for your scheduled appointment, or you have not notified your therapist at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the treatment as scheduled.

    You may always substitute a virtual session for an in-person one in lieu of cancelling.

  • We are committed to creating an environment that supports inclusivity and respect of all people regardless of race, color, culture, religion, spiritual practice, sex, age, socioeconomic status, perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, relationship status or configuration, national origin or physical and mental abilities.

    All are welcome here.

  • If you have an emergency between sessions please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

    988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is also an excellent, confidential resource where you can talk or text anonymously if you need support 24/7.

    While we are not an “on-call” practice, we also understand that urgent matters do not always fit neatly into scheduled sessions and will do our best to return correspondence by the end of the work day (Mon-Fri). If you are going through a period where you could benefit from extra support, feel free to ask your therapist about setting up a plan to meet your needs together.

  • Is psychotherapy confidential? Yes. The law protects the relationship between patient and therapist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission.

    Therapy should be a place where you feel emotionally safe and open to discussing anything from past or present.

    The only exceptions to confidentiality include suspected child abuse for which we are required by law to report to the appropriate authorities

    and

    If a client intends to harm themself, we will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in ensuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, we may take further measures without their permission that are provided to us in order to ensure their safety.

  • Having trouble with the portal? Click here for a troubleshooting guide.

“Things do not change; we change.”

— Henry David Thoreau