Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from traditional "talk" therapy?
Talking is still an important part of our work, but it isn’t the only way we pay attention to your experience. Traditional talk therapy often focuses primarily on thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and the stories we tell about our experiences. My approach expands that conversation to include what is happening in the body—sensations, movement, posture, breath, impulses, and patterns of response—as well as how the brain, body, emotions, relationships, and lived experiences influence one another. This means therapy can become something you experience, not just something you talk about. We may slow down and notice what happens as you share something, become curious about a physical response, experiment with movement or another way of engaging with an experience, or simply stay with what you notice for a moment. You don’t need to be good at noticing your body or know what a sensation “means.” We approach what emerges with curiosity, at your pace, using your experience as another source of information alongside your thoughts and words.
Who Does This Type of Therapy Help?
This approach may be especially helpful for individuals navigating trauma, grief and loss, chronic pain or illness, caregiving, life transitions, end-of-life concerns, or experiences that feel difficult to access through talk therapy alone. It can also support those who notice a strong connection between their emotional well-being and what they experience physically. When physical or medical concerns are part of the picture, psychotherapy focuses on your emotional and lived experience while complementing—not replacing—appropriate medical care. When you choose, I can also collaborate with members of your existing care team.
What Do Somatic, Sensorimotor & Neuro-Integrative Psychotherapy Mean?
“Somatic” means body-based. Somatic psychotherapy recognizes that our experiences involve more than thoughts and emotions. Stress, grief, trauma, illness, and other life experiences can also show up through physical sensations, posture, breath, movement, tension, energy, and patterns of response. Sensorimotor psychotherapy brings these experiences directly into the therapeutic process, while neuro-integrative therapy adds an understanding of how the brain and nervous system influence—and are influenced by—our physical, emotional, and lived experiences. In practice, we might explore how your nervous system responds and how you can work with it more intentionally. We may notice a shift in posture, follow a sensation with conscious awareness, track the breath, experiment with movement, use props for support or grounding, explore sound, or try self-directed supportive pressure. Sometimes we simply notice what is happening in your body while we talk. This work is intentionally slow and carefully paced. I pay close attention to titration —working with small, manageable amounts of experience rather than pushing beyond what feels accessible. We continually adjust the work according to your physical, mental, and emotional capacity in the moment. Everything is invitational and done with your consent. You have full autonomy throughout the process and can say "yes, no, not right now, or stop" at any point. There is no expectation that you push through discomfort or participate in something simply because I suggest it.
How Does Experience Shape the Brain?
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s lifelong ability to adapt and form new connections in response to experience. The ways we think, feel, move, and respond are shaped by what we repeatedly encounter—and those patterns are not necessarily fixed. This is part of why psychotherapy can involve more than insight alone. New experiences, including what we notice and practice in therapy, can create opportunities for different patterns of response to develop over time. You don’t always have to think your way into change. Sometimes, you can experience your way into it.
What Does the Gut Have to Do With Therapy?
The brain and digestive system are in constant, two-way communication. The gut even has its own network of neurons, called the enteric nervous system, which helps regulate digestion and communicates with the brain through several pathways, including the vagus nerve. This connection is one reason stress and emotion can affect digestion, appetite, nausea, or sensations in the stomach—and why physical experiences in the gut can, in turn, influence how we feel. The relationship is complex and involves the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, as well as the gut microbiome. My training in neuro-integrative medicine helps me recognize when physical and emotional experiences may be interconnected and when another perspective could be useful. I use this knowledge within the scope of psychotherapy—to ask better questions, understand the larger picture, and, when appropriate, help you consider expanding your care team. I do not diagnose or treat gastrointestinal conditions or provide medical, nutritional, or dietary advice. When concerns fall outside the scope of psychotherapy, I may recommend discussing them with your physician or connecting with an appropriately licensed nutrition or functional medicine provider. With your consent, I can also collaborate with members of your care team so that psychotherapy is one part of a more connected, whole-person approach to care.
Can You Work With My Other Healthcare Providers?
Yes. With your permission, I can collaborate with members of your existing care team, including physicians and other healthcare providers, when doing so supports your therapy. If you’re still building a care team, I can also help you identify what kinds of additional support may be useful and connect you with appropriate providers. Collaboration might include sharing relevant information, discussing how your physical and emotional experiences intersect, or helping create greater continuity across your care. You decide who I communicate with and what information you authorize me to share. Psychotherapy remains within my scope of practice—I do not provide medical, nutritional, or other healthcare advice outside of my professional role. My goal is to help you feel supported as a whole person while respecting the expertise and role of each member of your care team.
Why Doesn't HAVEN Accept Insurance?
I know therapy is an important financial commitment, and I understand that working with a provider who does not accept insurance may not be the right choice for everyone. I want to be transparent about why I have chosen a private-pay model and what that means for your care. What Changes When Insurance Pays for Therapy Using insurance for psychotherapy generally requires your therapist to provide a mental health diagnosis and demonstrate that treatment meets your plan's requirements for medical necessity. Depending on your plan and circumstances, this may mean: - Your diagnosis and information about the services you receive are shared with your insurance company. - Your insurer may request additional clinical information to determine coverage or medical necessity. - Coverage may be influenced by your plan's definitions of covered services and medically necessary treatment. - Decisions about the frequency, duration, or type of services eligible for reimbursement may be influenced by the terms of your insurance plan. I have chosen not to participate in third-party billing so that decisions about our work can remain centered on your needs, preferences, and goals rather than the requirements of an insurance plan. You Can Still Use Out-of-Network Benefits If you have out-of-network mental health benefits, I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Because a superbill includes clinical information, including a diagnosis, choosing to submit one means choosing to share that information with your insurer. Reimbursement varies by plan and is not guaranteed. I encourage you to contact your insurance company directly to learn about your out-of-network benefits before beginning therapy.
What If I Want to Stop Therapy?
You are always in control of your therapy, including whether you continue, pause, or end our work together. There are many reasons you may decide to step away from therapy, and you do not need to justify that decision. If you’re unsure, frustrated, feel that something isn’t working, or simply want to make a change, I welcome an open conversation about it. When possible, talking together can help us understand what you need, make adjustments if appropriate, or bring our work to a thoughtful close. Ultimately, the decision to continue or end therapy is yours, and I will respect your choice.
The Benefits of Private Pay (Out-of-Pocket Therapy)
Paying privately for therapy can offer greater privacy, flexibility, and choice in how we work together. Greater Privacy When you pay privately, I do not submit claims, diagnoses, or other clinical information to an insurance company for payment. Your therapy records remain protected health information and are kept confidential within the limits of applicable privacy laws. Freedom from Insurance Requirements Our work does not have to be structured around an insurance company's requirements for medical necessity, covered diagnoses, or authorization of services. Instead, we can focus on your experiences, needs, and goals. More Flexibility Without insurance determining what qualifies for reimbursement, we have greater flexibility in how we structure and pace our work and in the psychotherapeutic approaches we use. Sliding Scale & Affordability I believe private-pay therapy should remain accessible to people with different financial circumstances. A limited number of sliding-scale spaces are available for clients who would otherwise find the full session fee difficult to sustain. We can talk openly about cost and determine whether a reduced rate is available that makes ongoing therapy more manageable. Individualized, Integrative Care Our work may draw from sensorimotor, neuro-integrative, somatic, experiential, and other psychotherapeutic approaches based on what is most appropriate for you. This allows therapy to consider the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, physical, and spiritual dimensions of your experience rather than being limited to a single model of care. Choosing private-pay therapy means choosing a more individualized relationship with psychotherapy, with greater flexibility around what we explore and how we approach it. Using Out-of-Network Benefits If you would like to seek reimbursement from your insurance company, I can provide a superbill for you to submit for possible out-of-network benefits. A superbill typically includes information such as your diagnosis and services received, so submitting one means sharing that information with your insurance company. Reimbursement is determined by your individual plan and is not guaranteed.
Do You Offer a Sliding Scale or Scholarships?
Yes! Affordable and accessible mental healthcare is available. Please contact me at contact@haventherapytn.com to talk about your needs.