Dr. Elizabeth Richards, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Email: dr.elizabethrichards@gmail.com Phone: 347-470-127
(Please note that all therapy services are virtual at the present time and for the foreseeable future.
I will provide an update once in-office visits resume.)
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Welcome and thank you for visiting.
I invite you to explore my website to get a sense of who I am as a therapist and whether I may be the right fit for you and your needs.
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I hold a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and specialize in the individual psychotherapeutic treatment of adults and older adolescents. I am all too aware that we as New Yorkers, and as humans, are met with innumerable challenges in life. As an experienced clinician working in private practice for over twelve years, I value the opportunity to provide a space to safely and respectfully explore and understand your unique story and who you are as an individual.
Whether you're experiencing depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, social difficulties, relationship strain, or school/work stress; if you're just feeling stuck in life and you're not quite sure how to feel more satisfied and fulfilled; or if you desire to have a reliable space and opportunity for self-examination to deepen your understanding of yourself, then the services I provide might be right for you. ​
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I believe that therapy can be a transformative, invaluable experience and that the ability to access this kind of help should not be reserved for the few. For this reason, I accept all insurance plans on an out-of-network basis and, to facilitate the accessibility of mental health care and to reduce the barrier of insurance-related matters, I will submit all claims on your behalf. I will also confirm your benefits with your insurer for you and will clarify your portion of the costs prior to starting treatment. For those whose insurance I am unable to accept, I will work with you to negotiate a fee that we are both comfortable with.
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All are welcome into my practice, regardless of ethnicity, race, national origin, citizenship status, cultural/subcultural background, class, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religious/spiritual affiliation/beliefs, education, political affiliation, and/or disability.
About Dr. Richards
My training as a psychologist began at New York University, where I earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, followed by both Master's and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University.
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Over the course of my education, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to train in a wide variety of settings, including Bellevue Hospital, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York Foundling, and Kings County Hospital Center. Throughout these experiences I provided therapy and/or conducted psychological evaluations with adults, adolescents, and children in various therapeutic environments (i.e., outpatient, inpatient, psychiatric emergency, day treatment, community mental health clinic, and medical inpatient and emergency departments).
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My post-doctoral work consisted of conducting neuropsychological evaluations with cancer patients at Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, as well as providing individual outpatient psychotherapy for adults, adolescents, and children at the Brooklyn Center for Psychotherapy.
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I have been in private practice since 2012. My love for the work I do has only deepened since that time and I look forward to continuing to be a resource for those seeking a place to be heard, to better understand themselves, to lessen their emotional pain, and to find greater fulfillment in their lives.
Services Provided
I offer individual psychotherapy for adults and older adolescents struggling with a wide range of difficulties. The populations I work with are, but are not limited to, those dealing with depression, anxiety, interpersonal/relationship struggles, social anxiety, life transitions, ADHD, underdeveloped self-worth, and family strain.
I utilize a breadth of psychotherapeutic techniques that are designed to effectively help those struggling with a number of difficulties. My approach is tailored to the individual, so therapy for one patient might look quite different from therapy for the next. Although my therapeutic style is integrative and flexible, my approach is firmly rooted in what is called a 'psychodynamic' orientation, meaning my primary goal is expansion of insight into the self which, I believe, is what ultimately allows for sustained improvement in emotional well-being and overall functioning - rather than a quick, temporary fix for one's distress. However, when deemed appropriate, the therapy I offer also incorporates ideas and practices from cognitive-behavioral theory, which promotes the utilization of concrete skills, aimed at achieving more immediate relief from acute distress.
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The type of therapy I provide necessitates consistency in order to be effective, and requires a minimum of once per week sessions. Should I have the opportunity to work with you, you'll be assigned a standing weekly appointment time on a specific time and day of the week. This day and time will be reserved specifically for you - I will uphold my commitment to you at this specified time each week, and simply request that you do the same.
Fees & Insurance
Insurance
Who can use their insurance for sessions with Dr. Richards?
Patients who have (1) Oxford, UnitedHealthcare, Beacon, Aetna, Cigna, or any other insurance and (2) their plan has out-of-network benefits.
Who will submit my claims to my insurance company?
Dr. Richards will submit all claims to your insurance company on your behalf and at no additional charge. She will also monitor claims after submission to ensure they are being processed correctly by your insurer.
How much will I pay Dr. Richards for each session?
If your plan does not have a deductible, you'll pay just your co-pay or your co-insurance.
[See the next section for definitions of a deductible, co-pay, etc., as well as other tips for navigating insurance.]
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If your plan has a deductible, you'll pay just your co-pay or your co-insurance after your deductible is met. You'll pay the full fee that you and Dr. Richards agree upon for each session before your deductible is met. Fees will be collaboratively established prior to the first appointment and range from $200 to $250 per session.
Please note that for most insurance plans, after your deductible is met, you will not have to pay Dr. Richards the full fee and then wait to get reimbursed by your insurer. Rather, you'll only be responsible for your co-pay or co-insurance, as described above.
Out-of-pocket / Self-pay
Who will be paying out-of-pocket for sessions with Dr. Richards?
Patients who choose not to use their insurance, do not have out-of-network coverage, or are uninsured.
How much will I pay Dr. Richards for each session?
Dr. Richards will do her best to set an out-of-pocket fee that works for you. Fees range from $200 to $250 per session.
Fees will be collaboratively established prior to the first appointment.
Getting Started
Contact Dr. Richards:
If you're interested in scheduling an appointment, please contact me by email (Dr.ElizabethRichards@gmail.com) or by using the Contact Form at the end of this website.
Our initial correspondence will focus on the logistical matters of therapy (namely scheduling and insurance/payment issues) to ensure that I have a weekly time slot available that meets your needs and to clarify any questions regarding what the cost of therapy will look like for you. If scheduling and cost are mutually agreed upon, an initial appointment will be scheduled.
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Before the First Appointment:
Once your initial appointment has been scheduled, you'll be asked to complete a set of forms, as well as provide basic demographic and billing/insurance information, prior to the first session. This allows me to get to know you a bit better and will allow our time to be maximized during the initial appointment.
To access these forms, I'll send you an email link to a secure patient portal called TheraNest, where you'll set up your account (which only takes a few seconds) and complete all forms and other information.
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Initial Assessment (1-3 Sessions):
Before therapy can begin, it's critical that I have a thorough understanding of your current needs, as well as various aspects of your history/background. For this reason, the first 1-3 sessions will be focused on gathering detailed information about you, including reasons for seeking therapy, goals for treatment, current and past functioning/symptoms, psychiatric and medical history, background/demographic information, etc.
Given the individualized needs and history of each patient, the number of sessions required for the initial assessment will vary from one to three (45 minutes each). Once the assessment is complete, therapy will proceed.
