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Offering Telehealth Therapy to
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Florida Residents
FAQs
What insurances and forms of payment do you accept?
Here are the insurances and payment options that I accept by state:
Massachusetts:
Blue Cross Blue Shield (even if it's an out of state plan)
Optum
United Healthcare
Cigna
Aetna
Private Pay
Harvard Pilgrim (Point32)
Carelon Behavioral Health
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Florida
Optum/United Healthcare
Cigna
Aetna
Blue Cross of Massachusetts
Carelon Behavioral Health
Private Pay
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Vermont & Connecticut:
Aetna
Cigna
Carelon Behavioral Health
Optum/United Healthcare
Private Pay
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Pennsylvania:​
Aetna
Cigna
Carelon Behavioral Health
Private Pay
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Not sure if I accept your plan?
For a comprehensive list of insurance plans I accept, please go here: https://secure.helloalma.com/providers/tanya-parker/
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Do you offer consultations?
Although consultations are very popular right now, they are ineffective because they are incomplete. I need the entire first session to do a complete assessment of your mental health history, strengths, needs, and preferences, in order to determine what the course of treatment would be. From that first session, we will determine what you're looking to accomplish in therapy. You may be very focused on the present (i.e. education regarding your symptoms and symptom management) or you may be more interested in a more in-depth look at how past events affect present day behaviors. I cannot say what the treatment would be like until I have all of the information. It is not uncommon for patients to ask me to outline treatment during a consultation call. It simply can't be done accurately without a full assessment. Rest assured, though, that I am an active, engaged therapist who would be addressing what you came to do, not just listening, nodding, and validating.
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If you have other questions about the process, I can answer those questions via a phone call. Consultation calls are only available during business hours. Maximum of ten minutes. If a longer consultation is requested, that will need to be completed during an abbreviated session of up to 25 minutes and will be billed to insurance or paid for by the patient. You may book a consultation here:
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​https://secure.helloalma.com/providers/tanya-parker/
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Please note that I do not offer consultations during periods of high demand which often includes January and September.
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What are your hours of operation?
How much is a session?
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For private pay, my rates are $100 for individual and $125 for couples sessions. $125 for the first session.
Insurance rates vary due to individual plans. I will check your insurance prior to us meeting for the first time to determine your copay, deductible, co-insurance, or any other out of pocket money you will need to pay.
If you are planning to see me through my telehealth partner, Amwell, you will need to sign up to see what your copay would be.
As of January 1, 2025, my hours of operation are below. The end time is the time when the last session is completed, not when the last session starts.
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T: 8am - 5pm
W: 8am - 5pm
TH: 9am - 7pm
F: 8am - 4pm
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These hours allow me to offer therapy for people who need early morning and a few evening slots. If you are looking for evenings and I don't have an opening at the moment, I can put you on a waitlist for evenings (after 4pm).
Why only Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Florida Residents?
Unfortunately there is no national licensing for therapists which means that we can only see clients from the state where we are licensed. This means that I can only see you if you are presently in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you are traveling for work or vacation, I cannot see you at that time. The rules are the same as if I was seeing you in person. I could not go to Texas, for example, and decide to set up practice there without a license. Similarly, I cannot see someone from Texas via Telehealth without a Texas license. There may also be limitations about which state you can be in when I see you based on insurance. For example, I only have a contract for BCBS of Massachusetts. Therefore, you must be located in MA if you have BCBS. You cannot be in another state (even if I'm licensed there) because I won't be able to bill your insurance. If you have United Healthcare, I can see you in CT, VT, MA, and FL because I am contracted to bill them in all of those states. So, if you are looking to see me specifically because I'm dual licensed in two states you frequent, please reach out to discuss how it works with your insurance.
How long does each therapy session take?
First sessions are one hour. For subsequent sessions, I often do 45 minute sessions but, if necessary, we can do full hour sessions. If you prefer full hour sessions, please let me know when you reach out for scheduling purposes.
Do you see children?
Telehealth is not always the appropriate venue for working with children due to the amount of collaborating often necessary between the provider, the school, pediatrician, psychiatrist, etc. It is usually more effective to seek a local in-person provider who is familiar with area resources. For that reason, I do not work with individuals under eighteen years of age.
Who are you most qualified to work with?
I have worked with individuals across the age spectrum with a variety of mental health concerns. However, I have the most experience treating women with anxiety, depression, trauma, and addictions. I have worked extensively with LGBT individuals including many trans folks.
Who are you least qualified to work with?
I have minimal experience working with individuals on managing living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Folks who are seeking treatment specifically around issues related to being on the spectrum would be better suited finding a provider with more experience.
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There are a few other specialized areas that I am not well versed in including pedophilia, traumatic brain injuries, developmental delays/cognitive impairments, geriatric psychiatry, and early childhood intervention.
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Although I have experience working with individuals with compulsive disorders, some compulsive disorders are not a great fit for telehealth such as hoarding disorder.
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Do you do sex therapy?
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While I am sex positive and comfortable talking about sex and sexuality, I am not a trained sex therapist. There is a difference between a sex positive therapist and a trained sex therapist. If your reason for coming to therapy is primarily due to unhealthy or unmanageable sexual behavior, I would be practicing beyond my scope of training if I worked with you so I will refer you elsewhere. If you are looking for a sex therapist, you can find one here: https://www.aasect.org/
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Is telehealth for everyone?
Telehealth is appropriate for most people seeking therapy but not everyone. During the first session, we will figure out if telehealth is right for you. For clients who have significant safety issues or symptoms such as suicidality, active substance addiction, mania, psychosis, or clients who require a high amount of collaboration between providers, telehealth may not be appropriate.
What are your policies?
It is my policy that there will be no greater than three missed appointments in three months. If you no show an appointment, I do not hold your spot. I will immediately put that spot back out for booking. It is important to be aware of your appointment time. If you cancel your appointment, please let me know if you would like to continue with services and I will hold your spot for up to two weeks. I reserve the right to terminate services if I feel there is not a therapeutic match or that you would be better suited with another provider who is skilled in a particular area or who uses a different approach. If I cancel an appointment for any reason, you will not be charged and this does not count against you as an absence. In the event that I believe that you are a risk to yourself or others, I will make appropriate efforts to ensure your safety which may include notifying crisis services, the police, or your loved ones of my concerns. In such instances, HIPAA is no longer applicable.
What are the risks/benefits of telehealth?
The first benefit I can think of is that you don't have to put on hard pants and drive somewhere to see me. I don't care if you're in your sweatpants. It's very convenient in that way. It's also beneficial for people who have social anxiety, people who are concerned about covid in waiting areas, and people who don't have transportation or childcare.
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The risks of teleahealth are primarily related to the space you're using. If you live with others, privacy may be an issue. I suggest downloading a white noise app and placing your phone outside the door with the white noise on to mimimize the possibility of others overhearing.
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