Geek Therapy for Self-Proclaimed Nerds, Gamers & Techies

You may have always felt like an outsider, but there’s still an innate human desire to find comfort and companionship. You shouldn’t feel judged for your interests, career, or hobbies, but rather, embrace them as an integral component of your life. However, it can be difficult to find someone who mutually experiences your love of unusual amusement or interests.

Nerds vs Geeks vs Dorks

Perhaps you’ve tried therapy before, but felt like your counselor just didn’t get you. You’re not alone. Whether you identify as a geek, nerd, gamer, techie, or another non-mainstream identity, it can be exhausting to search through therapist profiles that don’t seem to understand you. In order for real therapeutic work to occur, it’s essential that you form a connection with your therapist. At Space Between Counseling Services, we wholeheartedly embrace clients with unique interests and identities.

Today, many historically “nerdy” hobbies or careers, like computer work, programming and coding, are now very marketable skills in the ever-growing tech industry. Sometimes people become so accustomed to utilizing the right side of their brain, which is used for linear and literal thinking, to analyze problems and use logic to solve them, that they forget to utilize their left brain, which facilitates intuitiveness. It makes sense, especially working in fields like engineering or technology, because there’s not much room for holism or feelings. However, balance can be achieved! Therapy can help ensure you’re able to continue mastering talents stored within the right side of your brain, while cultivating new relational skills utilizing the power of the left side of your brain.

Geek therapy at space between counseling services

While we cannot promise that we will understand every Star Wars reference, that we will never slip up on the rules of D&D, or occasionally misname a Game of Thrones character, we can promise a few other things. At Space Between Counseling Services you can consistently expect to receive:

• Authentic therapeutic services free from judgment

• a therapist who is willing to learn about your passions, if we don’t already share them in common.

• someone to assist you in identifying & establishing new goals

• someone to hold you accountable to working towards those goals

• OCCASIONAL witty metaphors and references to scifi content & technology

Meet our self-proclaimed “nerdy therapist”

Although Susan’s early years growing up on a farm may seem distant from today’s technological world, her upbringing sparked an interest in animals—specifically birds, personalities, and genetic variations. Susan’s early exposure to neurotypical and neurodiverse family members helped drive her interest in the two district worlds that make up neurodiversity. Susan is able to provide a unique therapeutic experience thanks to her upbringing combined with her knowledge of counseling skills and neuroscience.

When she’s not working with clients or spending time with her technologically-inclined family, Susan enjoys watching Game of Thrones, enjoying the theater - especially Wicked The Musical, bird watching, kombucha brewing, and fostering interests in astronomy, moon phases, and geology. Susan also holds an appreciation for technology-related podcasts and has admired Leo Laporte for over 20 years.

TELL ME ABOUT FEES AND INSURANCE?

Clinician fees at SBCS range from $175-$275 per individual 45-minute session. Couples intake sessions range from $275-$650 and $275-$425 per follow-up appointment. Sessions with a graduate student intern range from $0-$100, depending on client need and clinician experience.

SBCS is not paneled with any insurance plans but can offer you what's called, "out-of-network" (OON) benefits. Not everyone has this as part of their benefits package so please call your healthcare plan and ask these questions:

Do I have out-of-network benefits?
What percentage of my therapist's fee does my plan pay for?

MOST OON benefit PLANS REIMBURSE BETWEEN 50-90% OF OUR FEES.

At times, insurance plans request upfront billing codes your therapist will be using. You can share this list of codes for their approval:

• 90791  Psychiatric Diagnostic Assessment (from 1-4 sessions depending on the problem)

• 90834 Psychotherapy, 45 minutes

• 90887 Collateral visit

When using OON benefits, your clinician would provide you with a document monthly called a "superbill" which is like an invoice but contains the service codes, dates of treatment, and monies paid during therapy. You would submit this to your plan directly and your plan would reimburse you directly as well.

You can get in-network therapy if this is out of your budget. Your plan can identify providers who are in-network should you need to use your benefits.

HOW ARE MY RECORDS STORED?

We at SBCS utilize a HIPAA compliant, encrypted, electronic medical record called SimplePractice that holds all of our client's mental health records safely in it. You will get a link to a client portal where you fill in demographic information and can access documents like invoices and superbills on your own.

HOW DO I PAY my therapist?

SimplePractice has a credit card processing system named Stripe embedded in it.  If choosing to work with a therapist at SBCS, you would upload your credit card number and your therapist will charge after each session or late cancellation for the fee.  Your therapist will only have access to the last 4 digits of your card and it is completely secured.

DO YOU HAVE A CANCELLATION POLICY?

All clinicians at Space Between Counseling Services have a 24 business hour cancellation policy. You will be responsible for an entire session fee if the change is made in less than 24 business hours' notice. Exceptions may be made for emergencies such as sudden illness or accidents, at your therapist’s discretion. It should be noted that insurance does not reimburse for canceled sessions and HSA and FSA cards can't be used in these cases.