Privacy Sensitive
Therapy
Therapy without the paper trail created by insurance. As discreet as it possibly can be.
If you are living or working in a high-profile situation — or if your career requires security, public trust, or a high level of discretion – insurance-based therapy practices might unintentionally put you at increased risk.
You need support. But you also need to protect your livelihood. That's where privacy sensitive therapy comes in.
When Privacy is Paramount
You might need privacy-sensitive therapy if you:
- Are security-conscious due to the sensitive nature of your work
- Are a public figure, elected official, or high-profile professional
- Work in a field where people finding out you went to therapy could derail your career
- Are in a position of public trust where perception matters as much as reality
- Simply value your privacy
Standard therapy practices funded by major health insurers requiring mountains of documentation weren't designed with your situation in mind. But we are.
The Problem with Insurance-Based Therapy
Here's what most people don't realize about using insurance for therapy:
Insurance requires a diagnosis.
To bill your insurance, therapists must give you a DSM diagnosis code—even if you're just dealing with normal life stress. That diagnosis can become part of your permanent medical record.
Insurance companies keep detailed records.
Your diagnosis, dates of service, sometimes even treatment notes themselves can get stored in databases accessible to insurers, auditors, and potentially other entities as well.
Records follow you.
Once something is in your medical file, it's there. Forever. It can surface during clearance renewals, job applications, legal proceedings, or insurance underwriting years later.
For you, this isn't theoretical. This is your career. Your reputation. Your ability to do the work you've dedicated your life to.
How Private-Pay Therapy Changes Everything
When you pay privately for therapy, everything changes
No diagnosis required
We don't have to label you with a psychiatric diagnosis unless you want one for a specific purpose. Many clients may never need or even want a formal diagnosis.
No insurance company involvement
No claims, no billing codes, no third-party databases. Your insurance company never knows you're in therapy, unless you direct it.†
Minimal documentation
After a client’s basic intake information is collected, I'm only required by law to keep brief clinical notes. But the intake information and notes stay in my secure, encrypted system. They're concise, professional, and never leave my practice unless you request them in writing or I am legally required to disclose them (which is exceptionally rare).†
Maximum discretion
No one knows you're my client unless you tell them.† No calls to insurance companies. No explanation of benefits mailed to your home. No electronic trails through healthcare networks.
What You Can Expect
YOUR RECORDS
Complete Transparency
I'll tell you exactly what I'm required to document and what I'm not. You'll understand what's in your file (very little, as explained below) and under what circumstances it could ever be released (almost none).†
YOUR WORK
Results-Oriented Support
You might not have time for years of psychoanalysis. So we'll focus on what's actually disrupting your life and work. You'll get concrete strategies for managing stress, improving relationships, and maintaining performance under pressure.
YOUR WORLD
Someone Who Understands
I understand the unique pressures of high-stakes careers—the hypervigilance, the compartmentalization that protects you at work but isolates you at home, the weight of carrying responsibility for others.
You don't have to explain. I've worked with people in your situation for years.
YOUR PRIVACY
Flexible, Secure Communication
We meet via HIPAA-compliant telehealth. No waiting rooms where colleagues might see you. No office visits that show up on building security logs. Just secure, encrypted video sessions from wherever you are.
Who NeedsThis Level of Privacy
People in Security-Sensitive Positions
I've had clients in government, defense, intelligence and law enforcement who – while not circumventing any of the rules of their profession – appreciate the extra discretion that non-insurance-based treatment can provide.
Public Figures and Elected Officials
Therapy records shouldn't become political weapons or tabloid fodder. You need a space to process the pressure, the scrutiny, and the toll of public life—without worry that it'll be leaked or misrepresented.
Executives and High-Profile Professionals
Your competitors, your board, or even your own employees could use mental health records against you. You need support navigating leadership stress, imposter syndrome, or burnout—without creating vulnerabilities.
What I Can't Promise (And Why That Matters)
To be clear.
I won't risk your professional licenses, or mine, by going against the rules established by our professions, or by helping you skirt the rules of a security clearance or litigation. But there are above-board ways to minimize your exposure to risk. Let's go over what's realistic and what is not.
I can't promise zero records.
I'm legally required to keep basic clinical documentation. But I keep it minimal, professional, and secure, and can involve you in every step of its creation.
I can't guarantee complete immunity from discovery.
In extremely rare cases (court orders, credible threats of harm, etc.), records can be subpoenaed. But this is far less likely than with insurance-based therapy, and the records contain far less detail.
I'm can’t help you hide disqualifying conditions.
If you're experiencing acute psychosis, active suicidality, or other conditions that genuinely compromise your well-being or your fitness for your role, we need to address that—for your safety and others. High-stakes confidentiality is about privacy, not covering up serious impairment.
Honesty matters – to both of us - and so does maximum discretion.
The Bottom Line
You've spent years building your career. You've earned the trust you've been given. You've made sacrifices most people can't imagine.
You shouldn't have to choose between protecting your career and protecting your mental health.
Private-pay, privacy-sensitive therapy gives you both. Get help for the weight you carry without that support becoming another burden.
This is therapy designed for people whose privacy isn't just a preference, it's a necessity.
If you need to talk but can't afford leave a trail with insurance or if you are more interested in seeking help than you are in labeling yourself with a diagnostic code, let's talk.
**Note:** This consultation is also confidential. No obligation, no records unless you decide to move forward.
† A therapist is legally required to disclose patient information when there is an imminent risk of serious harm (suicide, homicide), suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse, or a court order/subpoena.
Privacy Sensitive Therapy FAQ
These questions address common concerns about confidentiality, documentation, and discretion in therapy, particularly for clients with heightened privacy needs.