Why I Finally Left Insurance‑Based Therapy (And What It Means for You)

I spent months supporting clients through burnout — while quietly burning out myself.

I helped people notice when their values and their lives didn’t match — even as I ignored the widening gap in mine.

I taught boundaries and self‑advocacy — while accepting reimbursement rates that kept shrinking and requirements that didn't serve my clients.

The irony? I felt it in every session. And eventually, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

The Math That Didn’t Add Up

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash‍ ‍

Here’s what working within the insurance model looked like for me:
To make the numbers work, I’d have to see more clients.

More clients = less time to prepare.

Less depth. Less space for the kind of meaningful work I wanted to do.

In other words: to stay viable, I’d have to lower the quality of care — the very thing that made me good at this work in the first place.

I was being asked: Choose sustainability or integrity. And that’s not a choice. It’s a trap.

This is exactly the kind of systemic pressure that leads to burnout—not just for therapists, but for anyone working in a system that demands more than it gives back.

Sound familiar? → Read: Why Do I Feel Responsible for Everything? (And How to Stop)

The Diagnosis Dilemma

Then there was the diagnosis requirement.
Insurance asks for a “disorder” in order to pay for therapy.
Which meant when you came to therapy because you were stuck, or navigating transition, or overwhelmed from achieving too much — I had to pathologize your experience to get paid.

Many of you aren’t dealing with a disorder. You’re dealing with being human in a system that asks too much.

You’re executives setting boundaries for the first time.
You’re mothers untangling guilt and people‑pleasing patterns.
You’re high‑achievers realizing success cost something essential.

These are valid. And they deserve support. They don’t always need a diagnosis. Forcing one felt dishonest.

💭 If you just thought "wait, that's exactly how I feel—like there's nothing actually wrong with me, I'm just... stuck"—you're not alone. Many of my clients are:

❤️High-achieving women exhausted from being "strong" → Learn about Burnout Therapy

❤️Executives learning to set boundaries without guilt → Explore People-Pleasing Therapy

❤️Mothers untangling guilt and over-responsibility → Discover Mom Burnout Therapy

These are the patterns we work on together.

The Breaking Point: Practicing What I Preach

The moment I knew I had to change? I looked around and saw myself:
Over‑functioning.
Shrinking.
Serving a system instead of my values.

It hit me—a pattern I help you see.
How could I ask you to step into alignment if I wasn’t living it?
How could I teach you self‑advocacy while silently accepting less than I was worth?
I couldn’t—not and still be honest with you.

This pattern of over-functioning, shrinking yourself, and serving systems that don't value you? It's exhausting. And it's exactly what we work on in therapy.

→ Read: How to Recover From Burnout When You Can't Take Time Off

Does this sound familiar? If you're recognizing yourself in this pattern—over-functioning, shrinking to fit a system that doesn't value you, wondering when it's okay to finally put yourself first—this is exactly the kind of work we do together.

→ Explore: Therapy for People-Pleasing

Schedule a free 20-minute consultation to explore whether therapy could help you step into alignment too.

What Leaving Insurance Made Possible

Stepping away wasn’t easy. It meant risk. It meant cost. It meant saying things like, “This is what therapy can look like when the structure fits you.”
Here's what choosing private-pay therapy with me actually means:

• Spaciousness: Fewer clients, deeper presence.

• No forced diagnoses: We work on what matters, not what the billing code demands.

• Flexibility: We move in the rhythm that fits you, not the clock.

• Alignment: I’m present, grounded, not resentful or overrun.

• Sustainability: I can keep doing this work without sacrificing my own well‑being.

This spaciousness? It's what allows for the deep work that actually creates change—not just symptom management, but real transformation. Curious what that looks like in practice?

→ Read: Can Broken Trust Be Repaired? Here's How to Know

→ Read: How to Let Go of Someone Who Broke Your Trust (Without Losing Yourself)

If you've been putting off therapy because you're worried about insurance hassles, limited sessions, or feeling like "just another file" - this is the alternative.

Book your free consultation and let's talk about what working together could look like. I provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement, and we can discuss whether that's an option for you.

What This Means for You

I know private‑pay therapy can feel like a barrier. It’s real.

Here's the thing:
When your therapist is stretched thin, constrained by billing codes, or just trying to keep up with volume — you feel it.
You might not name it, but your nervous system knows.

What you’ll get with me:
✓ A therapist with the capacity to be present.
✓ Sessions built for your actual needs.
✓ Flexibility. Depth. Integrity.
And yes — I provide superbills if your insurance plan supports out‑of‑network reimbursement.

The Bigger Picture: Integrity Over Convenience

Leaving insurance wasn’t about earning more.
It was about showing up true.
Modeling the boundaries and self‑respect I ask of you.

If you've spent years doing all the work, holding too much, saying yes when you meant no — this was my version of that choice. And it was the right one.

If This Resonates With You

If you've spent years doing all the work, holding too much, saying yes when you meant no — I get it. And I'm here to help you make a different choice.

I work with:

• High-achieving women exhausted from being "strong" — Burnout Therapy

• Executives learning to set boundaries without guilt — People-Pleasing Therapy

• Mothers overwhelmed and touched out — Mom Burnout Therapy

• Anyone navigating broken trust — Read: Is This Person Trustworthy? A Checklist

Ready to explore whether we're a good fit?

Schedule a free consultation here. we'll talk about what's bringing you to therapy and whether my approach feels right for you. No pressure, no sales pitch.

Questions about private-pay therapy or superbills? We can talk through all of that in the consultation too.

Not Ready for Therapy Yet?

I get it - therapy is a big step. Here are other ways to start:
🧠 Watch my YouTube series:— ACT Metaphors that Transform — short, practical tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help you notice patterns and reconnect with your values.
💌 Join my newsletter:—weekly reflections on boundaries, burnout, and living aligned.
Sign up for my Substack here.

📖 Start with these posts:

- How to Recover From Burnout When You Can't Take Time Off

- Is This Person Trustworthy? A 5-Point Checklist for People-Pleasers

- Why Do I Feel Responsible for Everything? (And How to Stop)

Common Questions:

Do you take insurance?
No, I operate as a private-pay practice. I provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement if your plan offers that benefit.

Why is private-pay better?
It's not necessarily "better" — it's different. It means we're not constrained by insurance requirements, session limits, or diagnosis mandates. We work in the way that actually serves you.

How much does it cost?
Read about my rates here.