Stanley
J. Gross, Ed.D. Licensed Psychologist
540 VFW Parkway, Suite 3
West Roxbury MA 02132
(617) 429-6454
Welcome to my practice
Here is some information about my professional services and
business policies. I offer psychotherapy services to individuals
and couples. If you should choose to see me, I will make every
effort to make your psychotherapy experience, supportive,
informative, and healing.
Psychotherapy Services
Services offered: Psychotherapy for individuals and
couples
Making and canceling appointments: Services are offered
on an appointment-only basis: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00
PM to 8:00 PM. Call (617) 429-6454 for a mutually acceptable time. In the beginning I usually
schedule one 50-minute session per week at a time we agree
on. Once an appointment hour is scheduled, you will be expected
to pay for it unless you provide 24 hours advance notice of
cancellation or we both agree that you were unable to attend
due to circumstances beyond your control. It is important
to note that insurance companies do not provide reimbursement
for cancelled sessions. If it is possible, I will try to find
another time to reschedule the appointment.
Contacting me: When my office is closed or I am in
session with a patient, my cell phone (617.429-6454) alerts
me when you leave a message in my password protected voice
mail. I will return your call as soon as I am able. If you
are difficult to reach, please inform me of some times when
you will be available. If you are unable to reach me and feel
that you can’t wait for me to return your call, contact
your family physician or the nearest emergency room and ask
for the psychologist or psychiatrist on call. If I will be
unavailable for an extended time, I will provide you with
the name of a colleague to contact, if necessary. When I am
on vacation, colleagues provide coverage
Education & Training
Ed.D. (1959) Teachers College, Columbia University, New York,
NY
Post-doctoral fellowship (1972-1973) University of Illinois
Medical School, Chicago, IL
Visiting Scholar (1987) Center for Addictions, Harvard Medical
School, Cambridge, MA
Intern (1987) Veterans Administration Problem Drinkers Clinic,
Boston, MA
Trainee (1986 - 1987) Boston Family Institute, Boston, MA
Certifications
Health Service Provider* (1970, resigned 2002) Indiana State
Board of Examiners in Psychology
Listing (1975) National Register of Health Service Providers
in Psychology
Health Service Provider* (1986) Massachusetts Board of Registration
of Psychologists
Certified Addictions Specialist (1991) American Academy of
Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders
Post-Doctoral Work Experience
Dean of Students (1961-1966) Rockford College, Rockford, IL
Professor of Counseling Psychology (1966-1988) Indiana State
University, Terre Haute, IN
Consulting Psychologist, (1987-1992) Alcohol, Family &
Recovery, Plymouth MA
Independent practice (1988-present) Quincy, MA
My approach to psychotherapy: Psychotherapy varies
depending on the personalities of the psychologist and patient,
and the particular problems experienced. There are many different
methods I may use to deal with the problems that you hope
to address. Psychotherapy is not like a visit to a medical
doctor. Instead, it calls for a very active effort on both
our parts. I will work hard to carefully listen to what you
say and understand what you want. I hope you will work hard
to be as open with me as you are able and to translate what
we talk about during our sessions to your life outside of
these sessions.
Psychotherapy is a form of health care. As such you should
know that you have a right to refuse treatment as well as
the responsibility to pay for it, if your health insurance
provider does not. (See later sections on “Professional
fees” and “Insurance reimbursement.”)
Psychotherapy has the goal of achieving greater health, direction,
and meaning in the lives of those who participate in it as
well as a reduction of disabling emotional symptoms. It may
begin with a concern or issue arising out of a personal problem
or the symptoms of emotional distress. Psychotherapy takes
the form of a conversation between an individual or couple
[the patient(s)] and a licensed psychologist [the therapist].
The patient supplies the therapist with personal information
about the issue, takes responsibility to receive the help
given by the therapist in understanding the nature of the
issue, and making needed changes. The therapist aids the patient
by using his knowledge and experience to understand and appreciate
the information given, to request clarification, to act as
a sounding board for the patient’s reactions to life
circumstances, and to provide techniques, approaches, and
information to guide patient consideration of choices to solve
the problem or reduce the distress. Psychotherapy relies on
the honesty and openness of communication and the supportive
qualities of the relationship between the patient and the
therapist.
Our first few sessions will involve an evaluation of your
needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer
you some first impressions of what our work will include and
a treatment plan to follow, if you decide to continue with
therapy. You should evaluate this information along with your
own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with
me. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and
energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist
you select. If you have questions about my procedures, we
should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist,
I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another
mental health professional for a second opinion.
Limitations of psychotherapy:
Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Since therapy
often involves discussing unpleasant or forgotten aspects
of your life, you may experience uncomfortable feelings like
sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness.
Once you feel safe, you may experience a partial relief of
discomforting symptoms, though these may return when you confront
difficult ideas or situations. Psychotherapy has also been shown
to have many benefits. Therapy often leads to better relationships,
solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions
in feelings of distress. But there are no guarantees of what
you will experience. More specifically:
· Psychotherapy is a system of health care delivery,
and therefore, as with any field of health care, cannot
promise a cure for any symptom or condition
· In the case of an emergency in which you are in
immediate danger, you are urged to seek treatment at the
nearest hospital emergency room. Once there, ask the staff
to inform me at (617) 429-6454.
· As a psychologist I do not prescribe medication,
though I may recommend a medication evaluation by a psychiatrist.
· Certain topics of conversation, words, or actions
may occur in the psychotherapy session, which increase your
distress. I make every effort to be attentive to your needs,
but it is possible I may be unaware of your distress. I
do not intend that should happen, but if it should ever
occur, it is very important that you inform me of your distress
as soon as you are able. You should know that if I knew
of your distress, I would stop everything to attend to it.
So if you are distressed and I do not attend to it, you
should assume I do not perceive it.
· In some cases one partner of a couple is in psychotherapy,
while the other is not. Changes can occur in the thinking,
feeling, or action of the partner in psychotherapy, which
may affect the couple’s relationship, either positively
or negatively.
· I do not advise couples therapy when one or both
partners engage in substance, physical or sexual abuse.
For success in couples therapy the abuse should first be
addressed in individual treatment or an anger management
group.
· Psychotherapy is not “magic,” nor does
it provide advice, cures, final answers, or a code of behavior.
· Psychotherapy is conducted under an informal and
mutual arrangement to pursue goals important to you. These
goals may change as your needs and situation change or as
you achieve the goals you came to psychotherapy to accomplish
in the first place. It is your perfect right to stop treatment
at any time and for any reason. It is also important to
be clear about endings. When the time comes to end, I request
that we schedule a termination session to review our experience
together and to say our "good-byes" face-to-face.
· Psychotherapy is different from other human relationships
in several ways.
o The role of the therapist is limited to aiding you
to achieve your goals in psychotherapy and excludes other
social roles (e.g., friendship, business, etc.)
o With exceptions listed later in this document, communications
are confidential.
o Psychologists follow the code of ethics of the American
Psychological Association.
Professional fees:
Individual and couples psychotherapy -- $130/session
Initial evaluation -- $155/session
Missed session -- $75.00
Assessment requiring a written report -- $250/session
Payment is requested at the time service is rendered, unless
we agree otherwise or unless you have insurance coverage that
requires another arrangement. If you have a problem with the
amount of the fee or in being able to make payment, please
talk to me about it so we can consider alternative arrangements.
[In circumstances of unusual financial hardship, I may be
willing to negotiate a fee adjustment or payment installment
plan.] If you become involved in a legal proceeding that requires
my participation, you will be expected to pay for all of my
professional time, including preparation and transportation
costs, even if I am called to testify by another party. [Because
of the difficulty of legal involvement, I charge $250 per
hour for preparation and attendance at any legal proceeding.]
Insurance reimbursement:
In order for us to set realistic treatment goals and priorities,
it is important to evaluate what resources you have available
to pay for your treatment. If you have a health insurance
policy, it will usually provide some coverage for mental health
treatment. I will fill out forms and provide you with whatever
assistance I can in helping you receive the benefits to which
you are entitled; however, you (not your insurance company)
are responsible for full payment of my fees. It is very important
that you find out exactly what mental health services your
insurance policy covers.
I am a provider for Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue
Shield (all products), Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Health
Care Value Management, HMO Blue (Magellan Behavioral Health),
Pacific Care, United Behavioral Health, and Value Options. Members of other
HMO or managed care systems may also be covered for treatment.
I will seek information about health insurance at the first
session
You should carefully read the section in your insurance coverage
booklet that describes mental health services. If you have
questions about the coverage, call your plan administrator.
Of course, I will provide you with whatever information I
can based on my experience and will be happy to help you in
understanding the information you receive from your insurance
company. If it is necessary to clear confusion, I will be
willing to call the company on your behalf.
Due to the rising costs of health care, insurance benefits
have increasingly become more complex. It is sometimes difficult
to determine right away exactly how much mental health coverage
is available. “Managed Health Care” plans such as
HMO’s and PPO’s often require authorization before
they provide reimbursement for mental health services. These
plans are often limited to short-term treatment approaches
designed to work out specific problems that interfere with
a person’s usual level of functioning. It may be necessary
to seek approval for more therapy after a certain number of
sessions. While much can be accomplished in short-term therapy,
some patients feel that they need more services after insurance
benefits end. [Some managed-care plans will not allow me to
provide services to you once your benefits end. If this is
the case, I will do my best to find another provider who will
help you continue your psychotherapy.]
You should also be aware that your contract with your health
insurance company requires that I provide it with information
relevant to the services that I provide to you. I am required
to provide a clinical diagnosis. Sometimes I am required to
provide additional clinical information such as treatment
plans or summaries, or copies of your entire clinical record.
In such situations, I will make every effort to release only
the minimum information about you that is necessary for the
purpose requested. This information will become part of the
insurance company files and will probably be stored in a computer.
Though all insurance companies claim to keep such information
confidential, I have no control over what they do with it
once it is in their hands. In some cases, they may share the
information with a national medical information databank.
I will provide you with a copy of any report I submit, if
you request it. By signing this Agreement, you agree that
I can provide requested information to your carrier.
Once we have all of the information about your insurance
coverage, we will discuss what we can expect to accomplish
with the benefits that are available and what will happen
if they run out before you feel ready to end your sessions.
It is important to remember that you always have the right
to pay for my services yourself to avoid the problems described
above [unless prohibited by contract].
Confidentiality and its limits:
Massachusetts and Federal law require psychologists to protect
the confidentiality of information shared by their clients
in psychotherapy, except in certain defined situations. The
law also requires that clients be informed of these legal
limits to therapeutic confidentiality.
In those instances when I am asked for information for purposes
outside of treatment, payment and health care operations,
I will obtain an authorization from you before releasing this
information. I will also need to obtain an authorization before
releasing my psychotherapy notes. You have the right to revoke
all such authorizations at any time, provided each revocation
is in writing. You may not revoke an authorization to the
extent that (1) I have relied on that authorization; or (2)
if the authorization was obtained as a condition of obtaining
insurance coverage, and the law provides the insurer the right
to contest the claim under the policy. As defined by law,
the exceptions to confidentiality are as follows:
Though the laws allow me to disclose information without
your consent or authorization in the following circumstances,
I will make every effort to inform you if I have to do so.
· Child Abuse: If I, in my professional capacity,
have reasonable cause to believe that a minor child is suffering
physical or emotional injury resulting from abuse inflicted
upon him or her which causes harm or substantial risk of
harm to the child's health or welfare (including sexual
abuse), or from neglect, including malnutrition, I must
immediately report such condition to the Massachusetts Department
of Social Services.
· Adult and Domestic Abuse: If I have reasonable
cause to believe that an elderly person (age 60 or older)
is suffering from or has died as a result of abuse, I must
immediately make a report to the Massachusetts Department
of Elder Affairs.
· Health oversight: If a government agency
requests the information for health oversight activities,
I may be required to provide it for them as required by
law or a court ordered subpoena. The Board of Registration
of Psychologists has the power, for example, to subpoena
relevant records should I be the focus on an inquiry.
· Judicial or Administrative Proceedings:
If you are involved in a court proceeding and a request
is made for information about your diagnosis and treatment
and the records thereof, such information is privileged
under state law and I will not release information without
written authorization from you or your legally-appointed
representative, or a court order. The privilege does not
apply when you are being evaluated for a third party or
where the evaluation is court-ordered. You will be informed
in advance if this is the case.
· Serious Threat to Health or Safety: If
you communicate to me an explicit threat to kill or inflict
serious bodily injury upon an identified person and you
have the apparent intent and ability to carry out the threat,
I must take reasonable precautions. Reasonable precautions
may include warning the potential victim, notifying law
enforcement, or arranging for your hospitalization. I must
also do so if I know you have a history of physical violence
and I believe there is a clear and present danger that you
will attempt to kill or inflict bodily injury upon an identified
person. Furthermore, if you present a clear and present
danger to yourself and refuse to accept further appropriate
treatment, and I have a reasonable basis to believe that
you can be committed to a hospital, I must seek said commitment
and may contact members of your family or other individuals
if it would assist in protecting you.
§ Worker’s Compensation: If you file a
workers’ compensation claim, your records relevant
to that claim will not be confidential to entities such
as your employer, the insurer and the Division of Worker’s
Compensation.
