“My therapist does make me feel better after I talk to them. I have never been to any kind of counseling before coming here so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but overall I do enjoy going because it makes me feel a lot better, even if things in my life are getting worse. I also look forward to my counseling appointments and that is all thanks to my therapist.”

“My therapist has done a great job at making me feel very heard and comfortable in each session.”

“Monica is absolutely wonderful. She makes me feel comfortable and gives me space to talk. She makes me feel accepted and understood and lets me know it’s ok to feel whatever I am in the moment.”

“Monica is such an amazing counselor and I don’t know what I would do without her! The growth that I have seen within myself this past year from starting therapy is phenomenal and I couldn’t be any more thankful… I really don’t know where I would’ve been if I hadn’t had these services available to me. My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner… I am very happy with the services I have received and just want to say a big thank you!”

“I had a truly impactful and life-changing experience. I would not be where I am now or even okay if I did not have my therapist and the things she did for me. I am extremely grateful and am so blessed to have had the ability to partake in counseling.”

“Monica is the most wonderful therapist. We established such a lovely, comfortable connection and she taught me so so much about what I was going through. I am so glad I got the chance to work with her and I think what she taught will stick with me for a long time :)”

*Testimonials were edited to conceal any identifying facts for confidentiality purposes. 

For new inquiries, I will respond within 3 business days at the latest. For existing clients, I will respond within 48 hours during business hours. Monday through Friday between 9:30 am-4 pm. 

Third Edge Psychotherapy is not a 24/7 emergency service. If you are in an emergency or crisis, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

I specialize in working with global nomads to address their adjustment struggles, identity, anxiety, and/or their unrecognized grief. However, I have worked with a wide diversity of clients with different intersecting identities and backgrounds.

After you schedule your initial phone consultation online, take a piece of paper and pen and write out 1-3 primary concerns that you would like to address during the session, as well as any questions you have for Monica that were not answered on the website. 

At the time of the consultation make sure you have your phone on you. Find a comfortable, private place to take this call, where you can speak freely and don’t have to worry about interruptions.

At the end of the free initial consultation, I will let you know if I will be able to help you address your concerns, or if I will refer you to other clinicians who might be a better fit.

At the same time, you also get to decide after this initial consultation if you think I will be a good fit for you.

If I can help and you want to work with me, then the intake appointment will be scheduled at this time.

This appointment takes an hour, and depending on each client may need to be more than 1 session.

The intake appointments inform the course of treatment. During this appointment, we discuss your background history in depth. It is a similar format to the initial appointments you make with your primary care physician to establish care. During the intake appointment, I will ask you many different questions and give you the space to answer as much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing.

While each session will be different, you can expect each session to start like this:

Monica:  “What’s on your mind today?”

Essentially, you get to decide the journey we take each week. 

You can always say, “I am not ready to talk about that.” I welcome your feedback consistently, so you will be able to tell me what is or isn’t working for you.

As culture shifts with the accessibility of technology, so has psychotherapy. With virtual counseling, you can be anywhere in Illinois and still meet with your therapist.

Some requirements to know if virtual counseling is right for you:

• Client must be within Illinois State at the time of the session.
• Client must have access to a popular web browser or ability to download an app via smartphone or computer.
• Client must pay at the time of the session with a credit card, debit card, or FSA/HSA.
• Client should have a quiet and comfortable place to hold the session.

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers are required to provide clients who do not have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for health care services. This is to reduce any unexpected medical bills.

My rates are listed above, and a written estimate can be requested that includes a description of services, session fees, and diagnostic codes.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one (1) business day before your scheduled health care service.  You can also ask your health care provider for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or print your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-877-696-6775.

I am not in-network with any insurance company. I am considered an Out-Of-Network provider. I only offer private self-pay services for the following reasons:

• For you to be covered, I have to submit an official diagnosis. This doesn’t sit well with me. This means that if you are having a hard time or are grieving the loss of a loved one, insurance won’t cover your need for support and mental health care, if the insurance company deems it not “medically necessary.” Additionally, the diagnosis you receive follows you on an official and permanent record. Insurance companies may consider this a pre-existing condition if you ever have to look for your own coverage, apply for life insurance, disability insurance or long-term care.

• Your records’ privacy can be compromised. Your insurance company decides when they can audit your records. A claims specialist can receive details of your case that you may not want to be shared.

• The insurance company plays a managerial role, deciding how much therapy you need, if any, and what kind. Without being in the room during sessions, many insurance companies stop covering after a few sessions, assuming you feel better and should be cured. This is not how journeys of discovery and healing works. Insurers will also require the therapist to engage in specific types of therapy that may not be a good fit for you.

That said, you can contact your insurance provider to learn their policies about Out-Of-Network providers. In many cases they will still reimburse you for a portion of services. 

Upon request, I am happy to provide a super-bill that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

Did you know? Research indicates that clients who pay for their treatment have more positive outcomes than those who receive free treatment.

Upon request, I am happy to provide a super-bill that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

If you’re looking to submit claims to your insurance while enjoying the benefits of private self-pay services, Reimbursify may be exactly what you are looking for.

Reimbursify is an online service that will do your out-of-network billing for you. Reimbursify will check if your insurance company will reimburse you. If they do, Reimbursify will collect your invoice or superbill and submit your claim for you. Downloading the app is free, and each claim (per session) is $2.99. Packages can be purchased at a discount. If an error comes up with the claim, Reimbursify will work with you to resolve it, free of charge.

As culture shifts with the accessibility of technology – so has psychotherapy. With virtual counseling, you can be anywhere in Illinois and still meet with your therapist.

Some requirements to know if virtual coaching is right for you:

• Client must have access to a popular web browser or ability to download an app (via smartphone or computer).
• Client must pay at the time of the session with a credit card or Debit card.
• Client should have a quiet and comfortable place to hold the session.
• If a client is not eligible for life coaching, I will let you know and provide referrals that might be a better fit for you.

Life Coaching is not eligible to be claimed with insurance.

While counseling is deemed medically necessary, life coaching is seen as a wellness service rather than a health care service. Think about the difference between a gym trainer’s fee vs. a physical therapist’s fee. One cannot be claimed by insurance while the other one can.

A typical session is 45-50 minutes once a week, every week. After 12 weeks we will reassess to see if you are meeting your goals or would like to continue meeting until you’re feeling more equipped to meet your goals.

Online courses can be great to introduce new information to your knowledge base that can provide you with new skills and techniques to cope with and address your concerns. 

Courses and workshops don’t replace therapy. Courses are not meant to diagnose and are not tailored to your unique lived experience. They tend to have great generalized knowledge but aren’t meant to diagnose or treat.

Courses are currently in the works and will be coming soon. Check back the courses page for updates about this.

Yes, you can. To find out if I would be available for the specific date, time, and location of your event, please inquire via the speaking engagements page.

Yes, I am available for virtual speaking engagements. To find out if I would be available for the specific date, time, and location of your event, please inquire via the speaking engagements page.