Insurance, Fees and Other FAQs

Please call Dr. Thorpe at 973-425-8868 (office line) or email her at drthorpe@directions-cls.com.

Please contact Derek Brand cell: 201-694-2331.

We know you’re busy, so that’s why we offer evening hours with Derek Brand, up until 8 pm. We’re not currently offering weekend hours. Dr. Thorpe offers daytime hours (9 am-5 pm) and, upon special arrangement, early evenings.

Yes. At Directions, we believe in providing you with the highest quality of therapy, quickly. Clients can usually be seen within 2-3 days of contacting us.

Dr. Thorpe is out of network for all insurance panels.

Derek Brand is in-network with Horizon BCBS and Cigna, and out of network for all other companies.

All payments are due at the time therapy services are rendered. For out of network insurance, as a courtesy, our billing service can handle the submission.

If you wish to determine what your insurance will cover in advance of your first appointment, please contact the company directly. If you have in-network benefits with Mr. Brand, ask what you your deductible and copay amounts are. Verify that he is listed in your panel and note who provided this information. For out-of-network benefits you may want to ask about deductible, co-insurance and what portion of the allowable fee they will cover.

Dr. Thorpe: $275 per hour. Session times are normally scheduled for 45 minutes at $225. The initial diagnostic visit is $275. Individual therapy and couples counseling are the same. Clinical time will be slightly under the allotted appointment time, as is standard in the field.

Derek Brand: $150 per hour. Session times range from 45 to 60 minutes.

Payment is due at the time services are rendered. We accept checks, cash or credit cards (VISA, MasterCard and Discover). If using a credit card, we ask that you give us permission to hold your credit card on file and charge it when services are carried out.

Most insurance plans cover teletherapy just like in-office sessions.

To confirm coverage, call the phone number on the back of your insurance card and get routed to benefits. From there, ask whether the following CPT codes are covered under your plan: 90791-95 (intake session); 90837-95 (60-minute individual therapy session); 90834-95 (45-minute individual therapy session); 90847-95 (50- minute family/couple therapy session).

If you can’t keep your scheduled appointment, please give us at least 24 hours notice to make a change. If you cancel less than 24 hours prior to your appointment, you will be charged for the full cost of your session.

Note: We do make exceptions for true emergencies.

Our office is on Community Place, a one-way street, two blocks from the square in the center of Morristown. We’re in a brick building located half a block in from South Street.

Most parking is metered, so please bring quarters. Other street options are South Street and Maple Avenue.

Once inside, take the elevator or stairs to the fourth floor to find our office suite. Please take a seat in the shared waiting room. You do not need to check in. Your therapist will come out to greet you at your appointment time.

Our therapists understand that the most important factor in successful psychotherapy is the quality of the relationship between client and therapist.

So, we work hard at making you feel safe and welcome. Our aim is to build a collaborative and trusting relationship with you so that we can achieve your goals together.

In the first session, your therapist will ask you questions about different areas of your life as a way of getting as complete a picture of you as possible. You’ll have time to talk about the issues or challenges that have brought you to therapy.

As opposed to psychiatrists, who are medical doctors, psychologists and other psychotherapists do not prescribe medication. We do, however, sometimes refer our clients to psychiatrists for medication, when warranted.

There is convincing evidence that most people with emotional difficulties who have had at least several sessions of therapy are far better off than untreated individuals.

One major study showed that 50 percent of clients in therapy improved noticeably after eight sessions, while 75 percent of individuals in therapy improved after six months.

Another large study found that psychotherapy “teaches clients life skills that last beyond the course of treatment.” What’s more, the same study found that the results of psychotherapy tend to last longer than psychopharmacological treatments.