FAQ

You’ll receive an email invitation to my secure portal. Please complete the packet included in that invitation before your first appointment.

I do both. It is your preference. I’m in my office two days a week.

Yes. I can accommodate your needs.

Individual or couples sessions are 50 minutes. To ensure that your therapy meets your goals, we’ll collaborate and check in with each other to ensure that your treatment is on track.

I work from 9 am to 8 pm. I can accommodate you as needed.

No. I don’t take insurance. However, at the end of every month, I will send you a receipt you can submit to your insurance company.

No. However, I will discuss this with you if you are experiencing hardship.

My session fee is $250.

I accept cash, Cash App, and credit cards. I will keep your credit card information on my secure portal to pay for your sessions.

Yes. I require a 24-hour notice of cancellation; otherwise, you will receive a charge for the session fee.

You may call (914) 719-6604, email susan@susanmpava.com, or fill out the contact form below.

No, not currently.

Yes, there have been circumstances where I’ve felt it appropriate to do so. During the early days of the COVID outbreak, I volunteered online for groups of first responders.

This practice complies with all HIPAA guidelines (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [HIPAA] Privacy Rule). You’ll be asked to read these guidelines before your first appointment.

I will not share the information you provide on paper and during your sessions with any other office or agency unless you have signed a “Release of Information” form allowing me to share your information with an outside agency or individual.

How often you schedule therapy depends on three main factors: your preferences, my recommendations, and scheduling and availability.

If you can reschedule your session later that same week, there will be no charge.

Yes. We can discuss that and decide together based on the situation at hand.

I have never testified in court and prefer not to unless served a subpoena and obligated under the law to comply.

Call me if I’ve asked you to check in for some reason or if you need help using your skills in challenging situations. If it’s an emergency/crisis, please call 911 or report to your nearest hospital.

Once you sign a release form allowing me to consult with your doctor, I’d happily contact them on your behalf. Or they may contact me.

I work with young adults through seniors.

There will be homework at times. I’ll give you a worksheet or questionnaire to fill out before our next session. I’ll most likely ask you to practice some mindfulness exercises daily.

You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. But maybe that’s part of the problem. If the point of coming to therapy is to understand some ineffective behaviors better and to make some changes, you’ll find that doing the hard work will give you a greater chance of success. Of course, there’s no grade!

My clients include men, women, individuals, and couples.

Of course, I’ll work with LGBTQ couples and individuals if I can meet their therapeutic needs.

Most therapy sessions begin by reviewing what’s been happening since the last session, what’s been bothering you, and how you’ve met your goals. Sometimes, we will set an agenda to use the session time most efficiently, taking stock of what went well and what areas may need attention to continue the path to progress.

You’ll also practice interventions to eliminate the existing problems by understanding them and developing skills for better managing them after leaving the session. Sometimes, I may give you homework to complete after a session, encouraging you to continue practicing the skills you’ve learned in the session and apply them to your everyday life.

I use both Systemic and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies. I can look at clients from a systems perspective – focusing on dynamics within the client’s interpersonal relationships and the family or couple ‘system,’ looking at how interactions within this system contribute to an individual’s problems. I can also use a Cognitive-Behavioral lens to focus on identifying and modifying specific thoughts and behaviors of an individual to address their concerns and set goals for the future.

Yes, I use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). With couples, I use a combination of CBT and Emotion Focus Therapy (EFT), which is based on Attachment Theory.

I received an MS from Iona College. In addition, I received certifications in DBT, ACT, REBT, and EFT. I also spent three years in an Intense Outpatient Program for substance abuse helping individuals, couples, and families. I also worked for Jewish Family Services of Stamford, CT, providing individual and couples therapy followed by four years working for a private practice in NYC and Long Island, primarily with individuals and couples.

Accept that it may sometimes feel challenging as an ongoing process, but if you do the work and put in the time, you’ll succeed. Feel safe asking any questions; nothing is silly or weird. Be patient with yourself and show self-compassion.

No, I can’t give you the skills to handle your anxiety for five shekels and a goat.

If there’s enough for all of us, you can.

I can’t lie on your behalf, or my moral compass will break.

No, that’s what friends are for.

No, because I would have to tell you about my problems if we were friends.

Would that be for your spouse, your child, or your pet?

For fear of offending anyone, I admit I’m a devout dog person.

I provide two boxes of Puffs Plus or any brand of your choosing.

Certainly! You even get a choice: either a big, giant, gooey, rich, double chocolate chip cookie or a lifetime guarantee for the skills you master by doing said homework.

I’m a master at Krav-MaGa, so fighting couples don’t stand a chance. (just kidding!)

Skinny dipping, of course. Imagine how that wows the senses when jumping into a lake butt-naked in the early morning hours of a sweltering summer day!

That depends on you. If you flail your arms wildly, call my name loudly, and run up to greet me with a Cheshire cat grin, I will be delighted to say hello and chat casually. If you purposely avoid eye contact, even when across the street, we will be like two ships passing in the night.