About Us
sum·mit | \ˈsə-mət \NOUN;| The highest point, the top of a mountain, the apex, peak; a meeting between two or more parties around a common interest.
I’ve spent a lot of time looking at mountains. I find my attention is always pulled to the summit. I’ll stare at the top of the mountain and ponder, “How would somebody get from here to there?”. I scan the terrain and see the forests, canyons, rivers, and steep cliffs, and wonder if anyone’s ever made it all the way to the top? Sometimes you can clearly see evidence of a trail, and other times it looks impossible.
I’ve also done a fair share of hiking – the experience can be exciting, tiring, and frustrating, all at the same time. There have been times I’ve set out to make it to the summit, but didn’t for various reasons. Sometimes it was due to poor planning, lack of conditioning or skill, inclimate weather, or, I found somewhere else along the way that seemed like a good place to ‘be’.
When I decided to open this therapy practice, I chose the name Summit Psychotherapy because I view the summit as a goal. In our work together we would clarify what your goals are. And like a climb, we will look at the map, decide what skills and provisions are needed, or sometimes, we’ll improvise along the way. Even though the summit is the ultimate goal, we will take care to be present to everything around us all the time. The ups, the downs, the challenges, the successes. Think of me as your compass, or trail guide, as you traverse the terrain. We may think we chose the right path, but sometimes we will find forks in the road, or a surprise trailhead that takes us on an important side journey. There’s a lot of trust that goes into a climb. You must trust yourself, and you must trust those around you. I invite you to take a look at the mountains in your life, and see where it is that you want to go. Let Summit Psychotherapy be your ground crew as you begin your climb.
It may only be that once you reach the summit, you realize the journey was the most important part.
Here are some answers to the questions we receive the most about our services.
If we missed anything, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’ll be happy to help
All staff psychotherapists at Summit are able to bill insurance plans and are “in-network providers” with Blue Cross/Blue Shield (BCBS) of Illinois PPO. We do not accept BCBS HMO plans.
Many of our therapists can also submit claims on your behalf to other PPO insurance plans as “Out of Network Providers.” (Please see below for more details). However, while our psychotherapists can submit claims to your insurance provider on your behalf, you would be responsible for the full cost of the session at the time of your appointment.
Before beginning services at Summit, we recommend that you first call your insurance carrier to check eligibility and benefits prior to completing an intake with us. You can usually find your benefit information through your provider’s website or access it by phone using the numbers provided on the back of your insurance card. Follow prompts or inform a representative that you want to check your mental health benefits, and ask the following questions:
For BCBS PPO (in-network):
For insurance plans Summit does not accept (out-of-network):
Yes. However, services are available on limited availability. Each psychotherapist on our staff reserves a portion of their caseload specifically for individuals who require a sliding scale, or reduced fee.
Summit Psychotherapy is committed to increasing access to psychotherapy services for underserved communities and folx who require access to reduced fees. Given that we receive many inquiries about our sliding scale rates, we understand that we fall short in this commitment daily, as we’re unable to match every person who inquires about reduced fees. If you are interested in learning more about our sliding scale, we encourage you to contact us through the intake form.
Before arriving for your first appointment, it may be helpful for you to do a few things:
First, if you plan on using insurance, please make contact with your insurance company to be sure you understand your benefits including any individual and/or family deductibles, and/or co-pay/co-insurance amounts. Please also bring your insurance card with you to your first appointment. (See question about insurance at top of this page for more info).
Please note that our office are located in the beautiful and historic Uptown Bank Building. This location is undergoing renovations, which may at times cause an inconvenience in accessing parking and limiting us to one elevator. While these disruptions are uncommon, we just want you to be aware and please, “Pardon Our Dust” as we go through this exciting change to our environment.
Yes. Although we are just steps from the Lawrence Red Line stop, it is currently closed for renovations. Both Argue and Wilson stops are within 2 blocks walking distance. Both the 36-Broadway bus and the 81-Lawrence bus offer stops in front of the building.
Yes. We have wheelchair accessible doors to the building and a large, accessible elevator to reach our offices on the fourth floor. All bathrooms in the building are wheelchair accessible and meet ADA requirements. If you have requests or questions about accessibility, please ask your therapist prior to your first appointment.
Yes, free parking is available in the lot between the bank building and the Red Line. Availability though often depends on what construction is happening with the building. You can enter this parking lot from Broadway by turning onto N. Clifton avenue just south of the building. There is also plenty of street parking nearby, but make sure to notice parking fees for where you park.
Yes. However, since evening and weekend requests are the most popular, we may not have openings that fit your exact scheduling needs, but we will do our best!.
Summit Psychotherapy offers appointments during the following times:
Monday – Friday: 9 AM – 9 PM
Saturdays: 10 AM – 3 PM