What kinds of patients do you treat?

At Perkins Bartlett Wellness, Dr. Blewett is dedicated to helping individuals transform their lives through a cognitive behavioral structure, and to both pursue and achieve their personal and therapeutic goals. Dr. Blewett provides psychotherapy for individuals looking to repair hurt and strengthen their sense of connection, hope, and meaning in their lives.

Dr. Blewett is independently licensed to see patients through telehealth virtual therapy in the following states: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York.

What is teletherapy/video therapy?

Teletherapy, also known has telehealth or telepsychology, applies to the field of telemedicine in the field of mental health therapy and counseling. Teletherapy is the use of mental health and psychiatric treatment delivered through technology. Due to the pandemic, new patients are only accepted through teletherapy appointments at this time. Teletherapy appointments are conducted via a HIPAA compliant video conferencing platform for optimal confidentiality.

How long is a therapy session?

All individual psychotherapy appointments are 50-minute sessions. However, our first contact will be a 10- to 30- minute phone call to make sure Dr. Blewett offers the kinds of services you are looking for. There is no charge for this initial phone consultation.

What to expect in therapy?

Dr. Blewett’s priority with clients is to create a safe space by helping them feel heard and understood without judgment. Through the development of a therapeutic relationship, Dr. Blewett will ask questions about you and your presenting problem as well as your family, medical, and social history to better understand why you're coming to therapy. Clients are also encouraged to discuss any current or recent symptoms. The goal of the first few sessions is to learn as much about the client as possible and identify what the client is hoping to gain out of attending therapy. Dr. Blewett will provide assessment, feedback and treatment planning regarding what will be the most effective treatment for you, including therapy strategies and frequency of treatment. If you've been considering therapy or are interested in starting back up again, please consider contact Dr. Blewett. There is hope, therapy works, and change is possible.

What is this clinician’s philosophy?

The aim of Dr. Blewett’s practice is to provide individualized clinical treatment to her patients utilizing a comprehensive array of evidenced-based treatment modalities. Dr. Blewett offers all clients a private and professional space to find relief and direction through virtual video therapy sessions. As a therapist her mission is to help you improve your emotional well-being and enhance your life. Through your work together, we will collaboratively decide upon a plan that will lead to overall improvement with your health, wellness, and optimal functioning.

Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?

If you're anxious, depressed or overwhelmed and living with painful emotions, therapy can help. People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition like divorce, loss of a job or they may not be handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, and relationship problems. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives.

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is often referred to as “mental health counseling”, “supportive counseling”, and “talk therapy” and is a form of treatment that can be effective in the treatment of individuals with various symptoms and psychiatric disorders. There are several benefits of psychotherapy, including anxiety management, coping skill technique development, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, significant stress reduction, resolution of specific problems, improved self-esteem and self-insight, and enhanced communication skills, and progress with interpersonal relationships.

However, therapy is not an appropriate fit for every client and is not guaranteed to be beneficial for everybody. Psychotherapy may also require exploring unpleasant aspects of your life and can, at times, lead to feelings of distress (i.e., guilt, anxiety, frustration, worry, etc.). These unpleasant aspects are generally temporary but are extremely important to discuss when present. 

What are your fees and do you take insurance?

Treatment at Perkins Bartlett Wellness for psychotherapy is fee for service and Dr. Blewett does not participate in any in-network insurance plans, including Medicare. Invoices are provided which can be submitted for out-of-network reimbursement by clients. If you have a health benefits policy that provides mental health coverage, you may be entitled to insurance reimbursement for any provided professional services.

What about medication vs. psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is an established, evidenced-based form of counseling and therapy that is a long-term solution to mental health symptoms and emotional problems. Psychotherapy therapy addresses the cause of our client’s distress and the behavior patterns that restrict progress. It is always recommended that you consult your medical doctor to determine what is best for you and your symptoms. In some cases, clients are recommended to engage in both psychotherapy and medication management as the best course of action. Perkins Bartlett Wellness and Dr. Blewett are aligned with several psychopharmacologists in the Boston-area and can make the appropriate referrals to a medical provider.

Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?

Dr. Blewett’s priority with clients is to foster a therapeutic relationship that is focused on helping them discover more joy, connection, and meaning in their life. Dr. Blewett creates a safe space by helping them feel heard and understood without judgment, and confidentiality is a cornerstone of this level of care. Psychotherapy is protected by the law and Dr. Blewett can generally only release information about direct-client work with written permission. Please also understand Your Rights Under HIPAA.

However, several exceptions do exist. For example, some insurance companies may require some basic, general health information if a client is seeking reimbursement. Additionally, there are instances in which mental health professionals are required by law to report or take action:

• Making provisions for your safety if there is a threat of imminent harm to yourself.

• Taking protective actions (including notifying potential victims or police) if there is a threat of serious bodily harm to others.

• Reporting potential child, elder, or dependent abuse.

• Legal testimony if subpoenaed/ordered by a court.

• Assisting in accessing services if a patient is unable to meet their basic needs (including food, clothing, and/or shelter) due to a mental illness.

What is the “No Surprises Act”?

It is a federal law for healthcare providers to give uninsured and self-pay patients a good faith estimate (GFE) of costs for services starting on January 1, 2022. In addition, GFE’s will be required for health insurers by providers, when the patient has insurance and plans to use it.

• Your rights and protections against surprise medical bills

• Your right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate”

Emergencies?

I do not provide emergency services. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Please note that these exceptions are rare and it is Dr. Blewett’s goal to always maintain strict confidentiality