Question 1

Are you accepting new clients?

Accepted Answer

Check the rainbow bar at the top of this website - this is updated regularly.
Note that when I'm not accepting new clients "officially," I occasionally have shifts in my schedule that allow me to take on one new client at a time. If you'd like to get on my waitlist, I am booking intro calls for prospective clients and can also support you in finding a therapist with availability in the meantime if you'd like to share any relevant information in an email.(https://www.autonomousmindstherapy.com/contact)

Question 2

Do you offer in-person therapy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I hold sessions in my Rancho Cucamonga, CA office by request for those who prefer either exclusively in-person sessions or a "hybrid" combination of virtual and in-office therapy.

My telehealth clients who live out of the area and find themselves in the Greater Los Angeles area are always welcome to set up a one-off in-person session as well.

Question 3

Do you take insurance?

Accepted Answer

The short answer: Yes.

In Pennsylvania, I am in-network with Aetna, Independence Blue Cross (IBX), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, and Quest Behavioral Health. In California, I am in-network with Quest Behavioral Health and Carelon Behavioral Health.

The long answer:

Some healthcare companies outsource their mental health benefits administration to other companies, so you may be covered and not know it. Check the back of your insurance card to see if it specifies a mental health carrier, and if not, call the member line to ask "Do my mental health benefits go through your company directly, or is there a third-party administrator?" (E.g.  If you plan to use insurance, please let me know that in your inquiry so I can send you a link to verify your benefits and co-pay.

For all other insurance plans, I am an out-of-network provider and do not accept or interact with insurance directly. That means that if you have a PPO plan with out-of-network benefits, I can provide you with a "super bill" that you can submit to your insurance for partial reimbursement.

This can be a confusing process, and though I do not interact with insurance directly, I can support you in understanding how to best use your benefits.

First, ensure you have a PPO. If you have an HMO, Medi-Cal, or an insurance company that maintains its own provider network like Kaiser, you will be limited to either paying out of pocket without reimbursement or to finding a therapist who is in-network.

If you do have out-of-network benefits, you will pay your full rate to me up front, and I will give you a super bill either after every session or at regular intervals (e.g. monthly, quarterly, etc.), based on your preference (how often you want to fill out insurance paperwork).

You will submit a claim with the super bill attached. Most insurance companies have an online form you can submit, though some require you to mail in paper copies. "What is your process for submitting out of network claims?" is a good question to ask your insurance company when verifying your benefits before getting started with therapy.

The amount of money you receive back from your insurance company will be based on two things: 
1) The percentage of out-of-network outpatient mental health services covered by your plan after your deductible is met (this should be accessible to you when you log in to your insurance company's website, or you can call the customer service number on your card and ask)
2) The "allowed amount" the insurance company sets - this is the amount they think therapy should cost, which is unfortunately often set at rates much lower than the average rate for your area.

For example, if your plan pays for 60% of out-of-network therapy after your deductible is met, it would not matter if my rate were $225 or $1000 - if the company's "allowed amount" is set at $150, you will receive a check from them for $90 per session.

Insurance companies are not legally required to publish their allowed amount, nor do they have to share the metrics used to calculate it, though some will disclose this when asked. Regardless, it may not be possible to accurately predict exactly how much you will receive in reimbursement prior to our first session. If you would like to have one session, submit a claim, and wait for it to be processed before moving forward with therapy to ensure it's within your budget, I can hold your space for up to a month while you wait.

Please contact your insurance company for specifics about your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and reimbursement percentage. This blog (https://blog.zencare.co/what-to-ask-health-insurance-mental-health-therapy-benefits/)does a good job of outlining the information you'll need from them.
Keep in mind that insurance companies require a qualifying diagnosis to receive reimbursement for services. While I have complex beliefs about the utility of diagnosis and pathology, I will prioritize access to care. it is my policy to discuss diagnosis with clients before documenting anything, and we will talk through the implications of reporting more stigmatized diagnoses to insurance and troubleshoot any privacy concerns that may come up.

Question 4

Do you offer a sliding scale?

Accepted Answer

I do! Approximately 40 percent of my caseload at a time is dedicated to reduced fee slots to increase accessibility for multiply marginalized neurodivergent folks.

I maintain a set number of slots below my full fee of $225 at three tiers: "low"($100-140), "medium" ($145-175), and "high" ($175-215) levels, understanding that even when the slot you might be able to best afford is full, even $5 lower can make a difference week-to-week.

The numbers are re-evaluated on a quarterly basis so that I'm able to ensure I'm offering as low a rate as my practice can financially sustain to those who need it. When I am able, I will also offer time-limited slides and/or payment plans to current clients based on circumstances (e.g. unforeseeable financial burden of unemployment, medical emergency, etc.). Money can be a difficult thing to talk about, and it's important to me to foster a relationship based on transparency that makes it feel safe to talk through your needs.

As slots become available, they are offered to new or existing clients on a waitlist. Feel free to ask about what is available or how long the waitlist is prior to setting up a consultation if this is a must for you. However, I cannot typically predict length of treatment with enough accuracy to give a precise timeframe if an opening is not immediately available and will recommend seeking out another provider if you are in need of therapy ASAP (see resources)(https://www.autonomousmindstherapy.com/resources).

If you’re interested in working together in another capacity, consider a one-time case management consultation for personalized referrals and discussion of what goals you might benefit from working on with another provider. Or, if you’re seeking support with an eating disorder and are either autistic or an ADHDer, sign up here for the monthly free peer support group I facilitate via Zoom for adults located anywhere.

Question 5

Would you be open to a single case agreement with my insurance company?

Accepted Answer

Similar to my policy around sliding scale slots, it depends on my capacity (both financially and energetically) at any given time. Before working with an insurance company to negotiate a single case agreement rate, I ask that you: a) Have contacted your insurance company yourself first to ask about this process and ensure you are eligible; b) Have a consultation call with me first to ensure that we both feel we are a good clinical fit; c) Have explored in-network options first and have found that you are unable to find an equivalent fit (I am also happy to help with referrals); d) Complete a release of information for exchange of personal health information between Autonomous Minds Therapy and your insurance company.

Please note that most insurance companies will not inform me of what rate they are offering to pay until we have gone through their application process. It is possible that they may come back to us with an amount that is far below what I can afford to accept. However, I still believe that if the above conditions are met, it's worth a try!

Question 6

What is your availability like?

Accepted Answer

I see clients Monday through Friday between the hours of 9am and 6pm PST. I see the majority of my clients in pre-scheduled weekly or biweekly time slots, so when I have an opening, it will be because one of those slots has opened up, and I don’t have much flexibility beyond that.

I will do my best to work with prospective clients to make your ideal time work, but to protect my own energetic boundaries, I can’t meet every specific request. If your schedule is very limited, please specify in your inquiry when you would be available to meet so I can check it against my own schedule.

If you have a schedule that is unpredictable or fluctuates frequently, I do offer the option to check in at the beginning of each week to see what openings might be available in lieu of sticking to a set time slot, but this cannot be guaranteed.

I do not provide out-of-session skills coaching.

Question 7

What ages do you work with?

Accepted Answer

I work with adults 18 and older.

On a case-by-case basis, I may see an adolescent as young as 16.

Parenting support is out of my scope of practice, so if this is the primary objective of therapy, I am not a good fit. I am happy to provide updates, education, or advocacy on behalf of my clients to their support people when requested, but goals for therapy and the content of sessions remains between my clients and me and will not be dictated by anyone else.

However, I have successfully collaborated with family therapists who work with the whole family unit while I am seeing an adolescent for individual therapy.

I may be a fit for a teen if they are:
 • Able to coordinate their own appointments
 • Seeking therapy of their own volition (e.g. not required by a parent to attend) 
 • Looking to do work unrelated to family issues, or
    • Open to supplementing individual therapy with family therapy with a different provider

Question 8

What's your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

As a courtesy to both me and other clients who may be waiting on an opening, I ask that whenever possible, you inform me 24 hours ahead of our scheduled session time that you won’t be able to make it. Late cancellations and no shows will be charged the full session fee, barring an unforeseeable emergency (this includes chronic illness flare-ups).

As a fellow ADHDer, I know that sometimes appointment times just slip our minds, and it can be frustrating to encounter this kind of “ADHD tax,” so let’s work together ahead of time to discuss what individualized support I can provide to help you remember, whether that’s additional reminders beyond the standard automated emails, a call 10 minutes into the hour if you’re not there, or another creative solution. This kind of planning can be really beneficial in other areas of our lives, too!

Question 9

I'm  pre-licensed clinician looking to do similar work to yours - do you offer clinical supervision?

Accepted Answer

I am excited to be able to supervise fellow therapists who are specifically interested in specializing in neurodiversity-affirming eating disorder care.

There are two options: 
1) Regardless of your location or licensure status, I can provide informal consultation (regular, occasional, or one-time meetings about a specific case, philosophy of the affirming paradigm, countertransference related to lived experience, and more). I also offer this service to dietitians, coaches, and peer support workers.

2) If you are an ASW, AMFT, or APCCs in California or a LSW, LAMFT, or LAPC in Pennsylvania in need of formal supervision of your hours toward licensure through the state's board, I am qualified to provide this if your agency or practice is open to outsourcing supervision to a 1099 contractor.

I do not supervise for the CEDS or any other certification credential. Please reach out to connect and determine whether we would be a good fit. Unfortunately, I'm unable to accept interns and students for formal supervision.

Question 10

Why haven't you returned my call?

Accepted Answer

I struggle with immediate auditory processing around logistics and prefer to discuss matters like scheduling, availability, and billing via email or text whenever possible as an accommodation for myself. However, if you a more of an auditory processor and need to be accommodated yourself, I can make that happen when planned in advance, so please text or email me to set up a time for a call. I do not answer phone calls without an arranged time to talk.

Question 11

Do you work with ARFID?

Accepted Answer

I love working with many—but not all—people who identify with ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) or traits of ARFID. That includes helping to differentiate autistic traits like monotropism and sensory sensitivities that show up in the relationship with food that aren't inherently pathological or problematic and differentiating them from an eating disorder. It's important to me to be clear about my philosophy and approach to ARFID because it diverges from the mainstream one-size-fits-all exposure work that most newly diagnosed folks hear about online or from doctors and dietitians as the gold standard treatment. To be fully transparent, there is a lot of divisiveness in the eating disorder field about the "right" way to support ARFID, and I don't believe there is only one.

ARFID therapy with me means exploring accommodation options, practicing self-advocacy skills, and educating support people to and work toward acceptance of eating differences so that the socially disabling elements of ARFID are mitigated. That way, we can more accurately assess what kind of impairment to quality of life is left over (if any!) and set goals that are aligned with freedom and authenticity, not conformity.

While the desire to expand food variety through exposure can be client-led, it's important to first rule out its roots in neuro-normative pressure to eat in a specific way. I work with clients to define eating goals that excite them, so they're moving toward something meaningful, not away from something feared. If that does end up including exposure work, I'm here for it and will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with your dietitian or other provider (speech language pathologists and occupational therapists specialize in ARFID sometimes, too) to support the emotional side while they facilitate the actual mechanics of the intervention. Beyond variety, though, goals my ARFID clients land on include: finding interest or joy in eating (or the opposite - giving themselves permission to eat mechanically without it being joyful); understanding how sensory needs affect eating preferences and adapting routines accordingly; and decreasing demands in other areas of life to help the nervous system build capacity to tolerate the demand of hunger.

If you are already sure exposure is the direction you want to go and are looking for.a therapist to do that with, I won't be a good fit, but I can offer you some referrals for neurodiversity-affirming therapists who might be. I am also happy to share some ideas for questions to ask potential providers to get a full understanding of their ARFID philosophy. I can't stress enough how crucial it is for neurodivergent people in particular to go at their own pace,

Stacie Fanelli, LCSW

Autonomous Minds Therapy

CA LCSW #105876
PA LCSW #CW024176

Autonomous Minds Therapy is a DBA of Stacie Fanelli, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Professional Corporation

Menu

Contact

Stacie Fanelli, LCSW

Autonomous Minds Therapy

CA LCSW #105876 PA LCSW #CW024176 Autonomous Minds Therapy is a DBA of Stacie Fanelli, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Professional Corporation

Menu

Contact

CA LCSW #105876
PA LCSW #CW024176

Autonomous Minds Therapy is a DBA of Stacie Fanelli, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Professional Corporation