What to Expect: Frequently Asked Questions

What are your specialties?

Ruberti Counseling Services specializes in eating disorder therapy and body image counseling for LGBTQ and transgender individuals with a focus on art therapy, internal family systems, and intuitive counseling. Christine Ruberti-Bruning ATR-BC, CEDS, LPC is a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist through IAEDP, and a board-certified art therapist with advanced training in gender-affirming care. She is a Level 1 trained in Internal Family Systems and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. Christine also provides support for partners and spouses of transgender individuals.

Where are you located?

Ruberti Counseling Services is located at 525 S. 4th Street, Suite 367 in Phildelphia, PA 19147.

Do you offer in-person sessions in Philadelphia?

Christine Ruberti-Bruning offers in-person sessions at 525 S. 4th Street, Suite 367 Philadelphia, PA 19147. In-person sessions are available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Who do you work with?

I serve folks of all backgrounds in Philadelphia and PA.

I love working LGBTQ professionals, creatives, teens, transgender individuals, and their partners. If you don’t check one of these boxes, we might still be a good fit!

Do you work with teens?

Christine Ruberti-Bruning works with teens ages 12 and up with specialities in gender-affirming care and eating disorders.

Do you work with children?

No, I only work with teens ages 12 and up. If you’re looking for a child therapist, I’d be happy to share some recommendations with you. You can email me at info@ruberticounseling.com.

Do you accept insurance?

I am not in-network with any insurance nor do I contract with the Venture Capital funded Tech companies and their partners like Amazon Health.

Insurance companies pose a lot of constraints to treatment and require a diagnosis to bill claims. VC companies share your data with third parties and insurances are owned by these VC companies.

Your plan may have Out of Network coverage (typically PPO plans). I can provide you an itemized invoice for you to submit for partial reimbursement.

Keep in mind that insurances still may not reimburse for sessions for a multitude of reasons. Out-of-network reimbursement should be viewed as a bonus, not a necessity for therapy sessions.

What are your fees?

My fee is $265 per 50 minute session.

90 minute sessions - $398

Longer sessions are available and are pro-rated.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

I have a No-Cancellation Policy. Your weekly appointment slot is reserved for you and you are responsible for payment regardless if you show up.

I have a generous Rescheduling Policy. You are able to “make up” for cancelled appointments within the week before, during, or after the date of your absence, if our schedules align. I will make every effort to find a time for you.

In order to reschedule your session, you must give 24-hours notice, otherwise you are responsible for your fee and I cannot reschedule the cancelled appointment.

You are allotted 3 free passes a year where you can late-cancel without needing to reschedule. You will not be charged for these passes and they reset every year on January 1st.

How does online therapy work?

You will create a client portal where you can access the video call on a secure platform.

Once you enter the call, you will be in a virtual waiting room until we start the session. You can have your session from the comfort of your own home in a private space.

Sessions in a car are allowed, but your car must be parked. Due to safety issues, no sessions will be conducted in a moving vehicle.

Due to HIPPA laws, only you are allowed to be present during the session.

What can I expect during my first appointment?

Your first appointment will be 50 on 90 minutes, depending on your needs.

I will ask you to share what is bringing you to therapy at this time.

Together, we’ll create a timeline of how this issue has affected you up until now. We’ll discuss what your hopes and goals are for therapy.

The first few sessions are a way to feel it out, and see if my approach is a good fit for you. So there’s no pressure if it ends up not being a good fit,, and I’m happy to connect you to another therapist if needed.

How often do we meet for sessions?

Therapy is the most helpful when we commit to the process, and are consistent.

I intentionally keep a small caseload and meet with people on a weekly basis for at least 3 months. I find this to be the most effective for the work that I do. At the 3 month mark, we can evaluate on whether to switch to biweekly.

Occasionally someone will ask to start with biweekly sessions, but I find that this frequency ultimately hinders progress towards your goals. We spend much of the sessions playing “catch-up” instead of getting to the root of your struggles.

If you want biweekly sessions based on financials constraints, I’d much rather help you connect to a therapist who is either in network or is within your budget.

How do I get started?

You can book a free 20 minute phone or video consultation directly through my website by clicking here.

On the call, we’ll disuss what is bringing to therapy at this time, and how my therapy approach will help you meet your goals. If it’s a good fit, we’ll schedule your first appointment.