About Gilbert McCurdy

My career began with an MBA working on Wall Street. It was during that time I became interested in the human experience and how it's possible to learn to live with discomfort while working through problems and healing from traumatic symptoms holding someone back. By helping people work on building the resources needed in the present, we can uncover or get reacquainted with our own best selves. Since 1995 I've been practicing psychotherapy as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and received my MSW from Columbia University. My former career in business, combined with extensive experience consulting with corporate Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) has been particularly helpful to people facing all kinds of career issues.

My practice focuses on treating intimacy/relationship problems, trauma, sexual addiction/compulsivity, alcohol/substance abuse, drug linked sexual behavior, codependency/co-addiction, anxiety/depression and career/workplace concerns. I work extensively in the LGBTQ+ community and specialize in gay men’s health and well being.

Certifications and Additional Training

Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) - Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute - Boulder, CO
Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) - American Group Psychotherapy Association - New York
EMDR Levels I, II and III - conducted by Dr Laurel Parnell, a leading expert in EMDR, an EMDRIA approved trainer (emdria.org) and the author of several books about EMDR
Inner Relationship Focusing (IRF) - conducted by Dr Maureen Gallagher, Somatic Experiencing Faculty and Inner Relationship Focusing Trainer
Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) - developed and conducted by Dr. Patrick Carnes, a nationally known speaker and educator on addiction and recovery issues
Certificate in Group Psychotherapy - Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society training program in Group psychotherapy - New York
Ongoing group work with The Center for Group Studies - designed around the principles and techniques of Louis Ormont, Ph.D., who was an international leader in modern analytic group therapy - New York
Certified EFT Therapist for Couples - Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT) is a highly validated approach developed by Dr. Susan Johnson, an internationally known expert in the field of couples' therapy
Certified Schema Therapist - International Society for Schema Therapy, Jeffrey Young, Ph.D
Introductory Program in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy - Postgraduate Center for Mental Health - New York

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

What will therapy cost?

Insurance

Today’s health insurance plans can be confusing to navigate but many policies have what is called an “out-of-network” benefit. Services may be covered in part or in full by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Some plans help reduce the cost of therapy by covering approximately 50% to 80% of your therapy fee. Some employee benefit plans or health insurance plans offer Health Savings accounts (HSA). Health Savings Accounts are a type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. By using untaxed dollars in a Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you can lower your overall health care costs.

Please check your coverage carefully by asking the following questions:

Does your plan include “out-of-network” coverage for mental health?
Does your plan require pre-authorization for psychotherapy?
Does your employee benefit plan or insurance plan offer a Health Savings Account (HSA)?
What is the policy year (i.e. Jan 1 – Dec 31)?
Is there an annual deductible for out-of-network mental health benefits? If so, what is it and has it been met for this year?
What is your co-insurance percentage for mental health services?
Is there a limit on the number of sessions your plan will cover per calendar? If yes, how many?
Is there a limit on out-of-pocket expenses per year?
What is the reasonable and customary fee (the amount that your plan determines is the normal range of payment within a given geographic area) for an out-of-network provider?

What is the percentage of coverage based on the therapist’s fee per session for an out-of-network provider? This is partially determined by the procedural code for the type of therapy session you will be having. In order to find out the reasonable and customary fee, the representative may ask for a Clinical Procedure Terminology (CPT) code for the service you plan to receive.

Please note that the CPT codes for psychotherapy services are as follows:

Initial Assessment: 90791
Ongoing psychotherapy: 90834
Couples/family psychotherapy: 90847
Group psychotherapy: 90853

What forms of Payment are Accepted?

It is the client’s responsibility to pay for each session on the day of your appointment. A receipt will be provided on a monthly basis to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Payment forms include cash, Venmo or ACH payments (electronic payments offered by many banks such as the Zelle network)

Cancellation Policy

Please note that I have a 24 hour cancellation policy. If you do not show up for your scheduled appointment or do not cancel a session at least 24 hours in advance, you will be charged the full session fee.

Any Other Questions?

Please contact me for any additional questions you may have. Thank you.