FAQs

Yes definitely, just reach out and request a 10-minute phone conversation. Please keep in mind, though, that the purpose of that brief call is just for you to ask me questions, not to talk about what is going on with you.

My first take at answering this question involved a lot of if-then-buts, so instead, let me just say that it depends and we should have a conversation about the specific types of medications and when you normally take those. Similarly, we will address regular caffeine use and pain medication. We will figure out all of that during the first session.

I would like to think that it should go without saying — but, I have unfortunately had the experience of clients showing up under the influence, so, let me say that you should not arrive at our appointments under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or any other substances!

Also, please note that I do not assess anyone who has an active ongoing substance use problem.

Autism Assessment for Adults takes place over 4 sessions and each session is about 2 hours long.

• Pre-Assessment — You will fill out some paperwork and questionnaires
• Intake Interview — 1 session to discuss your history and what questions you are hoping to answer
• Testing and Intervention — 2 sessions of all different types of psychological tests, depending on what we are trying to figure out. We talk about the testing and we collaboratively explore what the results might mean and whether they are actually relevant to your life. We will also use this time to widen your options for how you might approach things differently moving forward in order to better be aligned with how you want to live your life.
• Summary Discussion — 1 session. I come to this session prepared with a big picture of everything we have learned and how it all seems to fit together. I will look to you to contribute your thoughts on this as a co-editor so that we can make sure that the summary is an accurate and validating reflection of you.
• Post-Assessment — I will send you a brief 1-page report of findings to share with others and a comprehensive letter for you that explains everything that we learned, what it means, and suggestions for moving forward. I will also invite you to reach out for follow-up sessions with me in the future to review our findings and to help you re-center on how to move forward.

Yes, thank you for asking! I will want to consult with your current relevant healthcare providers and ideally I will be able to meet with two people from your life:

• One person who knew you when you were a child and has a pretty good memory of those years before adolescence (some ideas: parent or other older family member, friend of the family, neighbor, parent of a good friend, former teacher, former therapist)
• One person who knows you well now

Both of these folks should be willing to meet with me for about an hour each to answer questionnaires and have a conversation with me.

We can absolutely still do the assessment! However, we may have to be more creative about how to obtain that "outside perspective." Just let me know and we can brainstorm together.

I make the entire assessment process as concrete as possible and let you know what to expect every step of the way.

My office (virtual and in-person) is a stim-welcome area, so please don't hold yourself back from using a fidget toy, switching positions, pacing, or whatever else you need to do. Research is pretty clear that when autistic people try to suppress stimming behaviors, their anxiety and distress tolerance worsen. I want to get a true picture of what is going on for you, so I don't want symptoms to worsen just because you are trying to abide by some kind of rules.

I limit testing to two hours each day because otherwise I have noticed that neurodiverse folks will either be exhausted, overwhelmed, or it will wreck the rest of their day. I would like the testing process to not feel like a punishment — my hope is that even if you are tired, each of these sessions leaves you feeling hopeful, excited, and curious to learn more.

And finally, the testing tools I use I have intentionally chosen because they are less overwhelming and cause less pressure. For example, I love using projective tests with neurodiverse clients because there is no right or wrong answer, there is just your answer. These tests allow you to just be you and to not feel like you have to fit into some type of preconceived box.

During our first session, we will talk about your background and the purpose of the assessment. I will give you an overview of what to expect. During this session, we will also flesh out a list of questions that you would like the assessment to help answer.

In preparation, I will send you a unique link to access your Pre-Day-1 homework, that will ask you questions about your childhood, academic history, initial thoughts on what you would like to get out of the assessment, and a short initial assessment.

Session #1 will be scheduled a couple weeks out to give you time to complete the homework. This homework should be completed at least 7 days prior to the intake appointment; if it is not, we will reschedule Session #1 so that Dr. Dug has time to review it prior to the appointment.

We can absolutely work on that homework together during a session; however, you will have to pre-pay $250 for that extra 1-hour appointment. In preparation, please look over the homework so that you are mentally prepared for what we will be doing.

The Autism Assessment for Adults is a comprehensive assessment that will test for autism as well as other possible psychological diagnoses.

In addition, Dr. Dug also offers assessments of cross-neurotype relationships. Cross-neurotype relationship assessments can help romantic/sexual relationships, friendships, work relationships, and family relationships in which the people have differing neurotypes. Most appointments will involve the participation of both (or more) partners with the exception of days when I am testing each partner separately (1 session for each partner).

Dr. Dug also offers assessments to aid psychotherapy. These assessments are helpful when you are about to start psychotherapy or during the course of psychotherapy to help guide treatment. If you do have a current clinician, I will consult with them throughout the assessment process.

Contact Dr. Dug and she will send you a screening questionnaire. If she thinks that what you are seeking is a good fit for her services, she will send you paperwork and let you know about next steps. Please note that intake paperwork will also include brief paperwork for your GI doctor to complete.

Dr. Dug primarily works with adults and adolescents, but may accept some younger children who already have verbal skills. Dr. Dug gives priority scheduling to BIPOC and LGBTQI+ individuals.

GI Health Psychology begins with a 7-session program of clinical hypnotherapy over the course of 13 weeks and then may progress into 7 weekly ACT sessions. However, treatment can end at any point at which the patient is satisfied with the symptom improvement.

For patients under the age of 15, the parents/caregivers will participate in treatment. For patients aged 15 and older, they have the option of bringing in family members or significant others. It can oftentimes strengthen treatment when loved ones are actively participating in treatment and continuing to support the patient outside of sessions.

Yes! Read more about Clinical Hypnotherapy.

For psychotherapy sessions, the initial 60-minute assessment is $250 and the follow-up 45-minute sessions are $220.

Autism Assessment for Adults are $1,500 and that fee can be paid over four payments. That fee covers all testing appointments, conversations with loved ones or treating providers, analysis of data, and summary write-up. Please note that I offer ONE no-cost assessment per month for individuals who are members of a marginalized group (LGBTQIA+, BIPOC) and also experiencing financial challenges. If you would like to be added to this waitlist, let me know.

I also charge $250/hour for other professional services and this is prorated for 15-minute increments. Other professional services include report writing, initial telephone conversations lasting longer than 10 minutes, attendance at meetings with other professionals you have authorized, preparation of treatment summaries, and any other service, even if the request comes from another party. If I am asked or required to perform in relation to any legal matters, I charge $500 per hour. I also charge a copying fee of $5 per page for records requests.

Appointments that are cancelled with less than 24 hours advance notice or patients who no-show for appointments will be charged the entire fee of the missed session — this will be automatically charged to the credit card on file. If you are ill, you are taking care of someone who is ill, or perhaps other circumstances beyond your control, I may make an exception and credit that amount to cover the fee of the next session. However, please note that if this happens more than once in any six-month span of time, the subsequent times will not be treated as exceptions. If it is possible, I will try to find another time to reschedule the appointment on the same day.

If you think you are getting sick or not feeling well two days before the appointment, it is better to cancel. If you suddenly feel better, you can always reach out and I can see about getting you in.

Yes, I currently have some limited slots available for new psychotherapy clients.

No, unfortunately my practice is not a good fit for people in crisis. I am a single practitioner and I do not provide crisis services. If you are in crisis, please contact your local crisis clinic, 911, or go to your local emergency department for assistance.

Individuals who are actively suffering from substance abuse or dependence, have a history of chronic suicidal ideation or self-harm, have a recent history of suicide attempt, or have a serious mental illness (typically involving psychoses or significantly impaired functioning).

I am an in-network provider through a third party (Headway) with certain health insurance companies in Hawaii, North Carolina, and Washington. People can go to Headway to determine whether I am in-network with their insurance plans.

Please note that my contract with Headway does not include psychological testing; therefore, clients pay out-of-pocket for autism assessments.

For those interested in using their out-of-network benefits, learn more about Dr. Dug’s use of Thrizer.

Yes certainly! I would love to see you in-person at my office in Mooresville, NC (Langtree). Alternatively, I'm also happy to do a virtual or hybrid assessment.

Comprehensive trauma-informed Autism Assessment for Adults takes place over 4 sessions. Appointments are about two hours long. It is formatted this way so that you are not exhausted by each session and can actually go about your day afterward. These appointments are typically spaced one week apart; however, this timing can be adjusted, as needed.

A good internet connection is imperative for assessment so that I can clearly observe what is going on. (If you do not have a good internet connection, please let me know and I can try to find an office near you that could be used.) You should have two devices with internet and camera abilities (e.g., laptop and phone, tablet and phone, tablet and laptop). One device will be directed at your face and will be the primary one we use to communicate. The other device will be directed at your hands or paperwork in front of you so that I can see what is happening. (Dr. Dug will talk with you about how to set up that second device just using items around the house.)

• Prior to each session, make sure you eat well and hydrate, get a decent night's sleep, and do not use recreational drugs or alcohol for 24 hours. Talk with Dr. Dug about the medications you are on so that you can discuss whether testing can happen prior to taking certain medications.
• Make sure you will not be disrupted and that you are alone in a quiet room. This means no animals, babies, partners, parents, etc. Also, this means that no one will be coming in or knocking on the door. (At the beginning of each appointment, I'll ask you to turn the camera around the room so that I can confirm that there are no distractions in the room.) You should have email/phone/texting/messaging turned off on all your devices.
• You can have a non-alcoholic drink with you, but no food.
• Log in 30 minutes early to make sure there are no technical issues. If there are, please contact Dr. Dug as soon as possible.
• If Dr. Dug has said you'll be using both devices this day, set them both up.
• Make sure there is enough space behind you for you to sit a distance away from the camera because Dr. Dug will want to see most of you during part of each session.

No, not for my purposes. However, if you plan to get reimbursed through your health insurance company, you may need a prior authorization before we start.

If you would like to try to get reimbursement, please let me know during our initial phone call and I will provide you with the information you will need when you reach out to your insurance company.

Unless you are using Thrizer for out-of-network benefits, all payments will go through Headway. You will have a payment card on file with them prior to scheduling an initial appointment. On either site, you can use a credit card, bank card, or HSA/FSA card.

Appointment fees will be automatically charged the day of the appointment.