Frequently Asked Questions

Peace and Hope offers HIPAA-compliant video appointments including screen-sharing. 

Also, in person appointments are available upon request.

Currently, Peace and Hope does not accept any commercial insurance. Payment is expected at the time that services are rendered unless other arrangements have been made. Peace and Hope will provide you with any documentation that you may need to request reimbursement from your insurance company, including payment receipts. You pay for the session, and then request reimbursement from your insurance company.

The reason for not accepting the commercial insurance is two-fold. The first is because I am the mental health care professional, not the telephone representative at the insurance company. In collaboration with you, decisions about the duration and therapeutic approach to be used will be made. Commercial insurance carriers like to waste mental health providers’ time by engaging us in endless requests for pre-authorization for treatment or continued treatment. Far too often, they also attempt to dictate our treatment approach. Your treatment with Peace and Hope will end when the problem that led you to seek help has been resolved or when your symptoms have improved to your satisfaction- not because the arbitrary number of sessions that the insurance company has pre-authorized has come to an end. 

The second reason I do not accept insurance is that filling out insurance company forms and meeting their other requirements for redundant documentation requirements takes valuable time away from work with my clients. By concentrating on our work, I am able to give clients more attention. Our sessions last at least a full hour- not 40 or 45 minutes so that I can spend 15-20 minutes at the end of our session writing the same information in 10 different places to satisfy insurance company documentation requirements. This gives us more time to focus on you and your needs. 

  • The intake or initial session during which comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment is completed lasts between 60 and 90 minutes is $170
  • Individual Counseling sessions that last 60 minutes are $120
  • EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing sessions lasting between 60 and 90 minutes are $170
  • Couple / Family counseling sessions lasting 60 minutes are $170.

Prior to the intake or initial session, you will be provided with a link where you can fill all the necessary forms needed for the initiation of treatment (such as  a Consent for Treatment, The Private Practice Policy  or Release of Information ), as well as a link to safely input your payment (credit card) information. You will be charged for the service you received after the completion of the session. Furthermore, you will be provided with an invoice in your previously provided email.

Since Peace and Hope is considered out-of-network and commercial insurance is not accepted, a “superbill” can be provided. A superbill is a detailed invoice outlining the services that you received. A superbill is generated when providers are not on a client’s insurance company’s panel. The client submits the superbill directly to the insurer, giving the insurer all the information they need to pay the claim.

I work as an independent contractor with company Alma. Please go to www.helloalma.com and in the search bar look for Svjetlana Shield. Click on request consultation, and I will get your request. At Alma several different insurances are accepted, such as: 

  • UnitedHealthcare
  • Oxford Health Plans
  • Cigna
  • Aetna
  • UMR
  • Oscar
  • UHC Student Resources


A Sliding Scale is another possible option. Basically, this type of fee schedule provides a discount based on a family’s income in comparison with the Federal Poverty Guidelines. 

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Family/Marital Therapy
  • Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
  • Dialectical (DBT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Interpersonal
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Neuropsychological Testing
  • Psychotherapy
  • Rational Emotive Behavior (REBT)
  • Psychological Testing and Evaluation
  • Trauma Focused
  • And others depending on individual needs. 

Email address:  [email protected]

Phone Number: (813) 492-2249

Phone Number: (813) 603-8855

After discussing your concerns and my performing a comprehensive assessment, we will discuss possible causes and factors that may be contributing to your distress. Together, we will work to identify treatment alternatives that fit with your individual goals and lifestyle. 

People often ask this question. The answer is “no.”  Psychoanalytic psychotherapy has changed over the years. You can sit on the couch with your feet on the floor, you can put your feet up on the hassock, or lay on the couch. It’s all about you feeling comfortable during the session.

This question is also often asked. It really depends on several factors. For example, a long lasting trauma may need more sessions to be processed adequately, whereas a fairly new traumatic event may require significantly fewer session. Just as I said, it depends on several factors. 

My approach to psychiatric/mental health is holistic, and one that emphasizes the work of therapy coupled with lifestyle modifications, and when/if indicated, appropriate medications. I do not believe that the cure to all of life’s problems can be found in a pill bottle. Incidentally, research confirms my beliefs. It is only through the treatment of the person as a whole that healing can be achieved. When it comes to medication use, I adhere to the Latin dictum of “Primum non-nocere,” which means: “First, do no harm.”

I do not prescribe psychotropic, but if we conclude that medication may be beneficial, I can refer you to medical doctor/psychiatrist, or you can visit one of your choice.

DEMI LOVATO – American singer and actress.

…”The advice I’d give to somebody that’s silently struggling is, you don’t have to live that way. You don’t have to struggle in silence. You can be un-silent. You can live well with a mental health condition, as long as you open up to somebody about it, because it’s really important you share your experience with people so that you can get the help that you need.”…

Kristen Bell – American actress and producer.

Here’s the thing: For me, depression is not sadness. It’s not having a bad day and needing a hug. It gave me a complete and utter sense of isolation and loneliness. Its debilitation was all-consuming, and it shut down my mental circuit board. I felt worthless, like I had nothing to offer, like I was a failure. Now, after seeking help, I can see that those thoughts, of course, couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s important for me to be candid about this so people in a similar situation can realize that they are not worthless and that they do have something to offer. We all do.

Michael Phelps – American swimmer, who was the most-decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, which included a record 23 gold.

…..”Prior to going to therapy, I never wanted to do it,” said Phelps. “It wasn’t something I wanted, to go and sit on a couch and have a conversation. I was always somebody who tried to find ways myself to do it and was very stubborn for a long time and had a hard time communicating.”…..

Contact Peace and Hope by phone or email to get a 15-minute initial consultation FREE!

(813)492-2249
(813) 603-8855

AND

[email protected]