Dr. Samantha Kennedy, PMH-C (CA, CO, VA, DC, Vermont License)

$250/session

Accepts Lyra Health

650-434-2563

admin@mindbodygarden.com

Telehealth Only

Samantha kennedy, PhD, PMH-C

“Instead of doing the thing you LIKE to do, choose to do the thing you need to work on. The thing that scares you.”-Robin Arzon, Peloton Instructor

“Make modifications not excuses.”-Alex Toussaint, Peloton Instructor

“Your mind is your strongest muscle.” -Tunde Oyeneyin, Peloton Instructor

My professional passion includes building real, authentic and unique relationships with those whom I serve, treating each person as competent informers of their own story, of which I am honored and curious to hear. This is in line with my personal/professional philosophy in that we all desire to be “really seen,” “heard” and accepted for who we are, and when this occurs within the context of a therapeutic relationship, one tends to heal themselves and is better able to apply learned skills.

I am perinatal mental health certified (PMH-C) and I specialize in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders; transitional and adjustment issues arising during the prenatal/postpartum period, or while considering/pursuing fertility treatments, such as IVF, or adoption; traumatic birth experience; infertility; perinatal grief and loss; and termination for medical reasons.

Areas of interest and expertise include: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (helps people to consistently choose to pursue their values in the presence of difficult or disruptive “private” internal events, such as unpleasant thoughts/feelings), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (believes that behaviors and emotional responses to external events and situations are not directly caused by these events or situations per se, but by the perceptions and interpretations of these events and situations), and Psychodynamic Therapy (helps people gain insight into their lives and present-day problems; identifying and recognizing recurring patterns can help people see how they avoid distress or develop defense mechanisms to cope, with this insight allowing them to begin changing those patterns).

While I have a great deal of experience treating those with anxiety, depression, mood issues, problematic substance use, as well as various forms of  loss and trauma, including disenfranchised grief, at the end of the day, feeling better with the assistance of a therapist comes down to goodness of fit. Much like the quotes above, I view myself as a ‘mental fitness instructor,’ balancing the importance of honoring your autonomy and decision-making in dictating our path, while engaging you in the question, ‘what if you can?’ in hopes of working together as a team to build your mental strength and endurance. As such, we may be a good fit if you’re ready to dive into what’s most concerning right now, like to be supported and sharpened, are comfortable with being “pushed” sometimes, and favor transparency and respect for choice. 

Specialties:

• Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders

• IVF and infertility mental health

• Major life change-related stress and adjustment difficulties

• Communication difficulties

• Substance use difficulties

• Teens with ADHD or with ASD

• Difficult family dynamics and unmotivated teens

• OCD and hoarding disorders

• Anxiety

• Depression

Q & A

Do you Accept insurance?

Yes!

Lyra Health Employee Assistance Program

Please reach out directly to the HR/Benefits department at your sponsoring company to confirm your eligibility for Lyra benefits for psychotherapy and/or psychiatry medication management services and the number of sessions covered. After your session, we will bill Lyra Health directly. You may have a copay or cost share through your health plan and if you are curious about your expected cost or if your sessions will be fully covered, please reach out to Lyra team directly. Note that we have a 48-hour cancellation policy if you need to cancel or reschedule. You will be charged the full session fee for no-shows or late cancellations to the credit card on file, unless your company benefit covers that for you.

Lyra Health Extended Care Coverage

Some employers contracted with Lyra have extended the Lyra benefit to allow clients to access care through Lyra using a qualifying health plan in addition to the free EAP sessions that the employers may provide. Setting up your Health Plan: Login to your Lyra Profile. Click on the menu bar located in the top right-hand corner, click on "Profile" and scroll down to "Health Plan". Add/Update your health plan information: (Please ensure that your member ID matches that of your health plan ID exactly as it is case sensitive). If you are 18 and over, please add your own name and date of birth. Add/Update your credit card information. Review and ensure that there is information showing for both the "Your Plan" and "Cost-sharing" sections. Once it is set up, we continue to bill Lyra Health directly.

Other Insurance/Self Pay

Dr. Kennedy is an out-of-network provider for all insurance companies. If you use our services, you will be expected to pay the full fee yourself. We offer you Superbill receipts for the service you receive from us, and you can submit them to your insurance for possible reimbursement. Most insurance companies may cover part of the fee (50-80% typically) for out-of-network providers like us.