First Appointment

If you do not reach Dr. McMahon directly when you telephone for an appointment, you can leave a message on her answering machine. All messages are confidential and Dr. McMahon retrieves her own messages. On weekdays, she typically returns calls the same day and tries to do so within a short period of time. On weekends or later in the evening, if you do not tell her you wish to speak with her urgently, she may return your call the following day.

She specifically attempts to be available on Monday and Wednesday mornings to answer calls directly.

If you leave Dr. McMahon a message, it is helpful if you leave her a few times when you will be available to talk with her and the telephone number(s) at which you can be reached. This allows you to choose the best time to talk. Dr. McMahon will make every effort to return your call when you indicate.

Dr. McMahon will be available to talk with you for a few minutes prior to making your first appointment. This gives you the opportunity to discuss the reasons for your call and to ask Dr. McMahon any questions you might have about her practice or approach to counseling. She will discuss fees and your payment plans as some insurance policies require preauthorization. If you simply wish to meet with Dr. McMahon and not discuss what is bringing you to contact her over the telephone, you can limit the conversation.

Office number: 847.570.081724 hour access
Pager number: 847.992.9030Between 7:00am and 9:00pm

Professional Credentials and Activities

• Possesses a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology
  
• Licensed in Illinois as a Clinical Psychologist
  
• Pursues continuing education on a wide variety of subjects each year
  
• Provides training and supervision to predoctoral students studying Clinical Psychology

• Maintains memberships in the American Psychological Association (APA), Illinois Psychological Association (IPA), and the Chicago Association for Psychoanalytic Psychology (CAPP)

• Serves as a Council member in CAPP
  
• Serves as a liaison between CAPP and IPA
  

Treatment Issues

• Academic, career chice, and ongoing employment issues
• Adoption issues influencing adults and adolescents
• Coping with medical conditions or illnesses
• Cultural diversity and acculturation issues experienced by U.S. born citizens and international residents
• Eating issues involving bulimia and restriction
• Emotional issues such as depression, anxiety or anger management
• Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual issues
• Grief and mourning responses to losses and transitions involving jobs, careers, relationships with people or pets
• Relationship issues: premarital/marital/partnership, separation/divorce, bicultural relationships, intimacy issues, communication difficulties
• Self-esteem issues
• Sexual abuse sequelae
• Sexual identity and relationships
• Stress management
• Substance use a secondary issue; ACOA issues

Fees and Insurance Reimbursement

Dr. McMahon accepts payment for sessions in the form of cash or bank check. Clients typically pay either insurance copayments or the entire fee at each session.

Because of her credentials as a doctoral level psychologist licensed in Illinois, her work with you should be covered on an "out-of-network" provider basis by all PPO, POS or Indemnity policies that provide counseling benefits. However, Dr. McMahon is a panel provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO/POS and Motorola-HAP policies, and with Magellan Managed Care for some insurance policies. She will accept assignment from these insurance companies at this time as long as the insurer contract fees are adequate and the insurer reimburses within 30 days from claim submission. Because Dr. McMahon considers client privacy to be critical, she will bill and consult with insurers herself when necessitated by provider contract. Like anything else in the counseling relationship, all information released to insurance companies can be discussed beforehand on client request.

It is important to note that Dr. McMahon is not an HMO provider for any insurance carrier.

However, if you do not have insurance - or have questions about using your insurance - Dr. McMahon will discuss options with you.

Continuing Education

Dr. McMahon has continued her education following completion of her doctorate in psychology. Each year she attends conferences that focus upon a variety of issues and client needs. In addition, she has attended a weekly study group lead by master analysts for nine months of each year since 1995. In these ways she remains focused upon improving her counseling skills for each of her clients.

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