Rates & FAQ
Clear answers, before you ask.
What therapy costs, how it works, and the practical details — laid out plainly, so there are no surprises later.
Sessions are $225 for 50 minutes, and I offer a sliding scale starting at $100. If cost is the thing standing between you and starting, please say so — we will talk about it honestly.
I am in-network with Aetna. For other plans, I can provide superbills for possible out-of-network reimbursement — the questions to ask your insurer are listed below, along with the rest of the practical details.
Common questions
The practical details
Do you have a sliding scale?
Yes, I offer a sliding scale starting at $100.
Do you offer free consultations?
Yes! I offer free 15-minute consultations via Zoom to see if we're a good match. Please reach out through my consultation form.
Do you take insurance?
Yes! I am in-network with Aetna and can otherwise offer superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. Here are some questions to ask your insurance about out-of-network reimbursement:
- Does my plan include "out-of-network" coverage for mental health? (CPT code 90837)
- What is my annual deductible for mental health benefits?
- What is my co-insurance?
- Is there a limit on the number of sessions my plan will cover per year?
- Is there a limit on out-of-pocket expenses per year?
- Does my plan require pre-authorization for psychotherapy?
- What is the policy year (i.e. Jan 1 – Dec 31)?
Can you write gender-affirming surgery letters?
Yes! I write these letters pro bono in a single session for folks located in NY and NJ. Please reach out through my consultation form.
Do you see clients in person?
I have very limited in-person availability in Flatiron right now and am otherwise telehealth.
What are your fees?
I charge $225 for a 50-minute session.
What does "Living Ground" mean?
When I say "Living Ground," I'm not talking about sentient dirt (though I do like that idea). In Gestalt therapy, ground refers to everything that shapes who we are and how we experience the world — from our relationships, our bodies, our past, to what's happening in our lives in the present. It is the context from which we make meaning and grow.
Living is an invitation to try something different, as many of us have had to numb or deaden parts of ourselves to survive. Living Ground is about cultivating a way of being that feels more present, more authentic, and more fully alive.
What is Gestalt?
Taken from Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy, where I received my training:
Gestalt Therapy emphasizes the here and now, and seeks to find the balance between accepting our creative adjustments to past circumstances, while also heightening our awareness of the fuller range of creative and spontaneous possibilities that are available to us in the present moment. It is a therapy that respects the integration of mind and body, so its focus is on the interplay between the cognitive and emotional aspects of the self. It is also a relational therapy, predicated on the belief that when we meet in the present moment with fullness and openness, with genuine and unreserved acceptance, we create the ground from which all healing takes place.
Who are you?
My name is James Macaulay McManus and I'm a gay trans man and licensed clinical social worker in New York State (license number to come) and in New Jersey. I started my social work career at NYC non-profits like Housing Works and the NYC Anti-Violence Project, and have been in private practice for the last 4 years. I enjoy working with LGBTQIA+ adolescents and adults navigating identity, coming out, and transition.