Nathan Sharp, LMFT LPC-MHSP

Nate is a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional counselor, and works with couples and individuals in the realms of communication and repair, betrayal trauma, attachment and traumatic wounds, addictions, and sexual disorders or dysfunctions. He is pursuing a supervisor designation for both LMFT and LPC candidates, and is available for supervisees in both disciplines.

Nate runs a men’s process group that aids clients in building healthy relationships, understanding their emotions and needs, and making sense of how their life has brought them to their current point.

Prior to clinical work, Nate was on staff with an in-patient A&D treatment facility in Knoxville.

 

Michelle Dawson, intern

Michelle Dawson is a counseling intern completing her education at Richmont Graduate University and working towards licensure requirements for the state of Tennessee. Michelle works with individuals, couples, and families to promote growth, insight, and hope in a safe and collaborative environment. She has experience supporting clients with complex trauma, relationship struggles, anxiety, depression, ADHD, parenting, and grief.

Michelle’s counseling style is rooted in the belief that our past and present relationships shape us. She works with clients to understand how early experiences influence current struggles and empowers them to create healthier patterns moving forward. She is committed to creating a safe space for clients to explore their unique journeys with empathy and respect.

 

A note on Why we Don't Accept Insurance

       As is the case with many highly experienced and qualified therapists, Imprint isn’t affiliated with any insurance or managed care panels, which means that our clients pay privately for our services. We went off of insurance panels several years ago after realizing that the insurance company is not working for either client or clinician (figuratively or literally). This does not mean that you will be getting a second-rate experience.  In actuality, this approach allows you to receive several important advantages:

  1. The Benefit of Expertise

       Insurance panels are generally comprised of less experienced providers who are in the process of developing their practices and their skill. Since most insurance plans do not pay highly experienced therapists any more than those just beginning their career, the simple reality of business is that you tend to get what you pay for.

  2. The Benefit of Privacy

       Insurance companies have numerous ways of accessing information about you at various stages: this may include people who authorize payment, track your progress, audit psychotherapy practices, input data, print bills, and so on. By not involving your insurance company your private personal information stays between you and your clinician. So, the counselor is the only person who has access to it except under specific circumstances discussed in the informed consent.

  3. The Benefit of autonomy

       Insurance companies will often authorize only a certain limited number of sessions and can arbitrarily stop paying for services for a variety of reasons. Insurance companies make money by getting you out of therapy as soon as possible. We feel that it’s better for you to make that decision with your counselor, not a corporation.

  4. The Benefit of Protection

       Your insurance provider requires you to receive a psychiatric diagnosis for your issue (e.g. major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, bi-polar disorder). If you wish to obtain private health or life insurance in the future, this information is open to review and can result in you and your family being denied coverage. Paying privately avoids this risk.

  What About Out-Of-Network Benefits?

       You may be able to use your out-of-network insurance benefits to offset the cost of our services to you. We can provide a Superbill (clinical receipt) in exchange for your payment which you can then submit to your insurance company to request reimbursement for some or all of my session fee. Some plans or employers allow FSA/HSA spending to include therapy, or will apply costs to your annual deductible.

        To determine what benefits are available to you based on your insurance policy, reach out to your insurance provider or your employer’s subscriber services department. Ask what forms or process you need to follow, and we can  follow their instruction.