Frequently Asked Questions

My office is conveniently located in the Philadelphia suburbs at 63 Chestnut Road in Paoli, near the intersection of Routes 252 and 30 (Lancaster Ave) in the vicinity of the Paoli Shopping Center. The office is also convenient to Route 202 and Route 476 and is within walking distance of the Paoli train station.

My office is within 20 minutes of Wayne, Devon, Newtown Square, Malvern, West Chester, King of Prussia, Exton, Phoenixville and Media, Pennsylvania. It is approximately 30 minutes from Philadelphia.

Get directions to Dr. Susan McCrea’s office

Please contact me to discuss my hourly fee.  I offer a sliding fee scale, based on household income, for clients who may find it difficult to afford my services. Please feel free to inquire about this when you call.  The fee for psychological testing and evaluations are handled differently. Cash or check are preferred; most major credit cards are also accepted.

Although, I currently do not accept insurance, I would be happy to provide you with a receipt for our sessions that you may submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.  You may also contact your insurance company ahead of time to find out your individual reimbursement for out of network mental health services.

There are a number of benefits available from participating in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).  Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, OCD, ADHD, panic disorder, migraines, chronic pain, relationship troubles, and creative blocks. Many people also find that their therapist can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, and the challenges of daily life. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Identifying negative thoughts and emotions
• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, depression, guilt and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
• Managing chronic pain

Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. It is standard for therapists to discuss the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts between 45-60 minutes.

Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, where clients are able to notice marked improvement within 8 to 12 sessions.  Therapy can also be longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth.

Biofeedback is a training process that enables an individual to learn how to change physiological reactions for the purposes of decreasing stress, and improving health and performance.  In biofeedback training, non-invasive methods are utilized to teach the client to change physical reactions that he or she may not be aware of.  The biofeedback practitioner uses electronic equipment to measure and monitor physiological processes such as heart rate, breathing patterns, muscle tension and skin temperature.  These processes provide a window into how the body is functioning in a way that the mind can understand and have an impact on. Simple auditory and visual feedback is provided by the computer, and clients are taught to use this information to improve their health by reducing symptoms or promoting more relaxed functioning. Biofeedback training can usually be accomplished in a relatively short-term time frame, depending on a client's symptoms.  The therapist acts as a training coach, setting goals that are objective and measurable.  Clients are assigned home practice and self-monitoring exercises to ensure that they can learn to apply skills outside of sessions.  Biofeedback can also be used very effectively in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy and medical treatment.   Some of the most common problems treated include:

• Anxiety and stress
• Tension and Migraine headaches
• Chronic pain disorders
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Optimal performance (test-taking, sports, music/drama)
• Habit reduction