About Spiro

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Who We Are

At Spiro Behavioral Medicine our mission is to provide evidence-based, specialized, hyperaccessible psychotherapy and consultation related to infertility and other reproductive concerns. Our goal is to help our clients, their partners, family, and third parties be their most resilient during the process of building a family or making the decision to proceed in another direction. To achieve this end, our therapists, who have a deep grounding in scientifically based psychotherapy and specialized knowledge of reproductive mental health, provide individual and group counseling.

To ensure that the highest quality of care is widely available and convenient during a period in life with many impingements on time and energy, we offer these services through a state-of-the-art, web-based platform that mimics an in-person, individual psychotherapy session without the hassle or expense of travel to an appointment. While some of our therapists have gone through our own winding journeys to build a family, we recognize that each journey is unique, and look forward to providing support that is at once empathetic, non-judgmental, based in evidence, and couched in deep knowledge of the conceptual, psychological underpinnings related to reproductive health.

Our Team

Sarah Catanese, PhD

Dr. Catanese has nearly 15 years of experience as a clinical psychologist. She believes in the transformative power of psychotherapy, through a blend of art and science, to help each client reach their potential, even, and sometimes especially, during challenging times. “Each individual has his or her own path, and the art of psychotherapy comes in adapting knowledge, gained through training and science, to each person’s unique goals.”

Dr. Catanese completed a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical psychology and research at Children’s Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School. She completed her pre-doctoral training at UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine. She completed her PhD in clinical psychology, with a specialization in Health Psychology, at Rosalind Franklin University of Health Sciences, a nationally recognized scientist-practitioner program.

Dr. Catanese is on faculty at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. She is on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine Mental Health Professional Group and Resolve. She serves as the Health Behavior Coordinator at the Chicago VA and Community Based Outpatient Clinics, where she coordinates the health behavior programs, and helps physicians and nurses optimize communication
with their patients.

FAQs

: Many of our psychologists have specialized experience working with couples and families. We are not currently offering groups, but will in the near future.

: Men are often an integral part of fertility treatment and can experience many of the same symptoms experienced by women going through treatment, but often without the same social support. We see men for individual and couples’ treatment, as well as for third party evaluations.

: Our research and practice includes knowledge and experience working with all aspects of donor conception. We have psychologists on staff with specialized training in pediatric psychology, who are available to see children.

: The initial evaluation will be at least one hour, but may be longer depending on each individual. The evaluation will conclude with a treatment plan and mutually agreed upon goals for treatment.

: We work closely with psychiatrists who are able to prescribe and manage medication.

: Stress and anxiety are undoubtedly high during fertility treatments. While some studies have found that interventions to reduce stress and anxiety increased pregnancy rates during infertility treatment, overall the literature indicates that stress and anxiety DO NOT impact pregnancy rates during fertility treatment. In fact, the pressure to relax can be anxiety-inducing, and waiting to reduce stress and anxiety before proceeding with treatment can delay a successful outcome. Reducing stress and anxiety during fertility treatments, however, can improve quality of life, reduce burnout, improve health, and strengthen relationships.

: Meeting with a psychologist prior to pursuing fertility treatment or preservation can be helpful. We can assist in making decisions, grieving the loss of a pregnancy without the need for fertility treatment, considering various perspectives, developing a plan, and achieving health behavior goals to start treatment at your healthiest (e.g., improving sleep, addressing symptoms of depression or anxiety, or improving diet and exercise).

: We always will be available for consultation to our clients, even after treatment. Sometimes issues will arise related to fertility treatment even though actual treatments have ended. Other times our clients want to continue to see a therapist with whom they have a strong connection. We will partner with you to determine if we are the best team to treat you, and if not, we will refer you to someone else. First-time patients who have concerns related to reproductive medicine, even though they may have completed treatment, are welcome to contact us for a consultation.

: Teletherapy has been shown to be just as effective as in-person treatment. For example, one study found that mood disorders responded to cognitive behavioral therapy just as well when it was provided over the internet as when it was provided in person according to a study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

: While all of our therapists specialize in reproductive medicine, we all have a solid grounding in clinical psychology. Some of our therapists have specialized experience in mood and anxiety disorders, couples and families, pediatric psychology, and health psychology (e.g., treatment of insomnia, weight management). Please call us for a consultation, and if we are not the best team to treat you, we will refer you to someone else.

: All you need is a standard internet connection, a computer or a cell phone. We use a HIPAA compliant platform that is used by physicians, psychologists, and other medical professionals across the world. Your information and interaction during your session are absolutely secure. Our platform’s security exceeds HIPAA standards, and security provided by other applications like FaceTime.

: With your consent, we will communicate with your team as needed to coordinate care.

: At Spiro, we are strong proponents of evidence-based therapy. Your therapist will choose treatments that are supported by evidence and have sound conceptual underpinnings. Our therapists are well-versed in cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and motivational interviewing.

: Most insurance plans cover live telehealth appointments similar to in-person appointments. We accept all health plans except for Medicare or Medicaid. While we accept most insurances, we are not in any insurance networks. Therefore, your visits will be covered at your out-of-network rate. While it is your responsibility to verify your benefits, Spiro will submit your claim to your insurance company, who will in-turn, reimburse you according to their contracts. Payment is expected at time of service.

: We accept all major credit cards and Chase QuickPay® with Zelle®

: Kindly provide at least 24 hours’ notice for any appointment that needs to be rescheduled. Appointments cancelled less than 24 hours will be subject to a cancellation charge.

: Individual therapists’ hours vary, but many have weekend and evening hours.

: Please feel free to contact us and we will get back to you promptly.

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