How do I become a patient?

The first step is a 15-minute consultation call. The consultation is used to understand what you’re experiencing, walk you through how the practice works, and determine whether Dr. Shelby is the right clinician for your situation. If she’s not, you’ll receive a referral to someone who is. You can schedule the consultation directly through the website.

Do I need a referral from my doctor?

No referral is required. Many patients are self-referred. Others come through primary care physicians, gynecologists, sleep medicine physicians, or psychiatrists. If you have a clinician already involved in your care, the practice is happy to coordinate.

Are sessions in-person or telehealth?

Both are available. Telehealth is offered to patients located in New York State via a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. In-person sessions are held at the White Plains office. Many patients choose telehealth for convenience; the clinical work is equally effective in either format, with most patients preferring telehealth.

How long until I can be seen?

15-minute consultation availability is typically within one week of inquiry. Once you’ve decided to move forward, the intake evaluation is scheduled within one to four weeks, depending on schedule alignment and practice demand. Active treatment begins shortly after intake.

Do you take insurance?

The practice is out-of-network for all insurance plans. This means patients pay the session fee directly, and the practice provides a superbill that you can submit to your insurance carrier for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Reimbursement depends on your specific plan’s out-of- network mental health benefits. Apps such as Reimbursify can also help to navigate and simplify the process.

Specific fees for the consultation, intake evaluation, and sessions are discussed during the initial consultation call. Fees are transparent and discussed up front, so you can make an informed decision before committing to treatment.

Do you offer payment plans or sliding scale?

Payment arrangements are discussed individually during the consultation. The practice prioritizes making the work financially feasible for committed patients within practical limits.

What’s your cancellation policy?

Cancellations require at least 48 hours’ notice to avoid being charged for the session. The policy reflects the difficulty of filling appointment slots on short notice and is consistent with standard clinical practice.

FAQ

Questions worth answering before the first call.

The questions below cover what most patients and inquirers ask before scheduling. If your question isn't here, the consultation call is the right place to ask it. There's no charge for the consultation, and there's no expectation that you commit to anything.

01 — Getting Started

Becoming a patient.

How to schedule, what the first conversation looks like, who the practice treats, and how telehealth works.

The consultation is conversational. Dr. Shelby will ask about your sleep history, what you’ve already tried, what’s currently affecting your daily life, and what you’re hoping to achieve. You’ll have the chance to ask questions about the treatment approach, the time commitment, and what to expect. If both of you agree the practice is the right fit, the next step is a comprehensive intake evaluation.

The practice treats chronic insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, sleep-related anxiety, behavioral sleep issues in children, and insomnia tied to specific life stages (pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, menopause). The practice is not the right fit for sleep apnea (which requires medical evaluation by a sleep medicine physician), active substance use, or severe untreated psychiatric conditions. Patients who would be better served elsewhere receive a referral.

02 — Treatment & CBT-I

How treatment works.

What CBT-I actually is, how long the course takes, how it works alongside existing medication, and what happens if the standard protocol doesn't get results.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is the first-line evidence-based treatment for chronic insomnia. It’s a structured, time-limited course — usually six to eight sessions over twelve to sixteen weeks — that addresses the behavioral and cognitive patterns that maintain insomnia. Treatment is tailored to the patient. It’s recommended by the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as the treatment to try before medication, not after.

If the standard protocol isn’t producing results by mid-treatment, Dr. Shelby will adjust the approach — sometimes that means more focus on cognitive components, sometimes it means evaluating whether something else is interfering (undiagnosed sleep apnea, untreated mood condition, medication side effects). If CBT-I isn’t working as hoped, you’ll receive a referral to a sleep medicine physician or another specialist as appropriate.

03 — Insurance & Fees

Cost, insurance, and payment.

The practice is out-of-network for insurance. The questions below cover what that means in practice, how reimbursement works, and the financial picture for committed patients.

Many patients receive partial out-of-network reimbursement. The amount depends on your specific plan’s out-of-network mental health benefits — typically the deductible you’ve already met, the reimbursement percentage, and the plan’s ‘allowed amount’ for psychology services. To find out what your plan covers, call the member services number on your insurance card and ask specifically about out-of-network mental health benefits for psychology services (CPT code 90790, 90834 or 90837). Apps such as Reimbursify can also help to navigate and simplify the process.

CBT-I is a finite treatment — generally six to eight sessions and the course is complete. Compared to the cumulative cost of years of sleep medications, supplements, sleep trackers, and lost workplace productivity from poor sleep, most patients find that a one-time investment in the treatment course is significantly more economical over the long term. The consultation is the right place to talk through the financial picture.

04 — For Parents

When the patient is a child.

Pediatric work involves different protocols and a different structure than adult treatment. The questions below cover what's different — and what's the same.

For pediatric work, the child is the identified patient, but the treatment almost always involves the parents — sometimes substantially. With younger children, the work is largely about coaching parents through the behavioral structure the child needs. With older children and adolescents, the child engages more directly, but parents remain involved. The family system is the unit of treatment, not just the child.

05 — Speaking & Media

Booking and inquiries.

For event programmers, conference organizers, and media professionals. The questions below cover lead time, audiences, customization, and inquiry response times.

Corporate wellness programs, healthcare and medical conferences, women’s leadership programs, employee resource groups (particularly women’s and parenting ERGs), benefits and HR leadership audiences, and academic medical settings. Three signature talks adapt to each audience: a general sleep keynote, a women-in-business focused talk, and a clinical CBT-I talk for healthcare and benefits audiences.

Still have Questions?

The fastest way to get an answer is to ask.

Depending on what brought you here, one of these is the right next step.

If you're booking a talk

Submit a speaker inquiry.

48-hour response. No agent, no bureau.

Speaker Inquiry

If you're a patient

Schedule a consultation.

A 30-minute call. No referral required. No charge.

Schedule Consultation

If you're working on a story

Submit a media inquiry.

24-hour response during weekdays. Urgent flag for same-day requests.

Media Inquiry