Therapy ·Training · Consulting
Northampton, MA and Online
The Ruby Institute
Frequently Asked Questions
About The Institute
What is The Ruby Institute?
The Ruby Institute for Healing & Belonging is a therapy practice and training clinic in Northampton, Massachusetts, founded by Phoenix Rosewood, PhD, LMHC. We do three things under one roof: therapy for adults, children and families, training and supervision for clinicians, and consulting for organizations. All three rest on the same commitments: relationship, rigor, and justice.
What's it like to work or teach here?
Clinicians and trainers come here for the support that's hard to find early in a career:
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Intensive supervision, including live and technology-supported supervision
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Reliable income, with practice costs covered
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A fully furnished, beautiful office in downtown Northampton
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Support building your own practice
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Reduced-cost trainings and a deep library of resources
Getting Started
How do I start therapy with you?
Fill out our form, reach out by email, or give us a call at (413) 588-4783 and let us know you'd like a consult. We'll set up a free 15-minute phone call to see whether we're a good fit. If we are, we'll schedule your first session directly. We don't offer online self-scheduling at this time.
What happens on the free call?
We'll ask what's bringing you in and what you're hoping for, and you can ask us anything: about our approach, cost, or what therapy here looks like. By the end, we'll both have a sense of whether it's a fit. If it isn't, we're glad to suggest other options.
Is there a waiting list?
Phoenix's caseload is currently full. Our associate clinicians are building their caseloads now for affordable sliding scale sessions starting in December. To join that waitlist, email us with a request.
Do you offer sessions in person, online, or both?
Both. Our office is at 25 Main Street, Suite 330, Northampton, MA 01060. It's fully furnished and ADA accessible. Online sessions are available for clients located in Massachusetts and Vermont.
Who do you work with?
We currently work with individual adults, 18 and older.
Do you prescribe medication?
No. Our clinicians are counselors and don't prescribe medication. When medication might help, we'll refer you to a prescriber.
Cost & Insurance
What are your rates?
Clinician
Details
Rates
Phoenix Rosewood, PhD, LMHC
Licensed counselor, supervisor, and counselor educator. 50–55 minute sessions.
$250 intake · $200 per session
Associate Clinicians
Master's graduates working toward licensure, with weekly supervision from licensed supervisors. 50-minute sessions.
$60–$150 sliding scale
Clinical Interns
Master's students who have completed their coursework and prior clinical experience
$60–$150 sliding scale
Do you take insurance?
Yes. We're in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Health New England (HNE), and Optum. For other plans, we can give you a superbill to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Many clients get at least part of the cost covered this way.
Do you offer reduced fees?
Yes. Sessions with our associate clinicians are $55, and our clinical interns offer a $60–$150 sliding scale. Therapy groups run $40–$75 per session on a sliding scale. If cost is a barrier, tell us on the free call and we'll talk through options.
How do I pay?
We accept cash, credit and debit cards, and HSA/FSA cards.
What if I need to cancel?
Please give at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. Everyone gets one missed appointment without a fee. After that, appointments missed or canceled with less than 24 hours' notice are $80. If there are more than three last-minute cancellations within three months, we'll talk together about whether holding a weekly time still works for you.
Our Clinicians & Approach
Who works and trains here?
We're one of the few training clinics focused on developing licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs). Counselors are trained to see clients as already whole, so our work centers the whole person rather than only symptoms or diagnoses. Social justice, advocacy, and holding multiple points of view are part of that ethical foundation. We also welcome clinicians from other disciplines, including social work, family therapy, and psychology, whose training aligns with these standards.
What is a session like?
Sessions are typically 50 to 55 minutes. Before your first session, called an intake, we'll send paperwork through our secure client portal so our time together can focus on what matters most.
In the intake, we'll review informed consent together: the approaches your clinician is trained in, how they work, confidentiality and its limits, and your rights as a client. Mostly, it's a chance to feel what it's like to work together in real time and talk about what you need in a therapist. If it feels right on both sides, we'll set your next appointment.
Can I bring a partner, family member, or friend?
Sometimes. Some of our work is with individual adults, and with your consent, a partner, family member, or friend can join a session when it supports your goals. Certain offerings are built around more than one person (such as Reckoning and Repair work). This will be discussed with your counselor.
Do you treat trauma?
Yes. Our clinicians have advanced training in treating single-event, complex, and developmental trauma. Phoenix offers EMDR, including EMDR intensives: longer sessions of 90 minutes to four hours, at a higher fee. We also work with people dealing with harm from systems: discrimination, threats, and being targeted for who they are. We see the ways people cope as efforts to live with dignity, using what they have access to.
Are you LGBTQIA+ affirming?
Yes. We're an affirming practice for LGBTQIA+ people and families. We provide gender-affirming care assessments, letters of support, and clinical recommendations, and we support people exploring sexuality, gender, and identity at their own pace.
Training & Your Care
How does being a training clinic affect my care?
You choose your level of involvement, and we respect that choice either way.
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You can say yes to live supervision, where a supervisor observes your session, or to video recording for training purposes. You'll meet anyone observing beforehand.
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You can say no and work only with your clinician. You'll still benefit from the supervision and reflection that shape every clinician here.
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Intake sessions are never observed.
Supervision focuses on the clinician's skills, not on your story. Research shows live supervision is an effective way for clinicians to learn advanced techniques, and it gives your clinician a team to consult when things get complex. If you're open to it, bring it up with your clinician or Phoenix.
Who can see my information?
Your records are confidential and protected under federal and state privacy law. Supervisors involved in your care may review your clinician's work, always with your consent. As with any therapist, there are legal limits to confidentiality, such as risk of serious harm to yourself or others or suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. We'll go over these with you at your first session.
Clients use SimplePractice, our secure electronic health record, to complete intake forms and send messages. Email is often the fastest way to reach us.
Groups
How do your therapy groups work?
Our groups are small, structured, and time-limited, each focused on a shared experience or goal. Current groups are closed, meaning the same people meet together from start to finish, which builds trust. Groups are $40–$75 per session on a sliding scale and aren't covered by insurance at this time. You can read more about our current offerings on our Programs page. To ask about a current group or reserve a spot, send us an email.
Trainings for Clinicians
How do I register for a training?
Use the registration link on each training's page. Groups of three or more from the same agency, university, or practice get 10% off.
Do your trainings offer CE credit?
Many do. We apply for continuing education credit through the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association (MaMHCA). Each training's page lists its current status.
What if I can't attend after registering?
We aim to be as accommodating as possible.
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Cancellation with more than 1 week's notice: full refund
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Cancellation within 1 week of training: 50% refund
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Cancellation within 24 hours of training: no refund
Instead of a refund, you can apply your payment as credit toward a future training.
Are reduced rates available?
Yes. Our Community Fund, which is 100% donation-based, keeps reduced-rate seats open for clinicians who need them. Reach out before registering to ask.
Do you offer supervision or consultation for clinicians outside the institute?
Yes. Phoenix offers supervision and consultation in person at the Northampton office or by telehealth. The rate is $150 per hour, or $100 per hour for clinicians working in community mental health or school systems.
The Community Fund
Who can apply?
Anyone registering for a Ruby Institute training, fellowship, or advanced educational program.
Can I apply for more than one training?
You may apply as many times as you would like. We reserve the right to award funding at our discretion.
Does the fund cover therapy?
The Community Fund covers education and training. For therapy, ask about our sliding-scale rates and $55 sessions with associate clinicians. See Services
What happens when the fund runs out?
We pause applications until it's replenished. You'll see the status at the top of the application section.
Can I give in honor of someone?
Yes. Add their name in the comment field when you give.
Consulting
How does a consulting project start?
Email us with a few lines about your organization and what you're hoping to change. We'll set up a scoping call to talk through goals, timeline, and fit, then send a proposal tailored to your team before any work begins.