Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I expect With a Phone Consultation?
This is the first step towards scheduling your initial appointment. Your prospective therapist will give you a call at a time you agree on and will ask you a few questions in order to determine if the treatment offered will be a good fit for you and your situation.
It will allow the therapist to get some helpful background information and context for the issue(s) that you are struggling with. It will also be a good opportunity for you to ask the therapist questions — about their style, experience, what treatment could look like and what to expect, information and fees and billing/reimbursement etc.
Lastly, you will have the opportunity to schedule an initial session if you so choose.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth (AKA teletherapy) is the practice of psychotherapy using a telecommunication system to provide clinical services. Through audio and video over the internet, you can meet with your clinician on-the-go from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device (iOS or Android).
Telehealth allows us to connect anywhere with secure and convenient appointments that save you time and hassle, and research has shown that it is equally as effective as in-person treatment.
What should i Expect during my first session?
After an initial phone consultation you may then be scheduled for an initial one-hour evaluation session which provides an opportunity for you to build rapport with your therapist and provide them with some background about yourself and the reasons you are seeking counseling. In addition, the therapist will be able to answer your questions regarding services, fees, confidentiality and what to expect in therapy.
Our goal is to develop a collaborative relationship with you in which we try to decide together what kind of treatment would be best for you.
At the end of that first session, if it is decided that it is in your best interest to move forward working with your therapist, you will decide on a mutually-agreeable time slot for your therapy sessions (typically, the client and therapist will meet once a week, and each session will last approximately 50 minutes). At your second appointment, you will begin working with your therapist to set goals for your therapy experience and then begin working together toward achieving them.
What Are out-of-network Benefits and how do I find out if I qualify?
You might be interested in working with a provider who doesn’t accept your insurance. We would call this an out-of-network provider. Sometimes, your insurance company will agree to provide reimbursement for all or a portion of the fee as long as you submit claims to them, and often times you have to meet a deductible first.
Although they do not bill insurance companies, an out-of-network provider can provide a bill and receipt of payment that contain all the information you will need to file an out-of-network claim with your insurance company for reimbursement.
→ Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.
Please check with your insurance company prior to your first meeting to understand your benefits (regarding reimbursement). You can ask your insurance company the following questions:
What is the coverage for “outpatient psychotherapy services"?
Do I have "out-of-network" benefits as part of my insurance coverage?
Do I have a deductible (and if so, what is it and have I met it yet)?
What is the percentage of reimbursement for an "out-of-network provider"?
→ For more information on utilizing out-of-network benefits, click here.