Please arrive at least 10 minutes early for your first scheduled appointment. The office staff will need to make a copy of your driver’s license and insurance card, so please bring them with you to your first appointment. The first appointment is called an “Intake” appointment and is an information gathering session. You will be asked about the reason for your visit, along with various other questions that will inform the services provided to you in the future. At the end of the first session, your therapist will discuss with you, treatment options for helping you to achieve your goals for therapy.
Sessions are usually 50-55 minutes in length. However, this may vary for young children who tend to have shorter attention spans. Further, as you near the end of your treatment, you and your therapist may decide that shorter sessions are also just as effective.
Therapists do not tell you what to do or give advice, but we do help you sort through your feelings and thoughts about a situation to help you make decisions that are consistent with your values and goals. Your therapist may also give you skills to help you solve difficult situations, as well as help you identify what is working to help you achieve your goals and what behaviors or thoughts may be getting in the way of you achieving your goals.
Please make an appointment for yourself with one of our therapists. Many people find that they feel better when they seek help and support. It is possible that your therapist can also give you new skills for communicating with your partner that also lead to improvements in the relationship.
Honesty is the best policy. Let them know you have concerns about how they are feeling or behaving and that you would like for them to talk to someone who can help him or her and also help you know how to best support your child. Let them know that it is normal to see a therapist and that many children and teens have similar struggles. You can also let them know that their therapist will be a safe place for them to talk about anything that is bothering them.
We require that anyone over the age of 18 schedule their own appointments. An exception to this is if the client is still in high school and is 18 years or older, or if the parent has legal guardianship over the adult child.
We do not allow the first appointment to be made by a spouse. The individual attending the sessions will need to make the first appointment. Once the person attends the first appointment, they may choose to sign a consent form allowing our staff to speak with someone else on their behalf about scheduling future appointments.
Some insurance plans require that you have a doctor’s referral, but others don’t. Simply call the office and our staff will be able to assist you and schedule your appointment.
Life happens, things come up, people get sick. We completely understand. If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance. Our therapists set aside a full hour for each client and we do not overbook sessions. We also keep a waiting list for clients who are needing additional appointments each week. We appreciate the courtesy of notifying us at least 24 hours in advance if you will not be able to attend an appointment. Failure to a give 24 hour notice may result in a charge of the full session fee to the card you have on file. The full session fee for Ph.D. level practitioners is $160, and $115 for Master’s level practitioners.
If you are an adult coming for individual therapy, please do NOT bring your children to your session. This is YOUR hour. There may be some content you want to discuss that would be harmful for your children to overhear. And finally, bringing your child/children may be a distraction and keep you from fully engaging in the session. We are also not able to supervise your children in the waiting room during your therapy appointment. You may wish to consider teletherapy as an option so that you can closely monitor children while still having some privacy.
Absolutely! Parents have a ton of input to give into what is going on with their child’s behaviors. Your therapist may request to speak to you and your child together sometimes and separately at other times. It’s best to be available, either in person or by phone, even if you are not in the session, in case something important comes up that you need to be aware of.
Because your child is a minor, at any time, you can request to know what is discussed with them privately, but it’s best to allow your child some privacy so that they have the freedom to talk about things that they might otherwise be hesitant to say.
Please do not bring any other children or family members to the therapy sessions. Having other children in the session is a distraction for the child, the therapist, and for you. Further, it will interfere with the efficacy of treatment and delay the therapeutic process. We take confidentiality very seriously and this includes your child’s confidentiality from his/her siblings.
If you do not have insurance, our rate varies depending on the provider’s credentials and qualifications. These fees range from $75 to $160 for a 53 minute session. If you are using your insurance, your financial responsibility depends on your insurance plan. If you would like to call the office at (936) 272-0555, we will be happy to verify your benefits and tell you what you will owe at each session. Even though we will verify your insurance prior to your appointment, this is not a guarantee of benefits. You are also welcomed to contact your insurance company and ask them about mental health benefits associated with your plan.
Yes, we provide teletherapy, and many insurance companies are now paying for teletherapy appointments. However, teletherapy may not be appropriate for young children, depending on their age and maturity level.