FAQ

Choosing someone to support you is a very important decision. To help you decide if you would like to work together, I've included some answers to the most common questions people have when considering therapy.

Frequently asked questions

Do you accept insurance, and how does that work?

I am currently In-Network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and Medicare and will be expanding to accept additional insurance plans soon. If you currenly have insurance coverage with an Out-of- Network provider, it is still possible to be seen in the office. For clients with Out-of-Network coverage, I will provide you with a statement showing the dates of counseling sessions and the amount you paid for services, as well as a clinical diagnosis, which is what your insurance company requires in order to reimburse you for mental health services by out-of-network providers. I recommed checking with your insurance carrier to understand clearly what their provisions are for out-of-network coverage. The rate of reimbursement varies from carrier to carrier. Most PPO plans will reimburse you for a good portion of the session fee (40%-60%) but every plan is different so call your insurance carrier to ask about your specific coverage. Some helpful questions you can ask your carrier: *How much does my insurance pay for an out-of network provider? If you're doing individual therapy, ask about reimbursement for procedural code 90834. For couples therapy, ask about code 90847. *Is there a deductable that has to be met before you reimburse for out-of-network therapy sessions? If so, what is it and ho close am I to meeting that? *Is there a limit to how many sessions you will reimburse for? *Is any pre-approval required under any circumstances before obtaining before obtaining out-of-network mental health services to be reimbursed?



How do I know if you're the right therapist for me?

Choosing a therapist is a very personal decision. Therapy is only as effective a the relationship between therapist and client. Due to this, I believe the best way to determine if a mental health professional is right for you is to book an appointment and simply meet with him or her. Trust your intuition when you are with them. Ask yourself: -Can I see myself feeling safe and comfortable with this person? -Does this person "get" me? You can also ask yourself this question during and after an initial phone consultation before you book that first session.



What kind of clients do you work with?

I work with individuals and couples of all different identities and ethnicities. I welcome diversity including all body sizes, abilities, races, sexualities, genders, religions, and political vaues. "Often our mental health struggles feel isolating. We feel all alone in our anxiety, depression, or traumatic memories." I want you to feel seen, heard, and validated at Houston Counseling Affiliates. While some of my clients have been to therapy before, the majority of my clients are first timers to therapy. While my clients' professions, ages, ethnicities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, religions, family backgrounds, and lifestyles vary widely, all of them share something in common: they are people who are in pain and who are at a point where they are willing to commit and invest in themselves and in therapy in order to change and create something different in their lives.



What exactly is therapy?

Put simply, therapy- also called psychotherapy or counseling (I use the terms interchangeably)- is the process of meeting with a trained and credentialed professional professional ideally on a weekly, ongoing basis to help you recognize and change deep rooted and potentially self-sabotaging mental and emotional behaviors, thoughts, and patterns that are keepig you feeling stuck, in pain, disconnected, and away from the life you want to live.



What if I need medication?

Medication can be essential in the treatment of some mental illness. If medication is deemed necessary, I will provide you with a referral list of trusted psychiatrists for medication evaluation.



What happens during the free 15 minute phone consultation?

The initial phone consult gives you an opportunity to ask questions and decide if you'd like to schedule an appointment to be seen in the privacy of my Greenspoint area (North Houston, Texas) office. It also helps me get a sense of what you're looking for help with in therapy. If we're a good fit, then your personal information will be asked to schedule your first session. You'll get an e-mail with a link to all the paperwork to be completed 24 hours before your first session. (Don't worry- your information will be protected by a state of the art system with bank-grade encryption.)



What happens in the first session?

Your therapist prepares for your first session by reviewing your answers to the initial paperwork you completed online. I will have questions in response to the information you provided and you'll get deeper into your story and your goals for therapy. During this time, we're getting to know one another, and you're getting a clearer sense of whether I'm the therapist you'd like to continue exploring difficult and vulnerable topics with in counseling.



How often will we meet?

You'll always meet weekly at the beginning (first month or so) and then you and I will decide together the frequency that makes sense to help you achieve your goals for therapy.



How long will counseling take?

There aren't any hard and fast rules when it comes to therapy. It depends on what brought you to therapy, your goals, and your effort to practice what you're working on in your daily life. Each person takes a different path. Once you reach your goals, together you and I will decide whether to start the process of saying goodbye or focus on new goals. You'll find support for as long as you need, but no more than necessary. In some cases, clients prefer to check-in with me as needed or for monthly maintenance sessions after our initial work ends.



Do you have a cancellation policy?

Yes. I ask for a minimum of 24 hours notice if you need to cancel a session. A cancellation fee will be charged to the credit card on file if you fail to attend a scheduled session or give less that 24 hours notice of cancellation.



Can someone else pay for my therapy?

Sure, but if you are 18 or older, we'll need to obtain: their written authoriation to charge their credit card; and their signed acknowledgment of understanding that they will not have written or verbal access to any of the content of your therapy without your written consent.



When is payment due?

Full payment is due at the time of service.



What forms of payment do you accept?

Due to legal and ethical requirements, clients are not allowed to carry account balances as doing so can muddy the waters of clinical work. We accept cash, check, debit, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) at this time.