HOUSTON COUNSELING AFFILIATES, PLLC
Tel: (713)-896-6990 EXT. 1
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.
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:
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.
What exactly is therapy?
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.