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FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS HOW OFTEN WILL I COME IN FOR THERAPY? There is not a set number of sessions for any type of therapy. Your therapist can give you some idea of this after your first one or two meetings. You may begin with weekly sessions until you feel some relief from your initial symptoms, then possibly reduce to sessions every other week or less. Some clients end up coming in monthly or perhaps yearly for a "mental health check-up" – similar to seeing your doctor for a yearly physical exam.
HOW LONG IS A SESSION? Unless a different time has been decided upon beforehand, each session is about 50 minutes.
WHAT ARE THE FEES? Our fees are $175 for the initial session and $140 thereafter for a 50-minute session. We do have consulting psychiatrists on staff whose fees are $270 for the initial 50-minute assessment and decreasing fees for follow-up medication reviews. Fees maybe covered by your medical insurance. You can discuss this with your therapist who will return your initial call to our office. You may want to check with your insurance company to see if you have benefits for outpatient mental health services.
WHAT INSURANCE COMPANIES DOES YOUR STAFF WORK WITH? Not every therapist at Family Enrichment is a provider for every insurance company listed. Our receptionist may be able to answer this question when you call, you may call your insurance company's 800 number listed on the back of your card (asking for providers for outpatient mental health services), or you may ask the therapist who returns your initial call. As a practice, we accept the following insurance: BlueCross BlueShield, TriCare, MHNet (Coventry), UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, Aetna, Cigna, Midlands Choice, Golden Rule, Principal and ValueOptions.
WHAT IF I NEED MEDICATION? We have psychiatrists who come to our office for the purpose of assessing and prescribing medication. We also can coordinate your care with some psychiatrists who consult with us. This will require a separate appointment with the psychiatrist.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PSYCHIATRISTS, THERAPISTS/COUNSELORS, OR PSYCHOLOGISTS? Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have specialized in the treatment of emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, etc. They can prescribe medication or admit someone to the hospital if needed. Psychologists are specially trained to give certain kind of psychological tests – such as IQ testing, tests for learning disabilities or mental illness of various kinds. They also do "talk therapy" sometimes, as do therapists and counselors.
WHAT WILL I TALK ABOUT DURING THE FIRST VISIT? Your therapist will be very interested in learning about you, your situation, and how you decided to call for an appointment at this time in your life. Your therapist will help you explain yourself by asking you some questions designed to learn more about you and your situation.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL ABOUT THERAPY?
Certain decisions in life are very personal. This is one of them. People often begin to think about seeking out therapy when stress is high, relationships become problematic, or emotions are painful. Major life transitions often cause people to think about therapy.
HOW DO I PAY FOR THESE SERVICES?
Your health insurance company may pay for a portion of your care. You will be responsible for the portion of the fee that your insurance may not cover, including your deductible and co-pays. These payments can be made at the time of service by cash, check, or credit card (Visa or Mastercard). Some insurance carriers require notification or pre-authorization of outpatient mental health services prior to the initial appointment. We will help you with this, but it is important that you call your insurance company to see if they have this requirement. They will also tell you if you have a limited number of sessions.
What are your hours?
Many of our therapists offer evening, weekend, or early morning hours. A receptionist is usually available to answer your phone call from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays.
How soon can I get an appointment?
If you are having a crisis, someone will see you within 24 hours. Most non-crisis calls for an appointment can be scheduled within a few days with most therapists. Requests for evening and weekend appointments are high, so we encourage you to be as flexible as possible for your first appointment.
What paperwork will I need to complete initially?
The intake paperwork can be downloaded from this website. You may complete it and bring it along with you to the first appointment or you can wait until you come to the office to complete it there. Please bring your medical insurance card with you so that we may make a copy of it if you plan for us to file your visits with the insurance company.
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