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FREQUENTLY-ASKED 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?
Fees will be discussed with your therapists or
when calling to do your intake.
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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