My Standard Rate is $150/Session for Individual Counseling

What To Expect During Counseling

During the first session, the therapist and client will:

  • review and sign the initial paperwork,
  • discuss the client's problems and goals for change,
  • decide together on the frequency of future appointments. (continued below photo)

Our Office is conveniently located off the BA Expressway which cuts down on your travel time to appointments.

Reaching out to counseling is not an easy step, therefore I want to address some of the questions clients have in the beginning.

One of the main aspects of concern for most people is the cost of counseling. My fee for a 50-minute session is $80. My goal is to make sure my clients receive the help that they need, versus turning away from counseling because the price is a deterrent.

A lot of my clients ask if their insurance company will pay for counseling. I am currently a credentialed provider with two insurance companies insurance companies: United Healthcare (UMR and Optum), and HealthChoise. However, my concern about the role of insurance in paying for counseling services is that insurance companies require a diagnosis. Based on this diagnosis, they will grant services and will decide how many sessions will be covered under your insurance policy.

Another concern that I have as a counselor is that once the diagnosis is in your medical records, it will become a label that follows you for the rest of your life. When a diagnosis is made, the insurance company requires access to your session notes and counseling file which may be added to your long-term medical records. The risk of providing such information is that I, as your counselor, have no control over what your insurance company will do with this information.

Another concern regarding the use of insurance to pay for counseling, involves being familiar with your insurance plan. Some plans cover a certain percentage of the session's fee while the client pays the remaining balance. Other plans use the fee towards the plan's deductable while the client is responsible for the fee.

Because of these reasons, I prefer to offer counseling that is affordable to most people so that insurance companies can be bypassed and your treatment remains confidential.

My Approach to Counseling

I work from a non-judgmental, strength based approach so I allow my clients to make decisions regarding their readiness and pace for change. Each client is different and has different needs; therefore there is no set of appointments that will be needed in order to accomplish your goals. It is common for client to come more often to sessions in the beginning and as times passes to set appointment at larger increments of time.

On average, significant results are noticed if appointments are scheduled once a week or bi-monthly. There is little to no progress if appointments are scheduled once a month in the beginning of the counseling process. Once a month sessions can be an option as you advance in the counseling process and you want to maintain the changes made.

Since I believe that the counseling process continues at home and does not stop in the office, in my work with my clients I incorporate homework. The homework refers to assignments where the client will replace new coping mechanisms or skills to replace those habits that decrease the quality of life.

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Page Last Updated: July 24, 2022