COMMON QUESTIONS

+ How can counseling help me?

A number of benefits are available from participating in counseling. Counselors can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, etc.. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Counselors can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from counseling depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or relationship
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

+ Do I really need counseling? I can usually handle my problems.

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, counseling is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking counseling. Counseling provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

+ Why do people go to counseling and how do I know if it is right for me?

People have many different motivations for coming to counseling. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, newborn, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts, etc. Counseling can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves, their relationships, or want to be more effective with their goals. In short, people seeking counseling are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make the necessary changes.

+ What if counseling makes us learn we shouldn’t be together?

It’s likely that this is just a fear and that, if you’re both committed to the couples counseling process, you can get your relationship back on track. But, if this fear is in fact a reality, avoiding the truth will only prolong the pain. In sessions, we can help you and your partner decide if you both really want to make your relationship work. If not, we can help you part ways amicably.

+ Do you provide LGBT and heterosexual couples counseling?

Yes. We have experience working with many kinds of couples, including both LGBT and heterosexual couples. We have been helping ALL types of couples rebuild their relationships using Gottman Method Couples Therapy, a research-based model with over 40 years of experience and statistical evidence designed to help committed partners of any sexual-orientation develop a relationship based on increased friendship and intimacy, effective conflict management, and shared meaning, which has been proven to be highly effective regardless of sexual preference or orientation.

+ What is counseling like?

Because each person has different issues and goals for counseling, counseling will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous counseling session. Depending on your specific needs, counseling can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your counselor (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from counseling if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of counseling is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in counseling sessions, your counselor may suggest some things you can do outside of counseling to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking counseling are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.

+ How is online counseling different from in-person counseling?

Online counseling, also known as e-therapy, e-counseling, teletherapy or cyber-counseling, is a relatively new development in mental health in which a counselor provides psychological advice and support over the internet. At Here & Now Counseling Services, PLLC we provide weekly (or as needed) sessions using live video-confrencing with you and your partner that look and feel similar to an in-person session with the added comformt of being in your home or another private and convenient location. The couple must be comfortable with and knowledgable about video-conferencing software similar to Skype, Facetime, etc., with access to a reliable internet connection. Our video-confrencing software can be downloaded and accessed through our client portal and is HIPPA compliant (secure encrypted connection used to protect your privacy).

+ What about medication vs. counseling?

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, counseling addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what is best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and counseling is the right course of action.

+ What are the positive aspects of online counseling?

Online counseling of almost any sort can prove helpful to the many individuals who for whatever reason cannot go to a counselor’s office. Even if counselors do offer services within reasonable geographic proximity, many individuals benefit when their counseling can be available without travel, either before work hours, during a lunch hour, immediately after work, or in the evenings.

+ What are the negative aspects of online counseling?

Clients do need to beware. Online services sometimes are offered by minimally trained and unlicensed therapists, as these counselors do not need to abide by the rules of more conservative mental health professional organizations such as the professional associations of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and marriage and family therapists. The counselors at Here & Now Counseling Services are all fully-licensed mental health professionals with advanced training in couples therapy. Do check your online counselor's credentials. Licensed mental health professionals must only use HIPPA compliant software to conduct online counseling. Beware using video-conferencing software such as Skype or FaceTime because they are currently not HIPPA compliant, therefore it is not secure or private. Also, if you are working with someone that does not feel helpful, say goodbye and find another.

+ Do you take insurance, and how does that work?

Currently we are an out-of-network provider and do not accept insurance, but we can provide you with a ‘superbill’ to request reimbursement from your insurance provider. To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:

• What are my mental health benefits?
• What is the coverage amount per counseling session?
• How many counseling sessions does my plan cover?
• How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
• Is approval required from my primary care physician?

+ Why should I choose private-pay?

While paying privately for counseling may not be right for everyone, there are some definite drawbacks to going through insurance, and some surprising benefits to paying out-of-pocket.

Session Limits – Insurance companies have a vested interest in reducing their costs. It is often cheaper for them to create obstacles to treatment (that then need to be appealed by providers, clients or both) rather than to simply authorize adequate treatment up front. Often, people will only have a handful of covered sessions in which to address and work through longstanding issues.

Loss of Privacy – Many insurance companies require counselors to diagnose their patients in order for treatment to be authorized. Not surprisingly, this can have important consequences. Once the diagnosis is recorded and sent to insurance, the counselor has no further ability to control the dissemination of that information. It becomes a part of a permanent record. Some diagnoses carry stigma, can be used to justify decisions about life insurance coverage, or may impact security screenings for some forms of employment.

When counselors treat clients privately, they retain discretion over whether or not to provide an official diagnosis. The best way to ensure the highest level of privacy is to pay for counseling out-of-pocket.

Increased Value – Like anything in life, counseling has more emotional and psychological value when it requires some level of sacrifice to obtain. Budgeting and paying for counseling out of one’s own pocket makes the relationship more significant. It carries more weight because of the personal investment.

+ What are the fees for services and how are they used?

Although we have a standard hourly fee, please feel welcomed to discuss this with your counselor during the initial visit. If we can’t help you, we will refer you to another counselor or agency.

Standard Rate – $120 for a 50 min session (individual / couple / assessment)

Effective couples counseling can be far less expensive than a divorce. According to a 2006 article on Forbes.com, divorce proceedings can range from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars, with the average cost of a contested divorce ranging from $15,000 to $30,000. Most of this money is spent on legal fees. The average divorce cost varies considerably depending on the type of divorce, how contentious the divorce is and whether you use options such as mediation or collaborative divorce.

When considering the cost of couples counseling, our counselors encourage clients to consider how much they have spent or would consider spending on their wedding. The average cost for a wedding in the United States in 2017 was $25,764. Couples, on average, spend between $19,323 and $32,205 but, 50% of couples spend less than $15,000. The average amount of time spent in couples counseling is 3 months with the average cost being between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on each couple’s specific needs. Premarital Couples Counseling can be completed in as little as 5 - 6 sessions and can cost on average $800 - $1,000 or less depending on the needs and wants of the couple.

+ Does what we talk about in counseling remain confidential?

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between you and your counselor. Successful counseling requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the counselors office. Every counselor should provide a copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called ‘Informed Consent’. Sometimes, however, you may want your counselor to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your counselor cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require counselors to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

• Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.

• If the counselor has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming themselves or another person.