FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Psychotherapy
- How much does therapy cost?
- When you go to Counseling Associates, who knows about it?
- How long does therapy take?
- How do I pick a good therapist?
- What do you do in a therapy session?
- What kinds of people go to a therapist?
- How do I know when my therapy is completed?
- What do I do if I do not feel my therapist and I are a good fit?
- Who do I contact at the clinic if I have concerns about billing or insurance?
- What kinds of records does Counseling Associates keep of my therapy, and how is my privacy protected?
- Who has access to my records?
- How do the rules of confidentiality work? And under what circumstances do they not apply?
- What should a client do if he or she believes that he or she presents serious danger to self or others?
Counseling Associates answers commonly asked counseling questions to give you more information about what we do and how we can help you. If you need more information or to start therapy, contact our office.
Answers
Q: How much does therapy cost?
A: If you have insurance that covers therapy, typically $10 to $25 a session for the insurance co-pay; some insurance require a co-pay of a percentage of the fee, from 10 percent to 50 percent. If you are not using insurance, it will cost $65 to $125 per session. The fee is agreed upon by both client and therapist prior to beginning therapy.
Q: When you go to Counseling Associates, who knows about it?
A: Only you and those who help you. The only records are kept by Counseling Associates and are confidential. No information can be released without your knowledge and written consent, including the fact that you come to Counseling Associates for therapy.
Q: How long does therapy take?
A: Most therapy is short-term, from 6 to 10 sessions. Sometimes, however, therapy will last longer, as much as 50 to 100 sessions. Each client's needs are different, and therefore the number of sessions needed to accomplish his or her goals varies. The client always has the choice to continue or discontinue therapy at any time.
Q: How do I pick a good therapist?
A: Among the most reliable ways to find a good therapist is obtaining a referral from a trusted friend, colleague or physician. You can also call our main number, and a staff member will link you to a qualified therapist. Finally, each client is encouraged to inquire as to a potential therapist's style, philosophy and treatment modalities to try to arrange the best possible fit.
Q: What do you do in a therapy session?
A: Therapy sessions vary significantly from person to person. While therapy for children is often play driven, sessions for adolescents and adults are talk-oriented. Establishing goals with your therapist at the outset of treatment, will enable you to sustain a productive focus over time.
Q: What kinds of people go to a therapist?
A: All kinds – adults, children, teens, families and seniors. The general purpose of therapy is to help a person improve their overall satisfaction with their life. For some people, therapy is a way to improve their state of mind while dealing with a specific life challenge. For others, therapy is helpful for dealing with chronic difficulties, such as depression and anxiety.
Q: How do I know when my therapy is completed?
A: The choice to continue or stop therapy belongs to each client. Part of each client's treatment record is a list of concrete, identifiable goals established by the client. The purpose of the goals is to identify the client's objectives and to provide an objective record for tracking the progress of therapy. It is recommended that a client consult with his or her therapist prior to discontinuing therapy so that post-therapy care plans can be discussed and arranged.
Q: What do I do if I do not feel my therapist and I are a good fit?
A: The client has the final word on whether he or she wishes to continue working with a therapist. Productive therapy is usually the result of a strong, positive and respectful working relationship between therapist and client. Keep in mind that a poor fit should be discussed with the therapist directly before discontinuing therapy. This is because it can provide helpful closure to both parties when terminating a working relationship, and because resistance to working with a specific therapist can sometimes signal the presence of an important therapeutic issue that would benefit being worked through with the therapist rather than possibly avoided by leaving therapy to reduce discomfort. If you decide, after discussion with your current therapist, that you would like to switch to a new therapist, you can contact the front office and request you be transferred to a new clinician. **Keep in mind that it is unethical for multiple therapists to treat a client at the same time for the same problems and in the same manner. To do so would create overlapping of treatment that is considered non-beneficial to a client's therapeutic work.
Q: Who do I contact at the clinic if I have concerns about billing or insurance?
A: Call the main phone number 248-626-1500 and speak with the secretarial staff.
Q: What kinds of records does Counseling Associates keep of my therapy, and how is my privacy protected?
A: Written records are kept in compliance with state law and professional mandate. Such information includes basic contact information (i.e., name, address, phone numbers, emergency contact information), clerical information related to billing and insurance (i.e., social security number, insurance policy numbers), and progress notes and treatment records.
Q: Who has access to my records?
A: Only your therapist and the clinic's clerical and billing staff have access to your records unless you sign a release of information.
Q: How do the rules of confidentiality work? And under what circumstances do they not apply?
A: A client has confidentiality when speaking with his or her therapist. This means that all information discussed during each session is kept private, as well as the very fact that a given client is even in therapy. Such information can only be revealed to outside parties under a few specific circumstances. First, a therapist can reveal specified treatment information to specified individuals for a specified period of time if the client authorizes it by signing a complete release of information form. Secondly, a therapist is obligated by the professional code of ethics and the law to report any physical or sexual abuse perpetrated on the client or by the client. Finally, a therapist has an ethical duty to warn any identifiable individual or group of individuals if the therapist believes there is reasonable suspicion that the client intends to do fatal harm to the individual or individuals in question, or if the client represents a danger to him or herself. The case of danger to him or herself, a therapist is obligated by ethical and legal code to break confidentiality in order to ensure the client's safety through proper care. Such care can include admittance to a hospital emergency room or other qualified, emergency mental health care facility.
Q: What should a client do if he or she believes that he or she presents serious danger to self or others?
A: An individual should arrange for transportation to a Hospital Emergency Room with a psychiatric care unit, or, if uninsured and unable to pay for those services, contact Common Ground Sanctuary in Oakland County, Michigan at 800-231-1127 (This is the toll-free, 24 hour a day crisis intervention line.)
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