It's helpful and encouraged for clients to ask many questions when choosing to work with a licensed mental health clinician. Here are some answers to the questions I receive the most. If you can’t find what you are looking for, please ask. 
 

Why wouldn't someone use insurance?

Many clients choose not to use insurance, and some services are not billable to insurance. When insurance is utilized, your therapist must make a diagnosis for insurance to cover the session. Not all diagnoses are covered by insurance and insurances can dictate the course of treatment, limit the amount and duration of sessions. Insurances may also request to review client records at any time.

You have a right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining how much health care services will cost.

You can learn more about The No Surprises Act at https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises    

What is your specialization?

I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Pennsylvania. I work with adults who are experiencing general stressors, feeling stuck, experiencing anxiety, or depression. I provide trauma therapy with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. 

What does a typical session look like?

Our first session will be focused on outlining your background information and answering any questions you might have. We will create our treatment plan together, identifying your goals and the treatment modalities that will work best for you. Typically, sessions are 45-55 minutes. We will have a brief check-in at the start of each session and then move into working on your goals. You determine what we prioritize talking about in each session. I encourage self-awareness and will help you tune into what you need in the moment.

How long does therapy take?

We can adjust the frequency and duration based on what you need. Some clients need weekly sessions for months, others are looking for brief treatment focusing on gaining skills that they can apply on their own. It really depends on what you need at the time.

What's the difference between counseling and therapy?

Therapy is short for psychotherapy (as opposed to physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc). "Psycho-" still holds a certain connotation and it's been shorted to just "therapy" or mental health (behavioral health) therapy. Psychotherapy and counseling are are used pretty interchangeably these days. When we submit to your insurance, we are billing a "psychotherapy" code. To make it more confusing, mental health clinicians can have different educational backgrounds, credentials, and licenses. We are also trained in different therapeutic modalities and approaches. Mostly, therapists have a master's degree or higher. They can have degrees in psychology, social work, or counseling. Some psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners (medication prescribers) provide counseling/therapy.

You can ask your prospective therapist about their background and approaches to better understand if they are a good fit for you.