INVESTMENT & PAYMENT: I recognize that to participate in counseling, you are choosing to invest your money and your time. I take your investment seriously. During our time together, we will consistently evaluate your personal goals to make sure you are getting your needs met through our work.
The investment for individual psychotherapy is $125. The treatment modality used does not affect the price per session. At this time, I do not offer a reduced rate.
The standard meeting time for individual psychotherapy is 53-60 minutes.
Cash, checks, and all major credit cards are accepted. All clients are required to keep a credit/debit card on file through our HIPAA secure practice management software.
INSURANCE: I currently accept Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and United Health Care. I also accept HSA accounts.
All quotes of benefit coverage from our office come directly from your insurance company. This quote is not a guarantee of payment or benefits by your insurance company or this office. You are responsible for fees as outlined in your insurance contract and you will be charged accordingly. It is best practice to check with your insurance carrier regarding your benefits.
If your insurance company or existing policy changes, it is your responsibility to contact us to have a refreshed quote done.
If I do not accept your current insurance plan, you can check with your insurance company and file your sessions with me as an “Out-of-Network counselor”. Depending on your deductible, this can be a good route to go.
CANCELLATIONS: Please, remember to cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance. You will be responsible for the entire fee if cancellation is less than 24 hours.
Cancellations and re-scheduled sessions will be subject to a full charge if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you may lose some of that session time. If you are late for your session and using insurance, I can only bill for the time we spent together. Therefore, you will be responsible to pay out-of-pocket for the remainder of the session as it was reserved for you.
TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY: If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voice mail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 1 business day. Please, note that Face-to-face sessions are highly preferable to phone sessions. However, in the event that you are out of town, sick, or need additional support, phone sessions are available. If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or any local emergency room.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATION: Due to the importance of your confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, Linked In, etc). You are welcome to follow me on any of my professional social media sites, but I will not follow you back. I believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION: I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, I will do so. While I may try to return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.
Secure and confidential documents may be sent through my HIPAA secure email, shelbysipe@therapysecure.com
MINORS: If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. I will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential.
TERMINATION: Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If therapy is terminated for any reason or you request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Should you fail to schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.