Common Questions

A number of benefits are available from participating in therapy. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. 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. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• A better understanding of self, goals and values

• Developing skills for improving your relationships

• Finding resolution to issues or concerns in life

• Learning ways to manage stress/anxiety

• Balancing anger/depression and other emotions

• Improving communications and listening skills

• Changing behavior patterns to healthy ones

• Discovering problem resolution in your family

• Improving self-awareness and boosting self-confidence

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, therapy 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 therapy. Therapy 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.

People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, 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, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy 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 or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and create change.

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy 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 therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy 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 therapist (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy 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 psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.

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, therapy 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's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.

Therapy Resources provides treatment at an outpatient level, inclusive of appointment times ranging anywhere from 15-minute consults to 90-minute assessments. Our providers are available to interact with you face to face, through a telehealth platform, or on a hybrid modal that accommodates the demanding schedules of today’s lifestyles. Services are offered on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis depending on your personalized care plan.

Our individual therapy services are designed to help you reconnect with yourself and others, redefining supportive lasting relationships. Family therapy focuses on building a foundation from individual strengths, improving interactions through healthy communication, and working together to identify long lasting solutions. Couples work establishes mutual ground for each partner to engage in a dialogue that addresses aspects of intimate relationships such as managing expectations and avoiding assumptions. At all levels of service that are provided at Therapy Resources, our providers are committed to providing comprehensive services.

To schedule an initial appointment, we recommend using the "Appointment Request" button on our website or emailing your request directly to our Intake Coordinator at intake@therapyresourcesmc.com. Our Intake Coordinator will typically respond to your request within 24 business hours, and will provide you with a Screening Form to be completed and returned.

Due to a high volume of requests for services, we are currently conducting our intake process via email. If you have any questions about the intake process, please feel free to contact us at intake@therapyresourcesmc.com. If we are unable to answer your questions via email, we can schedule a time to speak over the phone.

Our practice offers a diverse range of providers with varying schedules and availability. Some of our providers offer appointments starting as early as 8:00 am during the week, while others have availability in the evenings. On weekends, we are open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. While we offer both in-person and virtual services, please note that availability may be limited during high-volume times, including evenings and weekends.

At our practice, our goal is to avoid having a waitlist and to find timely placements for all individuals seeking services. If we are unable to match your needs with a provider's availability and experience, we will add your name to our waitlist. We will notify you and provide updates every 2-3 weeks on the status of your placement request via email correspondence.

Yes, you may request a specific provider or express preferences in the "Availability" section of our screening form. We will do our best to accommodate your request, but please be aware that availability, practice area, and population may result in schedule conflicts with a specific requested provider. If this occurs, we will offer you an appointment with another provider whose availability and experience align with those you have identified on your screening form.

Our practice is in-network with a wide range of insurance providers, and we also participate in Employee Assistance Program (EAP) plans. If you wish to use EAP coverage, please indicate this on the Initial Screening Form and provide the relevant EAP plan information.

Only Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) are able to accept Medicare insurance, including Horizon's Braven Health. While we are not qualified to contract and accept Medicaid insurance, we offer discounted services for those experiencing financial hardship.

We understand the challenges of scheduling around prior commitments, and we appreciate our clients’ flexibility. For the initial scheduling process, please use the “availability” section of the screening form to indicate the conditions of your availability. If your availability changes after submitting your original screening form, please reach out to our Intake Department. We will provide you with our Scheduling form, on which you can report your revised availability.

If you wish to resume services with your previous provider, we recommend reaching out to them directly. Alternatively, if you are unable to schedule an appointment with your previous provider or prefer to work with a different provider, please contact our Intake Department to schedule an initial appointment. Please note that all returning clients must complete a new set of intake forms. Once you have been assigned to a new provider, we will provide you with a Release of Information Form to allow your new provider access to your previous treatment records.

To start a new service with a different provider, please contact our Intake Department via email. In order to begin the process, we will need both a new screening form and a copy of your current insurance card. Please provide the name of your current provider and any preferences for a new provider placement in your request. Depending on the type of service you are seeking and the type of service you have received in the past, we may provide you with a Release of Information Form to allow your new provider access to your previous treatment records once you have been assigned to a new provider

It is completely normal to be nervous or anxious before attending a therapy session, especially your first one. Many people do not know quite what to expect from their first session and feel some ambivalence or apprehension about beginning the process of counseling.

For some, the feelings of anxiety last beyond the first session and may occur before the appointments during the initial phase of therapy or recur at various points in the treatment when addressing critical issues. This anxiety is understandable because people often share and explore things in therapy that are extremely personal and important to them and this may trigger some feelings of vulnerability.

Therapy sessions are typically held in a comfortable, home-like setting, similar to a living room with couches or comfortable chairs. The therapist may ask you to complete some paperwork, which may include demographic and insurance information, a statement of understanding about confidentiality and fees for services, HIPAA information, and possibly a release to speak with other treatment professionals such as your primary care physician or psychiatrist.

During the first session, the therapist will ask about your reasons for seeking therapy, known as your "presenting issue." They may also ask about your symptoms and your emotional, familial, and relationship history. The therapist will likely provide a summary of their initial impressions of your presenting issues and outline a general treatment plan, which may include weekly therapy sessions and/or referrals to other resources such as support groups. You are encouraged to ask any questions or express specific goals for counseling.

Therapy is typically divided into three phases: information gathering, treatment, and termination. During the information gathering phase, the therapist will ask many questions to get to know you and assess your presenting issues. The treatment phase is the main focus of therapy, in which the therapist and client work together to make positive changes in areas such as thinking, self-care, emotional regulation, communication, and support network. The termination phase occurs when the client is feeling much better and the client and therapist begin to process the end of treatment.

You do not need to share all of your inner secrets at your first session, nor should you. The beginning phase of therapy is about building a trusting therapeutic rapport and relationship. You can share things at a rate that feels comfortable for you. Numerous times, I have had clients indicate that they experienced a bigger trauma in the past (like childhood sexual abuse or rape,) that they are not ready to address. This is a healthy way of being open and honest with your therapist, and also setting boundaries and pacing the therapy at a rate that feels comfortable for you.

As you establish a stronger therapeutic rapport and when your therapist knows you are ready, you can collaboratively work together to address those experiences. Many clients report feeling tremendous relief that sharing those experiences wasn’t as difficult or scary as they thought and they are able to process those memories in a way that is more manageable. If you have a significant trauma background, select a therapist who specializes in trauma and treatment modalities such as EMDR. Again, your therapist is not there to judge you and you can improve your prognosis in therapy by sharing as much as you can when you feel ready. The beauty of therapy is that it is a confidential relationship and you do not need to see your therapist outside of sessions. The therapy office can be your own safe place to share these experiences without judgment.

Many people fear that their therapist is going to expect them to immediately abstain from any self-sabotaging coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, self-harm or eating disordered behaviors, for example. They might also worry that the therapist is going to want them to end a dysfunctional or abusive relationship that perhaps they are not ready to leave. Therapists are trained to meet the client "where they are at," meaning they respect where clients are at in the process of change.

Furthermore, therapists know that people only change when they are ready and when they want to change. Often, negative relationship patterns or self-sabotaging behaviors will likely continue during the first phase of treatment, or they may recur at various points in the therapeutic process. This is normal and clients are expected to be open and honest, because it will help them the most to share these behaviors or relapses.

Understand that it is normal for things to get a little worse before they get better during the initial phase of therapy. Deciding to do the work is a daunting task that requires courage and commitment. Typically the first phase of cleaning out a closet is pulling a bunch of things out and spreading them around the room. Similarly, the beginning of therapy is an information gathering period.

Just like the beginning phase of cleaning out a closet, the beginning phase of therapy can be overwhelming. People might wish that they just left things alone because they might be feeling even more of a mess now. This is a normal phase and understand this is an anticipated part of the process. In therapy, we are eventually able to let go of some things, and rework what is left so that the person (like an organized closet) is functioning and feeling better. It is also normal for these negative or worsening feelings to get triggered at various points in the therapeutic process, especially if you and your therapist are hitting on some core issues. Some resistance and defensiveness on your part is normal, those feelings are there to protect you. However, you can work through them by expressing them to your therapist and continuing in treatment knowing that relief and growth are on their way.

Above all, congratulate yourself on beginning in therapy and doing your mind, body, and spiritual work. You are working on healing and evolving, which will deeply and profoundly improve your life and positively influence those around you. Reframe your nervousness as excitement because you are taking forward steps on the path to healing, wellness and achieving your best self personally and professionally.

We seem to enjoy when life imitates art, but that should not be your expectation when seeking behavioral health services. Your life is not a movie, our therapists are not actors, and we have no scriptwriters. It is unlikely that your therapist will have a life changing epiphany about who you are that will magically answer all your questions and solve all your problems. What they will do, however, is educate and guide you in your effort in changing your life. They will do this using CBT, DBT, and EMDR, among other therapy techniques. They will incorporate exposure therapies, psychotherapy, mentalization therapies, and other therapeutic methodologies that will provide you with mental exercises, behavior modification methods, and other activities to achieve your treatment goals. What you can expect is to work with a competent, professional therapist who will work tirelessly to achieve a positive treatment outcome. The probability of success depends on your willingness and ability to change, to explore, to listen, to engage, and make the appropriate effort. Please visit our "Meet our Providers" page to read about our therapists. You can also read more about them on Psychology Today. They will not however be found on IMDB :)

Your patient portal provides access to comprehensive financial information, including a summary of all dates of service, details on how payments have been applied to those dates, receipts, and a current statement if there is an outstanding balance due. You can view all this information within the portal to stay up-to-date on your financial status with our practice.

You can often find answers to your billing questions by accessing the financial information within your patient portal. If you prefer or are unable to obtain the information needed, please feel free to contact our Billing Coordinator. It is best to send an email to billing@therapyresourcesmc.com but you can also call our office and leave a voicemail.

Yes, our policy is to maintain a credit card on file and participation in our automatic payment program where we will automatically process payment once insurance has processed the claim and the patient responsibility has been verified.

It is common for there to be a delay of approximately 3-4 weeks between the date of service and the date that any patient responsibility is charged to the card on file. This is because we prioritize charging only amounts that have been verified by insurance once the claim has been processed, which typically takes 3-4 weeks but can take up to several months in some cases. Additionally, insurance companies may reprocess claims up to 18 months after the date of service, which may result in additional charges if an error was identified in the original processing."

You can add a new credit card through your patient portal. If you prefer, you can also request a new credit card authorization form from your therapist or by contacting our Billing Coordinator at billing@therapyresourcesmc.com

Yes, we accept self-pay clients who will be billed directly at our standard rates of service. We offer discounted rates for those with financial hardship.

If you need to cancel your session, contact your provider and please make sure you provide 24 hours’ notice to avoid a cancellation fee. The cancellation fee is enforced and please note that multiple cancellations may result in changes to counselor availability.