How can therapy help me and does it actually work?
Great question! Therapy (or talk therapy) is an engaging, dynamic process where the client and therapist collaborate to address client concerns, create goals, identify "stuck" patterns (i.e., solutions that aren't working), gain perspective, find solutions, and help a person build on pre-existing strengths with the aim of the client living the best version of his/her life. This process will look different client to client as each person will present with unique needs, challenges, inherent strengths, and unique abilities. The best predictor of a successful therapy outcome is the strength of the client and therapist's relationship - meaning, does the client trust that the therapist has the utmost regard for the client welfare and believe that that therapist can help him or her.
Is therapy really private?
Yes! What a client discloses in therapy is protected by HIPAA law. Well, mostly. We can’t break confidentiality unless - you disclose that you’re the victim of and/or are perpetrating the following: sexual or physical abuse of a child, an elderly person, or a person with cognitive or physical disabilities; exploitation (i.e., forcing someone to perform an act against their will for some form of gain) of a child, an elderly person, or a person with cognitive or physical disabilities; endangerment (e.g., placing a person in danger - such as driving while intoxicated with a child in the car, etc.) of a child, an elderly person, or a person with cognitive or physical disabilities. We are legally bound to report all suspicions - confirmed or unconfirmed - to the proper authority albeit the Department of Social Services or local law enforcement for further investigation. Your therapist may break confidentiality if summoned to testify in a court of law.
*Note: Rachel participates in ong-oing EFT supervision to further her clinical skills. She also provides on-going supervision and clinical consultation to her employees. In these situations, all therapists are bound by licensure confidentiality and HIPAA regulations.
How is a marriage and family therapist (MFT) different than other therapists or counselors? (For Rachel’s clients, only)
Marriage and family therapists receive extensive education and supervision during their Master's and/or PhD programs in systemic therapy, or "systems therapy". Systems therapy focuses on the impact of relationships (family, friendship, romantic, etc.) on people's well-being. As a part of accredited MFT programs, students must undergo specialized courses, supervision, and internships whereby they learn and practice how to counsel families and couples. This may not be true for other types of counseling or psychology programs. MFTs are able to assess, diagnose, and treat a variety of client concerns and mental health disorders with high client satisfaction and excellent clinical results.
What does a typical session look like?
Clients start therapy with a comprehensive clinical assessment (CCA) during which the client and therapist review all necessary forms, permissions, pre-assessments (short questionnaires), and billing information. They share their strengths as well as concerns they feel their therapist should know to best serve them. This lasts 1.5 hours. Each follow up session thereafter is 50 - 60 minutes for individuals, families, and/or couples. During these sessions, clients will share information they feel is relevant to goals they co-create with their therapist.
How long will a client be in therapy?
Therapy length varies client to client, based on the nature of what is important to the client. Some clients attend therapy for short-term goals, around three to six months, while others may have more complex needs that require more time (six months or greater). According to research, many individual clients indicate that they begin to feel better around their eighth session; for couples, this varies more. Research indicates that around sessions 15 - 20, couples begin to notice a positive change in how they interact at home. A client is free to end therapy when they feel ready and some clients may even return to therapy for "tune-ups".
Do you accept insurance?
No, our practice does not accept any insurance. We use a fee-for-service only. Assessment and session costs vary, based on the clinician they are seeing within our practice. Please ask your therapist about their fees ahead of the session - you deserve to know the costs associated with care ahead of time. We do, however, offer a limited number of significantly reduced rates to make the cost of therapy accessible for clients in need or for clients who have historically not been able to access good, therapeutic care.
Assessments, up to 90 min.: $325 (Rachel); $175-$150 (Heidi and Jennifer)
Individual appointments, 50-60 min.: $175 (Rachel); $110 (Heidi); $100 (Jennifer)
Couple sessions, 50-60 min.: $200 (Rachel); $135 (Heidi)
Family sessions, 50-60 min.: $135 (Jennifer)
Ok, that’s great but why don’t you accept any insurance?
GREAT QUESTION! One of our primary specialties is couples and marriage counseling (therapy). Insurance companies require that all clients seen by a therapist be diagnosed with a mental health disorder. This means that even if you or your partner do not have a mental health diagnosis (e.g., major depressive disorder – “depression”; generalized anxiety disorder – “anxiety”; etc.), I would have to create a diagnosis in order for your insurance company to allow you to pay me the agreed upon copay and then reimburse me when I submit my billing claim. This is problematic to me for a few reasons.
a) What if you or your partner – whoever I diagnose as the “identified patient” and use for billing purposes – don’t actually have a mental health disorder? I’m not willing to risk my practice or license for a lie. You don’t want a therapist who is willing to do that.
b) Your insurance company now holds the power in determining how long and potentially how often you can see me. Insurance companies often offer a contractual number of sessions. If you need additional sessions once you finish that initial amount, but your insurance company denies my request, you’re left having to decide what to do with your therapy. Overall, entering, continuing, and ending therapy are choices that we believe are best left up to YOU, the client, not a person who reviews your claim and is NOT A THERAPIST.
c) If the primary concern for you and your partner is a relational issue, why would we stretch the truth to create a diagnosis just to serve a reimbursement purpose? Again, like point A, this becomes a slippery slope. Ultimately, your therapist is responsible for anything they sign their name to and they want to make sure that their actions are above reproach – for you, other clients, and our licenses.
d) Your information is your information. As a practice owner (Rachel), I don’t believe you seeking therapy should depend on any other decision than the one you make for yourself – it should never boil down to you and Maria, or Jerry, or Jenn from ABC Health Insurance Company as to whether or not you get the services you need.
e) Rachel is deeply invested in her work as a systemic therapist. As such, she has gone on to receive certification from ICEEFT as an EFT-therapist and supervisor (for more information about EFT, click here to visit their international website, review outcome studies about the incredible effects of this therapy, and why EFT is like no other therapy in existence). The training and on-going supervision makes her a better therapist and person. It’s also a significant time and financial commitment that extends beyond what she already completed through her graduate school program. Also, self-pay rates allows this practice to also offer sliding scale rates to clients in need.
Why is there a different charge for your couple sessions vs. those of individual or family therapy sessions?
So glad you asked this! I (Rachel) am an EFT-certified therapist and supervisor. This means I completed rigorous requirements on top of my graduate program in marriage and family all to earn an additional certification in couples therapy. Moreover, I continue to regularly engage in supervision with my EFT mentors as well as am part of a local EFT group to promote EFT education and therapist support in the Upstate of SC. I do all of this to help me accelerate and grow my skills as a couple’s therapist adhering exclusively to the EFT model. In addition to all of that, I (Rachel) record couples sessions (with written permission) to review these for things that I miss, parts I could improve, etc., all with the aim to promote progress in a more efficient manner that would potentially not occur otherwise. IT’S A LOT OF OUTSIDE WORK. As such, the differences in session charges reflect this undertaking. Moreover, the energy required to stabilize, organize, regulate, and integrate new moves in a multi-client system can sometimes require extra mental/emotional energy. As such, the cost of couple and family therapy reflects this.
If I'm receiving therapy services, do I have to take medication?
Not at all! While medication may be beneficial if a client and therapist feel this could address underlying biological concerns impacting a person's mental and/or physical health, not all clients who attend therapy, take medication. Your clinician may refer a client to their primary care doctor and/or a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation, but they will always discuss this with the client first. Your therapist cannot prescribe medication.
Can I bring my partner/wife/husband/family member/friend/ etc., to therapy?
Absolutely! We believe that our support systems are one of the biggest and best ways to make progress in therapy. EFT is a systems model - meaning, your therapist believes change happens when all persons in the relationship are present in session.
What is your minimum age requirement for a client?
Great question! This varies across clinicians in our practice. Please refer to individual therapists’ bios to learn more about the client ages our clinicians serve. However, Rachel limits her work to clients ages 18 years of age and up; Heidi traditionally works with clients who are adults only; Jennifer works with clients as young as early teenagers and up.