Question 1

Do you accept health insurance?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, we do not accept any State of Illinois insurance. This includes BCBS Community Health Plan.   Yes, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Cigna.  To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:  Have I met my yearly deductible? If not, what is the balance? What are my mental health benefits? What is the coverage amount per therapy session? How many therapy sessions does my plan cover? How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider? Is approval required from my primary care physician?

Question 2

Payment

Accepted Answer

Cash and all major credit cards accepted for payment. There is a $50 fee in addition to balance for any credit card chargeback.

Question 3

Cancellation Policy

Accepted Answer

If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not notified us at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the entire cost of your missed appointment. This fee must be paid prior to scheduling a future appointment.

Question 4

I'm interested in scheduling an online appointment. How do I do this?

Accepted Answer

Call our office (815) 592-8761 to schedule an appointment.

Question 5

Online counseling- Is it secure? Is it complicated?

Accepted Answer

The platform we utilize complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements by (1) encrypting all transmitted data, (2) not storing patient information, and (3) keeping an audit trail of sessions. A key feature of the system we use is that clients are not required to register, login, or install additional software or plugins to join a meeting. Simply press the link you receive after scheduling an appointment. That is all!!

Question 6

What is therapy like?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

Why do people go to therapy? Is it right for me?

Accepted Answer

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 ready to make changes in their lives.

Question 8

What about psychotherapy vs. medication?

Accepted Answer

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.

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