Counseling Services SUD therapy/counseling is a relationship between people that works in part because of clearly defined rights and responsibilities held by each person. As a client in the SUD counseling process, you have certain rights and responsibilities that are important for you to understand. There are also legal limitations to those rights that you should be aware of. I, as your SUD counselor, have corresponding responsibilities to you. These rights and responsibilities are described in the following sections. SUD therapy/counseling has both benefits and risks. Risks may include experiencing uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, frustration, loneliness and helplessness, because the process of therapy often requires discussing the unpleasant aspects of your life. However, therapy has been shown to have benefits for individuals who undertake it. Therapy often leads to a significant reduction in feelings of distress, increased satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, greater personal awareness and insight, increased skills for managing stress and resolutions to specific problems. But, there are no guarantees about what will happen. Therapy requires a very active effort on your part. In order to be most successful, you will want to put into practice things we discuss outside of sessions. The first 2-3 sessions will involve a comprehensive evaluation of your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work might include. At that point, we will discuss your treatment goals and create an initial treatment plan. You should evaluate this information and make your own assessment about whether you feel comfortable working with me. If you have questions about my procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist, I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another SUD professional for a second opinion. PROFESSIONAL FEES The standard fee for a 50-minute individual session is $125.00 and the standard fee for a 90 minute couples session is $175.00 You are responsible for paying the full amount at the time of your session, unless prior arrangements have been made. Payment must be made by cash, or credit card. If you refuse to pay your debt, I reserve the right to use an attorney or collection agency to secure payment. APPOINTMENTS Appointments will ordinarily be 45-60 minutes in duration, once per week at a time we agree on, although some sessions may be more, or less frequent as needed. The time scheduled for your appointment is assigned to you and you alone. If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, I ask that you provide me with 24-hours notice. If you miss a session without canceling, or cancel with less than 24-hour notice, my policy is to collect the full session fee of $125.00/individual or $175.00/couples. It is important to note that insurance companies do not provide reimbursement for cancelled sessions; thus, you will be responsible for 100% of the full rate. If it is possible, I will try to find another time to reschedule the appointment. In addition, you are responsible for coming to your session on time; if you are late, your appointment will still need to end at the scheduled time. Finally, I have the right to terminate treatment after 2 missed appointments or habitual tardiness. Thank you for understanding. To schedule, cancel or change and appointment you may call, text or email me. You can expect a response before the end of the business day. INSURANCE I am not a participating provider for any insurance plan. If you would like, I will supply you with a receipt of payment for services, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please note that not all insurance companies reimburse for out-of-network providers. PROFESSIONAL RECORDS I am required to keep appropriate records of the SUD therapy/counseling services that I provide. Your records are maintained in a secured, encrypted, HIPAA compliant web-based system. I keep brief records noting that you were here, your reasons for seeking SUD therapy/counseling, the goals and progress we set for treatment, your diagnosis, topics we discussed, your medical, social, and treatment history, records I receive from other providers, copies of records I send to others, and your billing records. Except in unusual circumstances that involve danger to yourself, you have the right to a copy of your file. Because these are professional records, they may be misinterpreted and / or upsetting to untrained readers. For this reason, I recommend that you initially review them with me, or have them forwarded to another mental health professional to discuss the contents. You also have the right to request that a copy of your file be made available to any other health care provider at your written request.
