The Counseling Process
I view counseling as a process in which the client takes ownership of their goals and the changes which they want to see in their lives. If we enter into a professional counseling relationship, we will work together to identify those goals and will reexamine and evaluate them periodically to ensure that they are based on your values and that they are workable in your daily life. When necessary, we will also make adjustments to our goals and strategies to ensure you are receiving the best possible experience.
I believe in examining the connections between thought, feelings and behavior with my clients and working to better understand how they can be brought into line with healthy functioning. We will work together to develop skills such as coping, present-based thinking, and other behavioral strategies in order to work towards long-lasting maintainable progress.
I draw from multiple theoretical orientations in my counseling sessions. The majority of my counseling uses a Person-Centered approach with practical elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I may also incorporate Existential Therapy, Narrative Therapy, as well as a Family Systems Approach when working with families. I believe in examining the connections between thought, feelings and behavior with my clients and working to better understand how they can be brought into line with healthy functioning. We work together to develop skills such as coping, present-based thinking, and other behavioral strategies in order to work towards long-lasting maintainable progress.
Session Fees & Length of Service
I will render services in a professional manner consistent with the accepted clinical standards of care. Regular sessions will last 53-60 minutes. My out-of-pocket fee is $110 per session for individual clients. Our initial intake session will be 60 minutes and the fee is $130. I am currently in-network with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), MedCost, and certain forms of NC Medicaid. For session fees or co-payments, you may pay by check, cash, or card (VISA, Mastercard, AmEx, or Discover) at the end of each session. I will gladly provide a receipt or a Superbill for all fees paid upon request.
Clients are seen by appointment only. Appointments are typically set at the close of each session. Appointments may be scheduled, rescheduled, or cancelled by phone Monday through Friday. Appointments may be requested online using the concordcounselingservices.com website, but must be approved by me before being considered as scheduled. Failure to give notice for any appointment not cancelled 24 hours in advance will result in a $65 charge for the time reserved for you.
There will be no other fees or charges for service and frequency of services will be discussed and agreed upon with each client.
In cases of special need, I will attempt to work with you to develop a payment plan which may include sliding scale fees. These special payment options will be considered on a case-by-case basis. I will maintain opportunity for no more than 2 clients to concurrently operate on such a sliding scale and will reevaluate their needs every 3 months. If all of these spots are full, I will not be able to offer a sliding scale to any other new or current clients but will provide referrals to other providers and resources as needed.
Length of service will be different from client to client. My goal as your clinician will be to identify your needs and your goals and help you work towards meeting those goals in such a way that you will not need to be in therapy indefinitely. There is no set minimum or maximum number of sessions that it will take to accomplish this, but regular discussions will be had regarding adjustment of frequency of sessions and timetables for eventual discharge or termination.
Confidentiality
All of our communication becomes part of the clinical record, which is accessible to you upon request. I will keep confidential anything you say as part of our counseling relationship, with the following exceptions: (a) you direct me in writing to disclose information to someone else, (b) it is determined you are a danger to yourself or others (including child or elder abuse), or (c) I am ordered by a court to disclose information. In this case, I will work with you, your attorney, and the authorities to come to an agreement about what information must be disclosed.
I approach your confidentiality seriously and will work as an advocate on your behalf in these matters while adhering to the professional codes of ethics laid out by the American Counseling Association of America. If you request, I will gladly provide you with relevant portions of these codes and explanations of them at any time.
My Qualifications an Licensure Information
I hold an MA in Mental Health Counseling which I received in 2021 from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. I am currently a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in the state of North Carolina (License #A16749). I have been working as a professional counselor with adults and adolescents since October 2021. My professional experience also includes 1 year as an intern and counselor with Crossroads Counseling in Hickory, North Carolina and 1.5 years as a career counseling assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
I am currently required to conduct counseling under supervision as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate in North Carolina. As an LCMHCA, I will be working under the clinical supervision of fully Licensed and trained Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor. As part of my role as an LCMHCA, I may have my supervisor observe our sessions live, via video and/or voice recording. I need your permission to allow them to observe the counseling and to discuss your case during supervision in order to provide you with the best service possible. As counseling professionals, they will hold all information about you in strictest confidence, and the recordings will be destroyed after they are reviewed. My current supervisor’s contact information is made available to all of my client’s as part of our initial session.