Find Peace of Mind Today

Life’s Too Short To Be Miserable

Frequently Asked Questions

Fees

What do you charge? My fees are simple and straightforward. It doesn’t matter whether the counseling session is for an individual, couple, or family: you pay for my time, not for the number of people in the room.

Will my insurance cover counseling services? Most insurance companies will include counseling among their covered services. It may be called counseling, or mental health coverage, or they may refer to it as behavioral health, but nearly all policies cover some form of counseling or psychotherapy. I am on the panel for a few insurance companies. I am happy to work with those insurance companies whom I believe treat the provider (me) and the insured (you) fairly and reasonably. I am considered “out of network” for all other insurance companies. If I am out-of-network you will be given a super-bill (a specialized receipt recognized by all insurance companies) that you can file for yourself.

I am currently in-network (on the panel of) the following insurance companies:

Blue Cross Blue Shield
Cigna
HealthChoice
Optum
United Behavioral Health
UnitedHealthcare

Why should I pay cash instead of using my insurance? Some people will choose to pay cash even though I am on their insurance panel.

Health insurance companies use a “medical model” which means I have to diagnose you; not everyone wants a diagnostic label applied to them. The diagnosis may follow you long after the problem has gone away.
Plus, there is the issue of privacy. Insurance companies are bound by law to offer a certain level of privacy but the larger the system, the greater the opportunity for mistakes.
Finally, for most people it really doesn’t matter. With high copays and even higher deductibles many people will have finished counseling before they have met their out-of-pocket requirements.

What Is Christian Counseling?

More than merely being therapists who happen to be Christians, we seek to integrate evangelical Christianity into our approach to counseling.
While we came out of different mental health disciplines, we all think of ourselves as family systems thinkers: patterns of behavior formed in our family early in life influence who we are today.
And, we are committed to training the next generation of counselors to do the above.

Do I have to be a Christian to see you for counseling? No. I work with people from all walks of life with varied belief systems. Every therapist has an underlying philosophy about the world, human development, and the causes of pain and suffering. I think it is important that you know ahead of time what my world view is; being upfront about my values answers that question for you. It doesn’t mean I will evangelize or proselytize. I am respectful of you and your belief system and will strive to help you discover how your beliefs can be an asset to you in your therapy.

What To Expect

What about medications? Only physicians can prescribe medications. I am not a physician. I do make, when appropriate, referrals to primary care physicians and psychiatrists. While I am not anti-medication, neither do I believe a pill will solve all problems. Medication is an adjunct to therapy, not a replacement for therapy.

Is everything I say confidential (private)? No; state law requires me to break confidentiality and tell others under specific circumstances. Basically, if someone is going to get hurt (threats of suicide or homicide, child or elder abuse, etc) then I have a legal and moral obligation to break confidentiality and make a report to the proper authorities. Otherwise, I need your permission to talk with anyone (even to acknowledge you are in counseling). If a couple or a family is in counseling, then I need permission from all the adults before I can release information about counseling.

When is counseling over? Counseling usually moves through a number of stages or phases:

crisis management
assessment
setting goals
skill building
understanding the problem(s)
resolving the problem(s)
and, maintenance or follow-up.

Counseling is a team effort between the client (you) and the therapist (me) and is generally over when we agree your goals have been met and you have a plan in place to make sure the skills learned and changes made will stick. My goal is for you to function effectively independent of counseling; it is not my goal to create therapy addicts who stay with me forever.

Are you accepting new clients? Yes; please call my office (918.346.3665) to schedule an initial (intake) appointment.

What are your business hours? The office is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Some evening hours may available.

(Click here for more Frequently Asked Questions)

Schedule an Apointment