FAQ

I love working with people who are ages 16 and up. 

It depends. Many people report feeling some relief even after the first session, but typically research shows that many issues take around 12 sessions or more. Once we meet I can provide you an estimated length of time you can expect based on what is bringing you into therapy. 

Each session is 50 minutes in length. For individuals, the cost is $100/session, and for couples and families, the cost is $130/session. Occasionally longer session lengths are warranted due to the issue and desire for faster improvement, in which case the extra time will be pro-rated at the above rate. I do offer a few "sliding scale" spots for both individual and couples counseling for those who need a lower rate. Please feel free to inquire if a spot is available. 

At this time I do not take insurance due to the time it takes to work with insurance companies and the limitations that many insurance companies impose on the quality of care I can provide my clients. I am more than happy to provide you with a "superbill" that will itemize your sessions and costs so that you can submit it to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

One of the few benefits that came from the worldwide epidemic of COVID-19 was improved ability to do virtual/telehealth sessions for therapy. Research has proven that this is also a therapeutically beneficial mode of treatment and allows for more clientele to seek counseling care. Both in-person and virtual sessions are 50-minutes in length and cost the same amount so it is based on what works best for you. Teletherapy sessions require you to be in a confidential location (where no one will overhear or come into the room and not over a shared network (like in Starbucks)). I will also verify your location at the beginning of the session so that if there is an emergency while we are on the call I can know where to send emergency personnel, as well as make sure you are within the state of Missouri where I am authorized to provide therapy. You will also want to make sure that you have a reliable connection to minimize the chances of becoming disconnected. 

I take your privacy very seriously. My job is to provide you with a safe place to share your thoughts and feelings. As a mental health professional, I am HIPAA compliant, which protects what you share with me in almost all situations. As a mandated reporter in the state of Missouri, there are only a few extreme instances in which I would need to break confidentiality to keep you or others safe. I will go over this in more detail in our first session but for more information on how privacy and confidentiality work in counseling, click here.

Deciding to seek help is actually a sign of your wholeness not brokenness. It is a sign that the struggles you are experiencing do not "feel right" or are "no longer working" and that there is part of you that has hope that things can be better. This place of awareness, acceptance, and vulnerability are signs of your strength and your potential for positive changes and relief. We all need help from others, especially when we are hurting. 

Yes! In 2021, research showed that 12% of men sought counseling over the course of the year, and this number is likely lower than reality. Mental health stigmas are slowly going away as more and more people realize that caring about one's physical and mental well-being is a sign of wisdom, not weakness. I love working with my male clients as they are leaps and bounds beyond what society stereotypes men to be and they see tremendous changes through therapy that help them find healing, empowerment, and authentic connections to themselves and those they care about. 

The answer to this is, it depends. As I work from an attachment-based perspective, if you are in a committed relationship and both of you are seeking individual help as well as relational help, doing this in a combined setting can provide compound growth and improvements for both of you independently and collectively, and research has proven this to be true. There are several situations where individual counseling is warranted, and oftentimes clients will see a therapist for couples counseling and another therapist for individual therapy. This is helpful if there is extensive trauma that is hindering basic focus and functioning, or when working with active addictions. Please do not hesitate to contact me via the button/contact information below, so that we can discuss your situation and determine the best course of action for you both.

PLPC stands for Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor. Upon graduating from a Master's counseling program each state requires the individual to see clients under the supervision of a seasoned counselor for a certain amount of years and hours. The state of Missouri requires 2+ years and 3000 hours of seeing clients post-graduation to achieve full licensure (LPC). I am currently paying for supervision from Jessica Svoboduh (LPC 2018033182), which allows me to provide you with the utmost quality of care. 

NCC indicates that I have received the National Certified Counselor certificate and indicates my continued professional commitment to the field of counseling.

Deciding to get help and seeking someone to help you are probably some of the hardest parts of this process. Once you have decided to meet with me and we have scheduled a time that works with your schedule, you will be sent secure forms to fill out online before our intake appointment. Prior to our appointment and after I have received your submitted forms, I will be able to add you to our system, which will provide you with appointment reminders and scheduling options for future appointments, as well as allow me to review more information about what is bringing you into therapy. 

At our first appointment, things will feel slightly different than our subsequent sessions as there are a few items to cover such as confidentiality, payment processing, cancellation protocols, etc., and will mostly feel like a "get to know you" time where I will ask you a variety of questions that help me to understand you holistically. Even though this is the least "therapeutic" session of them all, I have yet to have a client walk away without feeling more seen and hopeful than they did when they first came in. During this intake session, we will also discuss how many sessions it will most likely take for you to achieve your goals, how frequently you would like to be seen, and schedule your subsequent session(s). In all future sessions, we will work together to help you achieve the goals that are established within our first two sessions, and provide you with added tools, awareness, and hope throughout the process.

I am fortunate to work with one of the best private practices in the Liberty area. The therapists at Ampersand Counseling Group are some of the most compassionate, welcoming, understanding, and talented counselors I have had the pleasure of meeting. We are located on the "Liberty Square" near the court house and many other great restaurants and shops. For our address and more specific directions, click here.