DO YOU TAKE INSURANCE?
You should be able to grow and experience transformation in a safe environment. At the core, counseling can be a vulnerable experience; that’s why we fiercely protect our clients confidentiality and goals for growth. We are an out of network provider, which means that you pay for counseling out of pocket and can then seek reimbursement from your insurance carrier. Here are 3 reasons why we don’t take insurance:
REASON #1 | IT’S NOT CONFIDENTIAL
Insurance companies require the use an electronic medical records system if we take insurance. Last year alone the Department Of Health and Human Services recorded 24,000 HIPAA violations. We would have to disclose information to a 3rd party insurance or technology company. We want you to have the most confidential counseling.
REASON #2 | YOU HAVE TO BE DIAGNOSED
In order to have insurance cover counseling, we have to diagnose you. Even if it’s not appropriate, there has to be a diagnosis. For example, if a couple comes in for counseling, for it to be covered, one person has to have a label. Similar to reason one, we don’t think you should have a mental health diagnosis on your permanent medical record. To us, everyone should have access to counseling. We can all use a little help from time to time. We want you to get help without having to have a diagnosis.
REASON #3 | THEY DECIDE TREATMENT
Insurance companies decide treatment. They determine the number of sessions and the frequency based on diagnosis. Sometimes you need shorter sessions or longer ones, maybe you need to see a therapist twice per week or once per month. Client’s should have the freedom to choose what is best along with their therapist. We want you to get the best quality of counseling treatment.
HOW DO I PAY?
We accept credit and debit cards. We invoice via Ivy Pay, utilizing a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant payment system.
WHY DO YOU CHARGE WHAT YOU CHARGE?
We focus on offering the highest quality treatment outcomes in Baldwin and Mobile County. On average counseling sessions can range anywhere between $100 to $300.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE INITIAL INTAKE SESSION?
The 50 minute Initial Intake Session involves an interview where we evaluate client needs and develop a plan to take action. Once payment is made, you will receive an email to participate in a temperament report called an APS (Arno Profile System) report. The Arno Profile System is a clinical diagnostic tool used by the National Christian Counselors Association to assess a person’s God-given temperament. It is extremely valuable in helping the client better understand themselves and also for the counselor to be more effective with each individual. We can only counsel residence of the state of Alabama, for our counseling license is only for the state of Alabama.
PLEASE NOTICE: If you decide to reach out via telephone for information or to schedule appointments, please leave a voicemail; as you could imagine, we get calls from bots, robocalls and scammers on a regular basis. This will determine that we are actually interacting with clients that need our help.
WHAT DO I NEED FOR A VIRTUAL COUNSELING SESSION?
Any device with web browser capability; clients will need either a laptop/desktop computer, or the use of a smartphone or tablet with web connection capability, via macOS, Windows 10, a 64 bit Linux distribution, Apple iOS or an Android OS with a webcam and microphone capability. A headset with a microphone is recommended for sound clarity, but not needed. Performance is generally better on a desktop/laptop computer due to the size of the viewing screen.
We use a telehealth web-conferencing application called Doxy.me. This is a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant and user friendly website. You will be sent a link to the virtual waiting room on Doxy.me prior to the session. There is no need to create a profile on Doxy.me, just click the link and you will arrive in the Doxy.me virtual waiting room. From there the session will start momentarily.
WHAT IS COUNSELING?
The ministry of counseling is the ministry of burden bearing (Galatians 6:2), truth speaking (Ephesians 4:15), and seeking the comfort of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18) with someone who has a calling on their life from God (Ephesians 4:11-13)”… to bear the infirmities (conflicts) of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1). Counseling in and of itself cannot change anyone or remove conflicts or help people find freedom. However, the ministry of counseling can equip Christians to change and overcome their conflicts, with God’s help.
Proverbs 8:14 “Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom…”
Proverbs 12:1 “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”
Proverbs 12:17 “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness…”
Proverbs 24:6 “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy [decisions]: and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”
Isaiah 9:6 “… His name shall be called… Counselor, the Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED COUNSELING?
This question is not easy to answer because people may need help for various reasons. Here are some general guidelines. First, seeking help does not mean a person is weak or incapable of overcoming conflicts on their own. There are some temperament types that do well without outside help, while others need help. The ministry of counseling is recommended for the following:
People who are suicidal or homicidal
People who are phobic
People who are depressed
People who are struggling with an unusual amount of anxiety
People with addictions such as drugs, alcohol, sexual, etc.
Couples having marital problems, separated, or contemplating divorce
Parents having major problems with child rearing
People with ongoing personal and spiritual conflicts
Children or adolescents having difficulties in school
ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS INTO COUNSELING
The decision to begin counseling is one which may have important consequences for the rest of your life. Research has shown that when individuals enter this type of treatment with a good understanding of what they are about to undertake, they are likely to achieve more favorable results. The effectiveness of your counseling depends on a large variety of factors including the nature of the problem, the effort you put into the process, the type and length of treatment, and the Counselor’s skill. Nevertheless, on the average, ninety percent of all counselees who continue through with their counseling sessions show significant change and improvement.
COUNSELEE’S RESPONSIBILITIES
As a counselee in counseling, you will have certain responsibilities. It is important for you to attend all of your scheduled appointments on time. If you are late, you will not have the benefit of a full session. Equally important are the responsibilities you have to be as active, open, and honest as possible with your Counselor. Your most important responsibility, however, is to work toward the goals you and the Counselor have agreed on. Seeing a Counselor for 45 minutes a week will be of little benefit without additional effort outside the counseling office. This work can include thinking about the material covered in the sessions, making yourself aware of your thinking and behavior, or working on specific assignments made by your counselor.
COUNSELOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES
The Counselor will usually devote the first few sessions to assessing the types and extent of problems or concerns you have. This process requires the Counselor to ask detailed questions about your history, life situations, and present distress. At times this process will involve stirring up painful or uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. Once the Counselor has identified the specific problem areas, the two of you will agree upon a plan including goals, and methods to accomplish these goals.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The counselee has the right to privacy concerning his or her counseling. This means that the Counselor may not reveal any information about you to another person without your explicit permission. All communications and records of your treatment will be treated as private and confidential. There are some very special circumstances which are exceptions to this rule. The Counselor may discuss your case with a supervisor or with other professionals clearly concerned with the case. Confidentiality will be discarded when you reveal information that indicates a clear danger of injury to yourself or others and the knowledge of abuse or neglect of a child.
TERMINATION
Termination should be a joint decision between you and your Counselor. Too many counselees terminate before all the sessions are completed. Generally, this leaves the counselees with unresolved issues and problems. Before terminating, speak openly and honestly with your Counselor. When all the sessions are concluded and termination is about to occur, there may be sadness, separation anxiety, or an unwillingness to give up the relationship. This is normal. Termination, to be successful, will focus on the accomplishments and success of counseling.
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES
We think our services are God honoring. We, further, think our fees are reasonable. If you are having financial hardships and having temptations to discontinue your counseling, please discuss the situation with your counselor because no one has or ever will be turned down from our services.
COUPLES THERAPY
Successful marriages are based on trust. Therefore openness and honesty is the best policy. For successful therapy there can be no secrets within couples counseling. However, sometimes there are issues that are disclosed during individual sessions that may be difficult for one spouse to disclose to the other. When that is the situation, you and your counselor will work together on the best way to share that information with your spouse.
RECORDS AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The code of ethics for counselors and the state laws regulating most kinds of counseling consider personal information you discuss to be confidential. Except in a small number of situations, the helping professional may not reveal any information about you to another person without your explicit permission. Records of your treatment will be kept for 3 years after your final session. One exception to this rule occurs if your fees are paid by a third party such as an insurance company, Certain details of your treatment (e.g. dates of treatment, diagnosis, symptoms, progress) may be required to be revealed in order to obtain reimbursement. Most insurance companies allow you to file claims directly with them so that your employer will not see the information. In cases where a court order has been issued and records have been subpoenaed the counselor has a legal responsibility to comply.
SUICIDE AND ABUSE
Another exception where counselors are legally required to disregard confidentiality involves situations where there is a potential for suicide or homicide. For example, if you reveal information that indicates a clear danger of injury to yourself or others the counselor will need to contact the appropriate authorities or family members. Another exception to confidentiality is that all helping professionals are required by law to report any knowledge of abuse or neglect of a child or an incompetent or disabled person including suspected abuse. Please see the Alabama Mandatory Reporting Laws for mandating reporting. Your counselor will be happy to discuss any concerns you have about the protection of the information you provide.
FEES
Our regular base fees are as follows:
Initial Intake Session $90 USD for 50 minutes
Sequel Sessions $70 USD for 45 minutes
Your fee will be collected before each session via Ivy Pay. We will send you a text message link to pay utilizing Ivy Pay, a safe HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant payment system. Fee needs to be payed at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled counseling session to ensure the session will be solidified.
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
PLEASE DOWLOAD AND COMPLETE THE INITIAL INTAKE DOCUMENT PRIOR TO THE FIRST SESSION
WE HIGHLY RESPECT YOUR PRIVACY
Elevated Resources Counseling LLC 