FAQs

Frequently asked questions for Counseling services

How do I make an appointment?
Call or contact us by e-mail. (Keep in mind contact by e-mail is only secured as well as any correspondence through the internet.) We will ask for your name, address, and phone number. We will also ask you to give a brief description of the issues you would like to address or the type of services you are seeking to be sure our services are a good fit for you. We will also give you a little information about what you can expect when you come to your first appointment.

Do you have a wait list?
No. Clients appreciate that they can usually get an appointment within a week or two.
Our services tend to be short-term. Therefore, generally, we do not have a wait list. Many of our clients direct the course of their counseling, so treatment tends to be short term. In addition, many clients prefer to schedule bi monthly or monthly rather than weekly. This allows us to have more availability for new clients.

Do you have evening appointments?
Yes. I am available Monday, Wednesday,  and Friday evenings and limited weekend appointments.

Do you accept insurance?
No. We have a self-pay practice. This allows us to have a sliding fee scale, to ensure treatment is client driven, and to allow for increased confidentiality. Clients do not require a diagnosis in order to receive services.

Why would I pay for counseling out of pocket if I can use my insurance with someone else?
There are a number of benefits to paying for counseling without insurance. Most importantly, you will not get a diagnosis unnecessarily for the purpose of reimbursement. Most of our clients do not require a diagnosis as they are dealing with life adjustment issues, situational crisis, or phase of life issues. Not billing to insurance allows our clients more control over the course of treatment. We have found many of our clients use our practice much like a doctors office…more visits occur to get over a crisis or when things aren’t going well. We see them again for check-ups or when life throws another curve.
Additionally, when diagnoses are reported to insurance companies, this information may then be reported to the Medical Information Database, a data base available to member insurance companies (the site notes 470 members). More information about this data base can be found at www.mib.com .
We have found that by having a self-pay practice, we are able to keep our costs down and we pass that savings to our clients through our fees. Additionally, we have more time and attention to meet our clients’ needs.
For more advantages to self-pay, see below….

What are your fees?
$100.00 an hour for counseling services.

$40.00 to process the PREPARE/ENRICH couple inventory. (Couples are expected to attend some counseling sessions to review and address the outcome of the inventory.)

$150.00 per hour for mediation services with a $500.00 retainer to begin.

$150.00 per hour for parenting coordination services with a $500.00 retainer each.  Discount available for monthly payment arrangement.

What do the letters after your name mean?
M.Ed. means I have a Masters in Education. I graduated from Cleveland State University, the counseling program and coursework is out of the Education Department.
LSW is Licensed Social Worker. I have been licensed in Ohio since 1985.
LPC is Licensed Professional Counselor. I have been licensed in Ohio since 1997.

What age children do you work with?
For children, counseling is provided with strong parental involvement.

How will I know how my child is doing in counseling if counseling is confidential?
All clients develop an ISP – an Individual Service Plan -, which outlines the goals they plan to accomplish in counseling. These goals are addressed regularly and parents are given regular updates regarding a child’s progress toward these goals. This is done in a way that does not compromise confidentiality. Other communication between parents and the counselor is made to facilitate the child’s progress and/or strengthen family relationships.

More notes about the advantages of self-pay counseling services….
Here are more advantages to paying for counseling yourself.

1. Again most people don’t realize is that in order for insurance to pay for counseling services, the counselor must provide the insurance company with a diagnosis. For many people, they are seeking counseling to deal with life situations or stresses, such as divorce, communication or relationship problems, marriage problems, parenting issues, or childhood issues. Struggling with such life hurdles may not mean that a person is suffering from a mental illness. When you pay for your counseling, the counselor is not obligated to provide a diagnosis.
2. For some counseling services, such as marriage counseling, many insurance companies do not pay for the service. Therefore you would need to pay on your own. (Or have one of you diagnosed so your insurance will reimburse.)
3. To seek counseling from a counselor who generally bills insurance, that counselor may not be able to adjust her/his fees due to the agreement they have with insurance companies. Anna maintains her fees for previous clients at the level they were charged when they started.
4. Your insurance may only pay for a limited number of sessions per year. This may require you to pay full fee for extended counseling with a counselor who is unable to adjust fees due to the arrangement they have with your insurance provider.
5. Depending on your insurance plan, some managed care plans require a counselor to submit your treatment plan for approval before providing reimbursement. The managed care company may approve a limited number of sessions, with additional sessions allotted based on progress toward treatment goals or requests from the counselor. Managed care companies vary in how many sessions they will approve at a time.
6. Due to the need to report diagnosis, treatment plans, and or progress of treatment to insurance companies, and computer billing, your confidentiality may be compromised when using your insurance. This is not a concern when you are paying for counseling services yourself.
7. Paying for your own counseling often contributes to a greater commitment or motivation to work toward treatment goals to alleviate the need for counseling.
8. Paying for your own services allows you more control in how often you schedule appointments, the course of treatment, and increased confidentiality.
9. Paying for you own services eliminates the need for information to be reported to the Medical Information Database. To access your records in the MIB, click on this link www.mib.com.
10. Paying for your own services allows you to budget for your counseling services and allows us to focus more on treating our clients and less on billing and paperwork.
11. We are able to pass our overhead savings to our clients through lower fees than the Usual and Customary Rate (UCR).
12. Our self-pay practice allows us to be more flexible in working with family members and use a family systems approach to mental health care.

Learn more about how Anna Tyrrell & Associates can help you.

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