Answers

Commonly Asked Questions or Concerns

The First Step

Like any journey, a first step is always among the hardest. If you are reading this, you have taken part of that very first step toward building the best you and living your most authentic life.

At Being You Counseling, we look forward to meeting you as you take your next steps.

A First Session

A first visit with us is like most appointments you may have with any new healthcare provider. There will be a lot of information we will ask about and you will want to get to know us as well. In this visit we will talk about what you want to accomplish and develop together a strategy about how we will proceed.

Things we might talk about during your first session are:
What has brought you to counseling?
What are the things in your life that you want to change?
How are you feeling now and what types of symptoms are you experiencing?
We’ll talk a little bit about your childhood, school, relationships (family, work, friends, significant others), your living situation and maybe your career.
We will talk about how long you may want or need to stay with counseling.
Who (if anyone) it might be helpful to have join you in a session at some point.
We will talk about how we protect your privacy and steps you may take to assure your confidentiality during counseling.

As we meet, we will tackle the specific concerns you have and work on developing the skills you need to help navigate your journey to being your best self with the concerns you may have or given the life experiences that brought you to where you are right now.

Length of Sessions and Treatment

Counseling is a very individualized process. Some people may only need a few sessions or weeks, while others may find that becoming your best self is a journey that takes years.

Just as your length of treatment is individualized so are the length and frequency of sessions. Most sessions are 55 minutes in length and will occur once each week. Others may be a little longer or shorter or may meet more or less frequently.

How We Work

Every person enters therapy with different experiences, needs, goals, and nervous systems, so there is no “one size fits all” approach to our work together. I believe therapy should feel collaborative, individualized, and human.

Some sessions may focus on processing emotions, relationships, or past experiences. Others may be more skill based, insight oriented, or focused on understanding patterns that are keeping you stuck. I often integrate mindfulness, nervous system awareness, somatic work, parts work, attachment work, EMDR, and self compassion into the therapeutic process when appropriate.

My style is warm, honest, and supportive while also gently encouraging growth and self reflection. I believe healing happens when we feel safe enough to be fully ourselves without judgment.

In Case of Emergency

Always call 911 in case of an Emergency!

Suicide Hotline – Call 988

If you are considering harm to yourself, stop everything else you are doing. Pick up the phone and call 988

This phone is answered 24/7 by people who will help you get through then next hours in a safe way and will work to get help to you immediately.

Sexual Assault Hotline – Call 800-656-HOPE (4673)

If you have experienced a sexual assault. There are counselors available 24/7 to help you through this immediate crisis and they will help you with additional resources.

Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)

If you are experiencing a home situation that has become violent or dangerous or if you have been harmed, the Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24/7. Call 911 for immediate police help.

Deciding to Move Forward

Like with any healthcare provider, it is important that you feel comfortable with your therapist. My goal is to create a space where you feel safe, supported, respected, and genuinely seen while also helping you challenge patterns that may no longer be serving you. Therapy is not always easy, but you should always feel cared for in the process. And if after a session or two it does not feel like the right fit, that is okay. It is completely okay to let your therapist know if you feel you would be better served elsewhere. The most important thing is that you find a space where you can fully be yourself.

Payment

Payment for your therapy sessions will be charged to you at the time of service. Being You Counseling accepts most major insurance carriers.

These include:

Aetna/Meritain
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Optum
United Healthcare
UMR
Medicare (Traditional) Part B

We do NOT work with EAP programs, TennCare or Medicare Advantage Plans.

All patients are required to maintain a credit card or debit card on file for co-payments or payments that will be charged against your insurance deductibles.

You are always welcome to self-pay for your care. Billing will charge the credit or debit card you have on file for the appointment.

Late Cancellations and Missed Appointments –

When you book an appointment with Being You Counseling we are committing to spending that hour with you. Being You Counseling is not able to bill insurance for appointments that you make and then don’t show up for. Therefore, if you cancel with less than 48 hours of notice or skip an appointment, you will be charged the full amount of a self-pay appointment.

About Confidentiality

Counseling sessions between a Therapist and a client are considered covered by HIPAA and will not be disclosed to others without the written consent of the client. These would be transmitted through normal clinical methods of record sharing and transmission or by personal consultation from your Therapist to another clinical provider whom you have specified. However, the Code of Conduct of both the APA and the NASW have ethical requirements for Therapists to comply with the legal “ Duty to Warn” .

In Tennessee, these legal obligations reflect a concern that the client may wish to harm themselves or someone else and that they have the access and means with which to cause harm. This information must be communicated to someone able to take steps to reduce danger.

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