Help & FAQs
Cost Related Questions
1. How much does counseling cost?
I try to keep my pricing very simple. We start with a free phone consultation to determine if my services are appropriate for your individual needs. Sometimes, clients need a higher level of care than I can provide. If so, I don’t want to take time or money from you that could go to a better type of treatment. After the consultation, if you are appropriate for services, we will schedule a psychosocial assessment, which is a longer, labor intense (for me) session to determine your needs and areas to address in counseling. It usually lasts 1.5-2 hours and the cost is $150.
After the initial session, I charge a flat rate of $120 per hour and frequency and duration of sessions are determined on a case by case basis.
2. Do you accept insurance?
I am happy to provide you with a superbill to file your own claim, however, I do not file third party insurance. One of the main reasons for this is that I do not want your care to be determined by your insurance carrier, which is the risk we run by involving them in your treatment. Insurance agencies make big decisions based on the care they think you need, rather than what you feel like you need. And that’s not cool. They rely on certain assessments and diagnoses, and I think people are more than a diagnosis, and sometimes there isn’t a clear diagnosis–but that doesn’t mean you don’t need help. So for those reasons, I accept self-pay only. If price is a concern, we can always talk about briefer, shorter sessions to spread out the investment.
3. What is the cost for clinical supervision?
I offer clinical supervision for drug and alcohol counseling only at a rate of $85 per hour for individual supervision and $60 per hour for group supervision (more than 1 counselor at a time).
Ask me about discounts for counselors who previously worked under my supervision through an organization. Corporate pricing available upon request.
4. Are there any additional costs?
No. I do offer point of contact (POC) drug screens at the client request for $30 per test. These tests provide instant results. You do not have to be a current client of mine to obtain a drug screen, those are available to anyone requesting them.
5. What are your payment options?
I accept all major credit cards, debit cards and cash.
Counseling-Related Questions
1. What can I expect at my first visit?
I usually recommend setting aside 1.5-2 hours for this visit, because we will talk about all different areas of your life and what you might want to improve. We will also work together to create your initial treatment plan with some goals and methods you can start right away to help address your problems. My goal is to help you feel hopeful and comfortable and to begin to build the therapeutic relationship that is vital to your success in counseling.
2. What do we talk about in counseling?
Well, that depends on your issues and what you want to work on. I always say that my only expectation is that you will be better today than you were tomorrow, and that you’ll continue to feel better about where you are at in your life, physically, mentally, and emotionally. As you can imagine, that looks different for different people. If your goal is to control substance use, we can talk about that. Some people want to be completely sober, and we can talk about that. Maybe you’re not sure WHAT you want. We can definitely talk about that as well. Counseling is about you, your time, and your goals.
3. I struggle with depression, anxiety or another mental health issue. Will we address that too?
Substance use is a complicated and multi-faceted issue that often comes along with other emotional or mental health problems. In other words, you can’t really treat one without the other. I have a master’s degree in professional counseling and advanced training in a variety of other areas, including trauma, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and anger management. While my license allows me to only treat those with substance use disorder as their primary diagnosis, my scope of practice also allows me to address other related issues. So we will most certainly address all aspects of mental health.
If for any reason I feel that your particular problems are outside of my expertise or scope of practice, I am happy to offer you a referral to one of the many other, talented professionals in the area.
4. Do you offer family or couples' counseling?
I do not offer family or couples’ counseling because it is outside my scope of practice and my level of experience but I do offer family information sessions on request if there are family members that would like to come in and learn about addiction and how to support their loved ones who are struggling.
If you do not have a substance use issue, but you would like counseling related to the effects of a loved one’s substance use, give me a call.
Supervision Related Questions
1. Does you provide clinical supervision for certification or licensure?
Yes, but only for counselors in NC at this time. Currently, I am waiting for SCAADAC to approve my reciprocity for the CCS credential so that I may provide supervision for the CAC-I and CAC-II. I am currently a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) in NC through the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board (NCASPPB formerly NCSAPPB) and I am happy to provide supervision towards CADC, LCAS, and CCS if you are currently working in the 12 core functions and I provide remote, online supervision as well as in-person.
2. Can you help me get learn more about certification and how to be a drug and alcohol counselor?
Absolutely! I provide career planning sessions for those wanting to get into the field, or those in school and/or new to the field and I can assist you in choosing an educational program, completing the applications, and submitting continuing education hours. In addition, I can help you determine the best course of action for your particular interests.
3. Do you accept interns or associates to work in your office?
At this time, my practice is very small and limited in the number of clients, so I am unable to accommodate interns for work experience. If you have a job working in the field, and you need supervision hours (for school or for certification) I am happy to help! But If you need work experience, I cannot provide that at this time.
Have Other Questions For Me?
If you have any questions please contact me and I will answer your questions via email as
quickly as possible.