Practice Policies
APPOINTMENTS/ CANCELLATIONS/ NO SHOWS
Late cancellations, no shows, and re-scheduled sessions (outside of the same week) will be subject to a full charge if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you lose that session time.
Please remember to cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance. You will be responsible for the entire fee if cancellation is less than 24 hours, or if you do not show up for a session. There must be a credit card on file for this purpose. The card will be charged automatically. If you are using Insurance to pay for sessions and late cancel, reschedule outside of the same week, or no show, your card on file will be charged the full amount for the session.
One “Free Pass” is given per year. This means that from the start of working together, you are allowed one free pass for a missed session or late cancel without charge. The second time (and every time after) a session is missed within the 12 month period your card on file will be charged in full.
The therapist has the right to pause working together, or terminate treatment, due to nonpayment.
The standard meeting time for psychotherapy is 50 minutes. It is up to you, however, to determine the length of time of your sessions. Requests to change the 50-minute session needs to be discussed with the therapist in order for time to be scheduled in advance.
A $10.00 service charge will be charged for any checks returned for any reason for special handling.
PAYMENT
All payment is due at time of service. I take credit/debit cards, cash, and/or checks. I have the right to pause sessions if there is an outstanding balance. The card on file will be charged after every session, unless you request another payment option.
INSURANCE
If I am an “In Network Provider” with your insurance company I will honor the contract that I have with that provider. You will be responsible for your copay/coinsurance/deductible. You are also responsible for full payment in the case of late cancellation, or no shows. Working with your insurance means that I have to prove “medical necessity”, which requires a diagnosis and symptoms that effect your everyday functioning. If you do not meet requirements for “medical necessity”, you are still responsible for services rendered. Working with insurance companies often requires that I share your medical record. By signing this consent, you are signing consent for release of your medical record to the insurance company.
TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY
If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voice mail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 24 hours. Please note that Face- to-face sessions are highly preferable to phone sessions. However, in the event that you are out of town, sick or need additional support, phone sessions are available. If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or any local emergency room.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATION Due to the importance of your confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). I do have a Facebook page, Wise Mind Therapy, if you would like to stay connected to the practice in that way. I believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, I will do so. By signing this document, you are consenting to use of electronic communication. While I try to return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.
Services by electronic means, including but not limited to telephone communication, the Internet, facsimile machines, and e-mail is considered telemedicine. If you and your therapist chose to use information technology for some or all of your treatment, you need to understand that there are potential risks, consequences, and benefits of telemedicine. Potential benefits include, but are not limited to improved communication capabilities, providing convenient access to up-to-date information, consultations, support, reduced costs, improved quality, change in the conditions of practice, improved access to therapy, better continuity of care, and reduction of lost work time and travel costs. Effective therapy is often facilitated when the therapist gathers within a session or a series of sessions, a multitude of observations, information, and experiences about the client. Therapists may make clinical assessments, diagnosis, and interventions based not only on direct verbal or auditory communications, written reports, and third person consultations, but also from direct visual and olfactory observations, information, and experiences. When using information technology in therapy services, potential risks include, but are not limited to the therapist's inability to make visual and olfactory observations of clinically or therapeutically potentially relevant issues such as: your physical condition including deformities, apparent height and weight, body type, attractiveness relative to social and cultural norms or standards, gait and motor coordination, posture, work speed, any noteworthy mannerism or gestures, physical or medical conditions including bruises or injuries, basic grooming and hygiene including appropriateness of dress, eye contact (including any changes in the previously listed issues), sex, chronological and apparent age, ethnicity, facial and body language, and congruence of language and facial or bodily expression. Potential consequences thus include the therapist not being aware of what he or she would consider important information, that you may not recognize as significant to present verbally the therapist.
MINORS
If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. I will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential.
TERMINATION
Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If therapy is terminated for any reason or you request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Should you fail to schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.