How long are the sessions?
Sessions are 50-55 minutes long.
What to expect?
It is common to feel nervous before your first session with a therapist. We will work to help you feel comfortable and at ease the very first session. Typical first sessions cover your reason for seeking counseling, an exploration of issues that brought you to this point, how these issues are impacting your life and relationships, relevant background and family of origin information, any medical concerns, etc. In our therapeutic work together we will establish realistic goals, monitor growth & change while learning to accept the things that can’t be changed and celebrate achievements.
Third Coast Wellness will submit the necessary documentation for you to BCBS. If you choose to use your insurance benefits, we will need to provide a diagnosis to your insurance company. This diagnosis and treatment record becomes part of your health insurance record.
Are the sessions confidential?
In accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), you have certain rights to privacy regarding your protected health information. All information shared with your therapist in person, on the phone or on the paperwork forms are kept confidential. The only exceptions to this are: suspected child or elder abuse and/or if you tell us you are in danger of hurting yourself or someone else. We will discuss this issue during the initial appointment and can answer any questions you may have.
Who can I bring to therapy?
Anyone you think would be helpful to your therapeutic process. Individuals will often have their partner or family member join our sessions for a week or two to enhance the therapy process.
Complementary Phone Consultation
This 10-15 minute phone calls allows us to briefly discuss why you are seeking services, what you are hoping to get out of our time together, issues surrounding insurance and payment and setting up an initial assessment. Our conversation will also allow you to discover if you think we may be a good therapeutic fit. Once this phone consultation is completed we encourage you to fill out all the intake documents prior to our session. This allows us to spend our first session on you and not your paperwork.