FAQ

Therapy is a relationship between you and your therapist, which is devoted to your well-being and growth. Relieving your pain, reducing your symptoms, or changing your behavior or lifestyle may be parts of that goal. The main way to achieve goals is often through talking, but other forms of expression can be used, including but not limited to art, journal writing, relaxational skills training, meditation, positive communication skills, and etc…You have the right to be informed and to understand the purposes, activities, risks and reasonable chances of success of any approach. In therapy, it is important to not only explore mental complaints; but, to explore all facets of life that are important to you such as health, wealth, spiritual, and social to realistically resolve highlighted complaints and live a more happy life.

We think of therapy as present and future-oriented, although some instances of understanding the past may be needed and beneficial. Therapy cannot rescue you from real-life danger, but it can help you learn to recognize/evaluate your circumstances, problem-solve triggers, and when needed avoid unhealthy situations for yourself.Therapy can give you the tools to highlight your strengths while composing a new stronger narrative for yourself. Therapy is often hard work. You will learn to pay attention to your thoughts, your feelings, and your relationships; to honestly acknowledge them (including feeling you wish you never had); to work with unwanted aspects of yourself, to learn to feel painful things and to face ugly realities; to talk candidly and respectfully with people you would rather avoid; to accept impossible but inevitable situations; to change frightening but changeable ones; to face one’s inner monsters and to learn to love the outer ones-or to name and run away from them! The therapist does not do this work. 

The therapist’s job is to listen carefully, to point out strengths that have been unnoticed and weaknesses that have been ignored, to look for hope when you are hopeless and danger when you are naïve, to allow you to be dependent when you fear depending and to challenge you to grow up when you would love to stay little. In short, the therapist’s job is to assist you to learn to meet your needs, satisfy your desires, and live more freely in this world.

There are risks to beginning therapy. The first and most important one is that people often feel worse as the therapy progresses. Sometimes this is natural; after all, talking about problems breaks down our usual avoidance of them and the pain associated with them can then be felt more vividly. Other instances can point to misdiagnosis when not sharing the complete complaint, risks of memories being communicated as either completely reliable or never reliable, and risks pertaining to unexpressed thoughts/feelings. It is very important to let your therapist know how you are experiencing the therapy process. Telling you therapist allows exploration of what is happening, so you can decide whether the worsening is to be expected or whether the therapy is moving too fast. In this case, recognizing the problem and “slowing down” usually takes care of the worsening.

When you pay out of pocket at the self-pay rate: The cost for treatment can range depending upon time in session. The range is between $75 to $150. Generally, a Comprehensive Clinical Assessment’s cost is $150 and 45-minute follow-up sessions are $90 per visit. When appropriate, 30-minute sessions can be completed for $75 per visit. 

Some insurances can be utilized, and Built for Mental Wellness will honor the cost sharing breakdown of your policy as appropriate with received services. For those insurances in which Built for Mental Wellness is in-network, filing of claims will be completed by the provider. For out of network insurances, a superbill can be provided upon request.

Self-pay means having more say so over your health and privacy. For example, insurance companies have to approve providers, dictate what services they are willing to pay for, and require mental health diagnosis to pay for services. Moreover, your insurance company has access to your history and may decide for you which services should be limited or denied. Many times, for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists such as myself, we are limited in the services we provide by insurance companies due to our nature of treating relational units (i.e., families/couples) which may not appear as medically necessary to your insurance company. Filing insurances include cost sharing benefits and getting to use and make the most of your benefits. 

When deciding which to consider, ask yourself the following:

• Do I have a high deductible that must be met prior to cost sharing structures taking place? 
• Do I want my insurance company to be aware of my diagnosed condition?
• Does my concern meet “medical necessity” for insurance to cover my visit? 

Current insurances that are accepted include: Bluecross Blueshield, Medcost, Cigna, United Healthcare/Optum, Aetna, and Friday Health Plans.

It is possible to change the type of service you are receiving such as individual therapy to couples, family, life coaching, and vice versa. However, we will have to discuss the associated risks and benefits to making that decision prior to changing your service type.

Life coaches identify and describe current problematic behaviors so that they can be modified for the better. While, therapists analyze and treat identified symptoms by seeking to understand how present thoughts, feelings, or behaviors negatively impact daily functioning. In therapy, you will be able to get to the “why” behavioral patterns or cycles happen while life coaching develops a blueprint for “how” to realize desired goals. As to which is for you, answer if you want to know “why” something is happening before attempting to address it. Or do you want steps on “how” to address a problem.

Sessions are by appointment only. My hours are typically 8:30am-2:30pm Mondays, 8:30am-6:30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-6:30pm on Wednesdays, and scheduling varies on Fridays, call for availability. Hours may vary. To request an appointment go to “Book Online Now” or call (252) 751-0243.

Be sure to give at least 24-hours notice prior to canceling. Otherwise, you may be subject to a charge of $25 up to the full rate of the session, at your provider’s discretion.

Please note that payments are due at the time of service. Forms of accepted payment include all major credit or debit cards. Payments can be made in the secure client portal.

If letters are requested, please be sure to provide at least 72-hours notice of what is needed. Some form letters are accepted while others may be outside of Built for Mental Wellness’s scope of practice. Approved letters with a brief narrative and/or synopsis of treatment will be provided for a $25 fee. Approved form letters with a checklist format will be a $10 fee. Request of progress notes and/or session documentation is subject to reasonable cost-based fees for providing records.

Please note that if you are aware of needed testimony related to custody hearing, custody/access disputes, visitation, and/or divorce proceedings that this falls outside of Built for Mental WELLNESS scope of practice. Referrals can be provided for other providers that are better suited to this need.