Rachel Bollinger Counseling,LLC
FAQ
What does the free 20-minute consultation look like?
- This time is for you to be able to discuss what you are seeking counseling for and for us to ask each other questions to determine if it feels like a good fit for moving forward. I understand that therapy out of pocket is a financial commitment and I want to insure before you begin to invest in this process that you feel confident that I understand what you are looking for and that based off my expertise and experience will be a good fit for you to reach your goals.
What can you expect in first session?
- Before your first session I send you paperwork to fill out that asks you more questions about your needs and outlines practice policies of mine. In the first session I go over those practice polices and see if you have any questions. After that, we dive into information gathering where I will ask you detailed questions about your life, history, important people in your life, what your needs for therapy are and how what’s brining you in is impacting your daily life. All these questions are pertinent to help me get to know you better, your support system, and what is impacting you daily to best be able to support you moving froward.
- When working with teens I operate the same and use this first session to gather as much information as I can. I also like to focus on what the teen likes to do for fun and what’s important to them to begin to build good rapport with them for moving forward.
How long is a session?
- My sessions are what’s called a clinical hour which equates to 45-50 minutes for a standard session, or 75-80 minutes for an extended session. The time remaining in that hour (10-15 minutes) is used to document what we spoke about in your confidential case notes, and determine what would be good next steps for the following session so we can pick up where we left off.
How long does therapy take?
- As much as I would love to be able to say that therapy only takes a designated number of sessions that just wouldn’t be true. Every person and what they are wanting to work on in therapy is different/unique. Due to that, the amount of time it takes to move through therapy is different and that time varies from person to person based off of each unique situation and how much effort each person puts into the therapy process.
How often do I need to come to therapy?
- I typically like to start with weekly sessions with clients so that rapport can be built, and we can gain momentum with being consistent. Once you and I start to feel like you are progressing we then scale back to every other week appointments, then to every three weeks, once a month and eventually graduate you out when you have accomplished all your goals and you no longer feel the need to come to therapy anymore.
Do you offer online/teletherapy?
- Yes. I am able to effectively offer my expertise in a convenient and flexible way, whether you live near or far from my Broomfield office. I utilize a HIPAA-compliant video service to ensure that sessions stay confidential.
-For the best experience of online/teletherapy, consider you environment for sessions – locate yourself in a comfortable and quiet location, free from most distractions, with stable internet and the ability for video and audio connection.
- Although I offer this mode of therapy to all clients, occasionally, teletherapy may not be the most appropriate/effective method of receiving support. Should this be my assessment, I will suggest moving to in-person sessions or provide customized referrals with other support options.
What ages do you work with?
- In Colorado, youth are able to seek and consent to their own mental health treatment starting at age 12.
- It is my practice policy, except in rare cases (such as those that may fall under HB 19-1120), to first seek consent from all caregivers with decision-making authority before beginning treatment for minors 12-14 years of age. I may request a copy of the Divorce Decree or Allocation of Parental Responsibilities Order to confirm the consent required for treatment.
- Minors 15-17 years of age consent to their own treatment and are the psychotherapist-client privilege holder, meaning they will have to provide us direct permission before any information regarding their treatment is disclosed to anyone (except in the typical limits to confidentiality).
- I am systems & family-oriented, so I will explore and encourage inclusion of parents/caregivers or other important parties when it seems it would be beneficial to the teen or family system.
This works for me, as it’s my preferred approach! And with the teen leading their own treatment, I’ve seen great improvements in areas of trust, ownership, boundary development, and confidence.
Do you accept insurance?
- I am not in-network with any insurance providers (or EAP companies); I am an “out-of-network” provider. If you are wanting to utilize your insurance, I suggest you first inquire with your insurance company to find out if your plan covers some or all of the cost of therapy.
- Some helpful questions to ask:
- Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
- Do I have any out-of-pocket mental health benefits?
- What is my deductible and has it been met?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
-- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- Is approval required to use these benefits?
- Am I able to use my out-of-network insurance benefits?
- Yes, I am an out-of-network provider, which means my practice does not have a contract with your insurance company. If you have any out-of-network mental health benefits, let me know you would like to receive superbills (i.e., a specialized invoice for submission to insurance companies). You will be responsible for payment for your session at the time of service, then after each session, I will provide you with superbills that you can submit to your insurance company. Your insurance company would then reimburse you directly based on your plan’s out-of-network benefits.
