“What exactly is therapy?
Psychotherapy is defined as: The treatment of mental and emotional concerns through the use of psychological techniques designed to encourage communication of conflicts and insight into problems, with the goal being relief of symptoms, changes in behavior leading to improved social and vocational functioning, and personality growth.
“What should I expect from my therapy sessions?”
The therapy session will be between you and your therapist in a comfortable and private setting. One of the most significant contributors to success in therapy is the development of a close working relationship with your counselor. You can expect counseling to assist you with:
- Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
- Developing skills for improving your relationship with yourself and others
- Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
- Learning new ways to cope with various life stressors
- Managing difficult emotions, such as anger, guilt, and grief
- Improving communication skills
- Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
- Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence
“Is therapy confidential?”
At LiveWell Group, our professionally trained counselors hold your personal information to the strictest privacy standards. You can be assured that all information you share with your therapist, even identifying if you are receiving services, will be protected unless you give permission for your therapist to share your information. There are some exceptions to protecting your privacy where we are required by law to report information disclosed such as child or elder abuse or if someone were to be a danger to themselves or others. You will be given a Notice of Privacy Practices and Informed Consent at your first session, which contains complete information about confidentiality.
“What ethical guidelines do you stand by?”
LiveWell Group believes in a strong ethical practice with our clients. We will be committed to your well-being, your self determination, and your privacy and confidentiality. We hold value in your integrity, dignity, and competence. Your counselor has rules and expectations set by the discipline in which they are licensed that guide the care and relationship they develop with you to ensure the most successful outcome.
“What happens if you see me in public?”
Our counselors reside in the greater Cincinnati area and are members of the same communities in which you live. There is always the possibility that a LiveWell therapist will run into you in a public setting. If that should occur your counselor will maintain your privacy and confidentiality by not acknowledging your presence unless you do so first. If you choose to make contact, your therapist will not introduce you to anyone nor identify how your therapist knows you. Your counselor will keep the encounter brief and polite and can discuss the experience at your next scheduled session.
“What is your availability and how will you communicate with me?”
LiveWell Group therapists are easily available by telephone or email. If the therapist you are contacting by phone is not available you will be directed to a voicemail where you can leave a message regarding the purpose of your call. Every effort will be made to return that phone call the same day; otherwise you can expect a return call the next business day. Should you experience a true emergency in which there is a crisis or life-threatening situation, please do not rely solely on your counselor and, instead, call 911, your family physician, or 281-CARE.
“What happens if I need to cancel my session?”
All cancellations must be made with 24 hours advance notice, or unless we agree that you were unable to come due to medical emergency. For appointments that cancel in less then 24 hours there will be a fee charged to you.
Do you accept insurance?
LiveWell group does participate with some insurance companies.
Many clients prefer to work with a therapist outside of their insurance plans for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Being a provider would mean that we would be directed by the insurance company as opposed to working directly (and privately) for you.
- In order to be covered by your insurance company we would have to provide a clinical diagnosis: in other words we must diagnosis you with a mental illness. Often times this is not the reason why clients seek personal therapy.
- You hold a greater degree of privacy and confidentiality, since we are not required to share your personal information with the insurance companies.
- By working privately with us, we can collaboratively decide on the methods we will use and are not limited to a pre-set number of sessions or certain treatment protocols. This will allow us to work together, rather than having these decisions made by a third party.