Mental Health FAQs: What Our Clients Want to Know Before First Sessions
For some, the thought of therapy is a massive first step full of unknowns. For others, it starts with a single question and can quickly turn into many. That’s completely normal.
You don’t have to go it alone. At Relucent, we’ll cover therapy FAQs, and counseling FAQs. We’ll give you a heads-up on what to expect, how it helps, and you can get started.
How can therapy help me?
Therapy gives you support, practical skills, and healthier ways to cope. It can help with depression, anxiety, grief, stress, relationship struggles, body image, and unresolved childhood pain. It can also help you understand yourself better, identify what may be affecting your communication, and feel more confident overall. You’ll get the most out of Relucent when you practice what you learn between sessions.
How much can I expect to pay per session and how long are they?
Our sessions typically last 45 minutes, longer sessions are available. We’ll share our fees during your initial phone consultation. You’ll always know the cost before you begin.
Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.
You never have to be deep in crisis to benefit from therapy. You’ve handled hard times before, but the extra support and new coping skills could make this one lighter. Asking for help shows self-awareness and courage. It’s a genuine step you are taking toward change.
Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?
Therapy may be right for you if you’re ready to make changes. People come for many reasons, like job loss, divorce, stress, depression, anxiety, addiction, and more. Others simply want to know why they do, feel, or think the things they do. Still others want help reaching goals. You never need a perfect reason to start, and there’s never a perfect time to start. Now is a good a time as any.
How long will it take for me to feel better?
Every mind, every experience is different, so it’s different for everyone. Some people find relief right away as talking to someone who listens without judgement can lighten the load. After your first session, we’ll share tools that may ease anxiety and stress. And we’ll always go at your pace.
What is therapy like?
Therapy is a supportive conversation shaped around your goals, usually weekly. You’ll talk about what you can share: your life, relevant history, and perhaps any new insights from your last session. It can be short term for one issue, or longer-term for deeper patterns. Your therapist may suggest steps between sessions, like reading or journaling, to help you apply what you’ve learned.
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
We don’t, but you may get partial reimbursement for out-of-network care. Call your insurance company to check your mental health benefits. Ask about your deductible, what they pay per session, and how many sessions they cover. Also ask whether you need your primary care doctor’s approval.
Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:
* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
* If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.
Do you write letters for clients?
Sometimes, for established clients, and a fee applies that insurance doesn’t cover. We offer factual summary letters when they fit our scope, not forensic or legal evaluations. You’ll need at least 4 sessions first, and we review each request individually. We don’t write letters for prospective clients, one-session clients, friends, or family.
How do I a letter?
Start by telling your therapist during a session. If we’re sending the letter to a third party, you’ll sign a Release of Information form. You’ll also pay an administrative fee for preparing it. Your therapist will always share the cost and timeline.
Can you write an emotional support (ESA) letter?
Possibly if you’re an established client with at least 4 complete sessions. Only some of our clinicians write ESA letters. It requires a clinical evaluation beyond standard therapy. A letter can’t guarantee your request will be approved.
Can you complete FMLA or disability paperwork?
Sometimes, after the 4 complete sessions, but we cannot guarantee approval. The 4 sessions help your clinician understand your history, symptoms, and daily functioning. We encourage you to keep attending therapy, and we can’t complete future forms if your treatment stops. If we can’t, we can offer to write your primary care doctor a summary of your treatment, diagnosis, and functional impairment.
Can you provide a letter for court or legal proceedings?
No, we don’t provide forensic evaluations, expert testimony, or legal opinions. Your therapy records also aren’t admissible in court without a court order. If a court letter is truly necessary, we can provide a factual summary of your treatment. We don’t offer opinions on custody or on anyone we haven’t personally evaluated.
Testing FAQ’s
QUICK ANSWERS:
Can you waive the deposit?
We do not waive the deposit, as it locks in your intake slot and ensures all individuals reaching out have equal access to intake slots.
Do you take insurance?
We are fully out-of-network and can offer a superbill.
Can I get back to you about booking?
Yes, you do not have to schedule immediately.
Do you have a sliding scale for testing?
At this time due to high demand, we do not offer a sliding scale.
Can I do a payment plan?
Not at this time; we can offer to schedule your intake for a later date into the future to accommodate financial needs.
Is there a refund if I don't receive a diagnosis?
The purpose of our evaluations is to provide you with detailed information about yourself regardless of diagnosis, therefore we do not refund based on diagnostic outcome.
Are you able to do mandated/court-ordered/custody/parent fitness/rehab/medical evals?
Not at this time.
DETAILED ANSWERS:
Can I book my testing appointments in advance?
Yes, they can be booked after your intake session is confirmed. Testing appointment duration depends on the type of evaluation you’re receiving, and the age of the individual being tested. We do not book sessions for longer than 1-2 hours for minors and 2-3 hours for adults to be sure you save your energy. More often than not, testing is completed within 2-3 weeks of your intake.
What if I have to work or have school at the times you have testing appointments available?
Our testing business hours are Monday through Thursday from 9am to 5pm. We observe federal holidays. Testing appointments typically only occur in the morning hours, unless in rare circumstances where your evaluator determines it may be beneficial to test in the afternoon. We are able to provide a written or electronic medical excuse note on the day of your appointment(s) – this note cannot be provided in advance. You have the option to book your testing appointments in advance so that you can plan accordingly with your employer or school.
Can you bill my insurance directly?
No, however, we can provide a superbill at the end of testing. On the day you receive your report, we will electronically send the superbill document to you via email for you to independently submit to your insurance company.
Can you do a single-case agreement with my insurance company? Or complete a pre-authorization form?
No, unfortunately these processes often require unpaid interviews (sometimes 1+ hours) and do not always guarantee you will receive any reimbursement.
Do you need to speak with my (therapist, friend, family, spouse, teacher, psychiatrist, etc.) to do this evaluation?
No, any contact we have with people in your life is completely optional. You can let us know if there’s an important person in your life you’d like us to speak with and we will complete documentation for this during your intake.
For autism evaluations: do you have experience working with women or with people with high levels of masking?
Yes, the majority of the assessments we complete are for women or female-identifying individuals. We use measures that specifically look at masking and camouflaging behaviors and are very familiar with and comfortable with assessing this. We also believe you are the expert on your own experiences and will ask many questions about what life has been like to better understand any concerns you have or observations you’ve made.
How much experience do you have doing assessment?
Dr. Wieckowski has trained in assessment since 2016 and has been with Relucent since mid-2020. She specializes in evaluations related to development (ADHD and autism) and explaining test findings in a more human-to-human way (rather than giving you a bunch of numbers and scores to read through). She uses the therapeutic assessment approach, which is a way of collaborating with clients to help them seek answers to questions about themselves through testing.
Can I schedule an intake and then not move forward with testing if I change my mind?
Yes! We require a non-refundable $500 deposit in order to book your intake. However, at the time of your intake you can choose to not move forward with testing if it doesn’t feel like a good fit or if you change your mind. The deposit covers the cost of your intake visit and no further charges will be made if ending the process at the intake.
If I’m not sure what kind of evaluation I want, can I start with one type then add on more testing as we go?
Yes, at the time of your intake this can be discussed with your assessor. An assessor’s role is to help you decide what you could explore through testing and provide options about how to proceed.
What is your cancellation policy?
For testing appointments, you must notify us at least 2 business days prior unless it’s due to emergency or medical reasons. Cancellations or changes made with less than 2 business days’ notice will be charged for the time reserved. We do not want you to arrive to your appointment sick – if you show any signs of physical illness, you would be expected to contact your assessor immediately to reschedule. If we are not contacted prior to your scheduled appointment time, even if for emergency or medical reasons, you will be charged for the time we are waiting to hear from you. This protocol is in place to be sure all clients have an equal and fair opportunity to receive their evaluation in a timely manner.
Why is testing so expensive?
Great question – psychological assessment is a specialty service that provides you with a quick, in-depth look at your brain and helps to explain your life experiences. It takes many years of education and practice to provide a proper assessment. There are also many hours of work face-to-face with you as well as hours of preparation before and after you’re tested to complete the assessment process. At Relucent, we strive to make sure that our fees appropriately reflect the high level of service provided based on location of service.
If I’m not sure what kind of evaluation I want, can I start with one type then add on more testing as we go?
Yes, at the time of your intake this can be discussed with your assessor. An assessor’s role is to help you decide what you could explore through testing and provide options about how to proceed.
What can I expect in an assessment report?
Our assessment reports are very thorough and include an in-depth explanation of what was found from testing. We often break reports into sections, depending on what questions you are having answered. Common sections include Social-Emotional Functioning, Cognitive Functioning, and diagnosis-specific answers. Regardless of the findings, we strive to write our reports in language that you can understand (instead of just showing you numbers and using clinical terms) and in a way that provides you clear steps for moving forward while more deeply understanding yourself. We are also happy to provide local referrals for any recommendations made in the report. We will provide you with your full report a few weeks after testing is complete and then we will review this with you during a one-hour virtual meeting. We also offer a redacted copy (summary of the findings) that you can give to your medical team, school, etc. if needed.
Do you offer payment plans or have a system for paying over time?
We do not currently work with payment plan companies. We can delay scheduling to accommodate financial needs (this means we will book your intake at a later time). We cannot provide a report until payment is received in full – we don’t do payment plans to prevent any delays in this process.
Can you tell me the name of the tests, or the exact battery you’ll be giving?
No, we do not share the specific names of tests that you’ll be given in advance. This is for two reasons. One is to protect the security of the testing environment, and the other is because you don’t need to do any type of preparation or studying for the testing experience. Even if you’ve taken the same or a similar test before, we still administer the tests that we know will get you the best answers for your question(s).
Is it worth it?
Yes, it is definitely worth it to get an evaluation! We know it is a lot of money for most individuals to spend at once, however we’ve seen over the years that the value that comes from our assessments makes it financially and emotionally worth it. Regardless of whether or not you receive a diagnosis, you would be provided with a lot of information about yourself that can help with future planning and building self-confidence. Our assessment style is also very collaborative, so if at any point along the way you had concerns or doubts about the process, your assessor would be more than happy to see what can be done to help testing continue to feel beneficial.