Frequently Asked Questions

The first session is an opportunity to get to know one another better. Some questions that I may ask during a first session include:

• What brought you to therapy?
• Have you gone to therapy before? What was it like for you?
• What’s most important to you that I know right now, out of the things you’d like to work on?

 You’re also welcome to ask me questions that may be helpful for you to know. If you’re curious about my experience or how future sessions could look, ask away! I love to invite curiosity into our time together.

Another important part of a first session is for you to have an opportunity to consider whether I’m a good fit for you. If you feel supported, heard, and seen, that’s a good indication that we’re a great fit to work together. I’ll make sure you have time at the end of the first session to schedule more appointments if you feel comfortable.

I approach therapy a few different ways: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

What are these you might ask?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that psychological challenges are partially due to unhelpful thinking and learned behavior. CBT focuses on helping people learn more adaptive methods by challenging unhelpful behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts.

 Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an approach to therapy that stems from behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Acceptance and Commitment therapy aims to help people learn to stop avoiding uncomfortable emotions and, instead, accept that these emotions are just responses to certain situations. With this understanding, people can begin to accept difficult emotions and commit to making necessary changes in their life that are in alignment with what is most important.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of therapy that encourages people to briefly focus on a difficult memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with a trauma memories.  After a traumatic life event the images, thoughts and emotions can remain. These can create ‘overwhelm’, of being back in that moment where you may feel “frozen in time.”  EMDR aims to help your brain recognize an event as in the past rather than still occurring in the present.

You can schedule by giving a call to 206-235-7685 or you can email Josh@propelcounseling.com and we’ll find a time to connect that works for us both.

This depends on you and what you’d like to work on. The most common frequencies for appointments are weekly or every other week, but this is completely dependent on your needs. This is a chat we can have together to decide the frequency that feels right for you.

Sessions are up to 50-minutes in length.

Mostly. Therapists are mandated reporters. That means any issues related to child abuse and elder abuse are required by law to be reported to agencies that manage these issues. Along with that, if you’re threatening to harm someone else, with an active plan and intention to follow through, this is required to be reported to law enforcement. Everything else is between us.

Part of my role as a therapist is to help you figure out how to face certain fears, including how to face the unknown. This can feel overwhelming because of the ‘newness’ of it, but growth happens there – I’ve seen it happen for clients over and over again. That being said – there’s definitely a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ time to talk about certain things. You’re in charge of your life, and if you tell me you’re not ready to talk about something – I’ll believe you. We won’t go down that path of exploration until you let me know it feels safe to go there.

Currently, I provide therapy via telehealth using a video platform similar to Zoom. Telehealth can make therapy accessible for people with mobility challenges, time constraints, or for those who just want to do the work of therapy from the comfort of their homes.

I know that life happens and sometimes, life outside of therapy has to be the priority. That being said, I reserve a time specifically for our time together and cannot use that time for anyone else if I don’t have enough notice. Because of that, I ask that you give a 24-hour notice for any cancellations. If less than 24-hour notice is given, the full session rate will be charged.

Essentially, a Superbill is an itemized list of services provided to you much like a receipt. The Superbill will have the date of your session and other additional information that your insurance company will use to reimburse you directly.

You can call your insurance provider to ask what their reimbursement rate is for an ‘out of network’ mental health provider. As noted above, I am able to provide a Superbill which you can submit to your insurance provider for direct reimbursement.

Absolutely! I accept what’s referred to as private pay. I have a per-session rate of $130. If this rate doesn’t work with your current finances I am happy to chat about a lesser per-session amount that would make therapy accessible to you.

Sessions can be paid for by card, cash or check. Typically for ease, I keep a card on file and charge the card at the completion of each session.

Every client will receive something called a Good Faith Estimate.

The Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill.

The Good Faith Estimate is not a contract and therefore does not require you to obtain the items or services provided by Propel Counseling. The foundation of a good therapeutic relationship between a client and therapist is the client’s right to autonomy and self-determination.

Therefore, you (as the client) have the right to terminate services at any time.

If you are billed for more than the Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill.
You may contact the health care provider or facility listed to let them know the billed charges are higher than the Good Faith Estimate. You can ask them to update the bill to match the Good Faith Estimate, ask to negotiate the bill, or ask if there is financial assistance available.

You may also start a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If you choose to use the dispute resolution process, you must start the dispute process within 120 calendar days (about 4 months) of the date on the original bill.

There is a $25 fee to use the dispute process. If the agency reviewing your dispute agrees with you, you will have to pay the price on the Good Faith Estimate. If the agency disagrees with you and agrees with the health care provider or facility, you will have to pay the higher amount.

To learn more about disputes and get a form to start the process, go to www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.