Frequently Asked Questions From Our Clients
First Time to Counseling?
Sessions are 45-50 minutes, however the initial interview usually lasts closer to 60 minutes. Most clients are seen once a week in the beginning, less frequently as time goes on depending on your current needs.
Some people think that a counselor is an advice giver, in reality its not our role to tell you to choose option A or option B but to help you think through those decisions to find the best solution for you.
Our team has over 100,000 hours of combined therapy sessions with clients. Everyone has unique experiences, but the feelings and circumstances are almost certainly something that we have seen. You are not alone and we are here to help.
At Starlight Counseling we recommend weekly therapy, at the same time and same day each week, for the first phase of therapy. Research and our direct experience shows that weekly appointments lead to longer lasting growth and faster outcomes. Weekly may not work for your schedule, so we work to customize therapy to meet your needs as best we can.
The counseling experience is different depending on your unique goals and needs, and the length of time you will be in counseling depends on the nature of those needs. Some clients have a very specific problem that can be worked through with a limited or specific number of counseling sessions. For others, counseling is an on-going process and they choose to receive counseling for a longer period of time. Your counselor will help you to understand their recommendations for the length of your counseling experience.
Our team has a broad range of specialties and if you wish for someone you know to work with us have them call for a consultation. Your therapist might work with them personally or recommend that they work with one of our other providers, we match each client to our providers based on individual needs and preferences.
We don’t prescribe medications at our practice. Your therapist will work with you to determine if talking to a doctor about medication is needed, but ultimately the decision is yours.
There are times when one partner is simply not willing to come in for counseling. Fortunately, we often find that it is possible to improve the quality of the relationship with just one person involved in the counseling process.
Payment Questions
For many who seek counseling services, their privacy and confidentiality are more important to them than letting the insurance pick up the bill. In most cases your insurance provider will ask for a formal diagnosis, a treatment plan, and they can request access to a portion of your therapy notes. Confidentiality is more secure when a third party (such as your insurance company) does not have access to your private and personal mental health information. Ultimately it is up to you to decide whether cost or convenience are more important when deciding to use insurance.
At Starlight Counseling we accept most PPO insurance plans, and some HMO plans. If you are unsure about the cost or whether we are In Network please call your insurance plan using the 800 number on the back of your insurance card. Since the cost for therapy using insurance is determined by your insurance plan any quotes we provide are only estimates.
EAP services are often provided by a different company than your normal insurance. We ask our clients to begin therapy using your regular insurance, and if you have EAP benefits we will work with you to determine if we accept them.
We process all payments online through your patient portal if you are private pay, or through our easy to use insurance portal if using insurance for services.
Scheduling Questions
For your first appointment contact us at 214.937.9120 or admin@starlightcc.com. For follow up sessions contact your therapist directly. They will provide you with their direct contact information during the first appointment (email and phone number).
At Starlight Counseling it is our policy to take care of our therapists so that they can take care of you. Much of the work your therapist does happens before you arrive, as research, continuing education, and case consultation to name a few. When you book an appointment, they are spending this time with a focus on your best interests. To ensure consistent and timely compensation for your therapist’s time a 48-hour notice of cancellation directly to your therapist is required.
“Late Cancellation” and “No Show” appointments are billed at the full session rate for your therapist, and insurance does not cover these fees. To reduce the need for cancellations our team strives to schedule a consistent day and time each week for therapy so that you can make therapy a part of your weekly routine.
Depending on your therapist’s office schedule you may be able to switch from virtual to in office, please speak to your therapist to find out.
Switching from in person to virtual is available if you are unable to make your scheduled appointment in person. If you wish to make the change permanent please speak with your therapist to discuss.