People enter therapy for many reasons. Some need support in responding to unexpected changes in their lives, while others seek self-exploration and personal growth. If you’re overwhelmed by feelings of guilt, doubt, anxiety, or despair, psychological treatment can be helpful in addressing these experiences and determining appropriate adjustments.
Therapy is intended to be a safe place to explore the difficulties happening in your life and develop strategies to manage them. Therapists provide support, help you generate problem-solving skills, and enhance coping for various issues. Once goals are identified, the therapist and client work together to find the best way to achieve them.
No, you don’t have to lie on a couch. Therapy is like having an honest, deep conversation with someone you trust. Our team will support you in your aspirations, and challenge you when necessary.
Therapy sessions last 45-50 minutes and typically occur on a weekly basis. The first session or two gives us a chance to get to know one another. You fill out paperwork, answer some specific questions, and determine your goals for treatment. Beyond the first couple of sessions which tend to be more structured, you are in the driver’s seat – you decide what you’d like to focus on and we will help guide your growth and change. As we work together, we can talk about what’s working or not, and make adjustments as needed.
No. According to legal and ethical guidelines, clinicians cannot discuss or share any information about you to anyone without your written consent (this applies to all individual aged 18 or older).
For clients under the age of 18, guardian consent is needed. Outside of guardian access to the child’s personal health information, clinicians are unable to disclose information about treatment to anyone without guardian consent.
It should be noted however, that there are a couple of exceptions to maintaiing confidentiality: if there is imminent concern for the safety of clients or someone else, or if there is disclosure of abuse of a child or elder, we are required to inform appropriate authorities to make sure everyone is safe. Additionally, if a court-order or subpoena is received, clinicians may be required to respond to this request.
The short answer: No. PTG’s professional services qualify for patient reimbursement, and may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. As an “out-of-network provider,” fees are collected directly from you. However, many plans allow you to apply for reimbursement using the monthly “superbills” that we provide for you. We can also provide your insurance company with any additional information about the practice or your therapist that they need to process your claim. Prior to beginning therapy, it will be useful for you to contact your insurance company to get specific details about your mental health benefits.
Here are some questions that may be helpful to ask:
Our fees are competitive for an out-of-network provider in the Washington, DC area. Below is a range of what our services cost per session, which depends on the provider. Please note that rates are subject to change.
**Presentation or consultation rates vary based on nature of consultation (contact us to discuss further)
Clients are asked to make payments by cash, check, or credit card at the time services are rendered. We provide a superbill for services each month, which will contain all of the information required in order for you to receive reimbursement from your insurance company.
Please note that if there are two or more outstanding session payments, future sessions cannot be scheduled until the account balanced is paid.
