FAQ
Office Hours
Office hours vary. Appointments can be made, or messages left by calling 515-337-2872. Voicemail is available, so please feel free to leave a message.
After Hours Emergency:
Clients are encouraged to go directly to the nearest hospital emergency department or call 911.
What to expect
Our first few sessions will include an evaluation of your/child's needs. This is typically 60 minutes. I will be able to offer you some first impressions of what our work will include if you decide to continue with therapy. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions and decide if you feel comfortable working with me.
Once therapy begins, I will usually schedule one 45-60 min session per week at a time that we agree on. Sessions may be longer or more frequent depending on our agreed terms.
Parking
There is a parking lot on the northside of the building. You may park in the parking spaces that are marked "Badding; Wirth or Flathers." There is side street parking on the southside of the building.
Electronic Communication and cell phones:
You are welcome to communicate via e-mail, phone or text messages regarding scheduling and other administrative concerns. It is important to be aware that any electronic communication can be vulnerable to unauthorized access and I cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any electronic communication. Cell phones are the most vulnerable to access by another party.
Cancellation/No Show Policy
If you do not show up for your appointment or fail to give 24 hours notification to cancel or change, you will be charged $50.00. Your appointment time is expressly for you/your child. I require 24-hour notice prior to your scheduled appointment for cancellations or scheduling changes, as others may be waiting for those time slots.
Payment
The private pay rate is $200.00 for the first session and $150-$175 (depending on the service provided) for all sessions thereafter. Payments due are expected upon arrival for each session unless we agree otherwise. In the event of insurance coverage, the co-pay is due at each session. You are responsible for deductible, co-payments and all fees not covered by third-party payment providers. I accept cash, check, credit card or PayPal.
Confidentiality
In general, the privacy of all communications between a client and therapist is protected by law, and I can only release information about our work to others with your written permission. However, there are a few exceptions.
I am a mandatory reporter. I am required by State Law, Code Section 232 and 235, to report suspected incidence of child and dependent adult abuse or neglect.
There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect others from harm, even if I must reveal some information about a client’s treatment. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalization for the client. If the client threatens to harm himself/herself, I may be obligated to seek hospitalization for him/her or to contact family members or others who can help provide protection. If a similar situation occurs in the course of our work together, I will attempt to fully discuss it with you before taking any action.
In most legal proceedings, you have the right to prevent me from providing any information about your treatment. In some legal proceedings, a judge may order my testimony if he/she determines that the issues demand it, and I must comply with that court order.
I may occasionally find it helpful to consult other professionals about a case. During a consultation, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of my client. The consultant is also legally bound to keep the information confidential. Ordinarily, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I believe that it is important to our work together.
Other exceptions to confidentiality may include legal consultation, clients raise the issue of their mental health in a lawsuit, or when a third party is present in the room. There may be other circumstances in which the law requires me to disclose confidential information.