Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy
Is therapy for me? How can it help?
Maybe I’m biased, but I think therapy can be for everybody and anybody. Therapy is not only an investment in yourself, but it’s an act of self-compassion and self-care that can have profound & far-reaching effects on the people in your home, your friendship circles, your family, and your community at large.
Therapy offers a space to confront and process through our challenges and difficult emotions, and it can give us the tools to better manage our feelings of distress. Therapy can also help us improve our ability to cope with life’s curveballs, build insight into ourselves, and create meaningful, lasting changes that help us feel connected to our most authentic selves.
That being said, therapy can be a longer-term investment, and it works best when you, the client, are invested in the process, and when you’re willing to stick with it even when it gets uncomfortable or brings up difficult, edgy subjects. That’s why it’s so important to find the therapist & type of therapy that works best for you.
What can I expect from therapy?
Our first appointment together will include a review of your history, your main concerns, and what brings you to therapy at this time. We’ll talk about your goals for therapy, which will be reviewed regularly throughout treatment. We will review informed consent, including your rights to confidentiality, and I will answer any initial questions you may have.
Ongoing therapy sessions will be a unique experience tailored to your needs and the goals we identified together during your first session. Our sessions will likely include a blend of talk therapy (like what you see on TV), learning and practicing new skills, and mindfulness/body-based (somatic) work.
The length of time you’re in therapy with me will depend of a variety of things, including:
your financial needs
the severity of your symptoms
whether you’re looking to solve a single issue or work on deeper issues
how much time you’re able to dedicate to working on skills between sessions
When we work together, we’ll talk about your progress in therapy periodically and can adjust our plans according to your needs.
If there is a specific style of treatment you’d like to engage in, let me know. If I don’t offer the type of therapy you’re looking for, I’ll work with you to find someone who does.
What are your hours?
I offer online therapy in Indiana & Florida on the following days:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
First session begins at 10am EST
Last session begins at 4pm EST
Limited reschedules available on Friday mornings, as availability allows
How do I schedule a session with you?
If you’re a new client, please schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to determine if I’m the right fit for you: Click here to schedule a call.
If you are a returning client and need to schedule or reschedule a follow-up, you can do so on the Client Portal.
How much does it cost?
Individual Sessions are $160 - $180 per 50-minute session.
Part of the fees you pay for therapy are directly reinvested back into the community. Lykke Counseling & Wellness, LLC commits to donating 5% of all annual business profits (money left over after paying business expenses & therapist salary) to organizations that promote equitable access to mental health care services in marginalized and underprivileged communities. Please see the fees page to see fees for all services available (individual, couple’s and EMDR intensives).
Do you accept insurance?
I am only in network with Caresource Marketplace of Indiana. For all other insurance plans, I am considered an out of network provider. I offer superbills for those who would like to seek potential out-of-network reimbursement. Please contact your insurance plan administrator to determine whether you’re eligible for out-of-network benefits.
To help ease the burden of the cost of care, I have partnered with Reimbursify to make it easy for you to file claims for your out-of-network benefits. Reimbursify allows you to file claims within minutes, online or from your phone. This service is available for visits with me as your therapist at Lykke Counseling & Wellness, LLC.
To get started:
(Have your insurance card and superbill handy)
Visit https://go.reimbursify.com/LykkeCounseling and follow instructions. You will need to file your first claim online.
Once you are registered and your first claim has been filed, download the Reimbursify app onto your mobile phone to file and track claims from your phone.
See this guide for step-by-step directions: http://go.reimbursify.com/How-to-file-a-claim)
I have insurance, but not Caresource Marketplace. Why should I do private pay?
For some people, the option to pay privately (i.e. without filing through insurance*) helps maintain privacy and reduces the chances of surprise bills in the mail weeks after getting services because insurance decided to decline reimbursement. It also makes it easier for you to find a therapist you really connect with, instead of just going with the therapist who is in network and hoping they’ll be a good fit.
[ Learn more about why it may be better to consider private pay services on my page: 8 Reasons to Consider Private Pay Therapy ]
Only you can decide whether private pay is the right choice for you, especially if you have insurance that covers another provider.
What are your payment policies?
Payment is expected at the time of service. This includes the fee for self-pay clients and any co-payments for insurance clients.
Self-pay clients will be charged the full fee of a regular session for late cancellations (less than 3 days’ notice) or no-shows.
Insurance clients will be charged the full contracted rate of a 53-minute therapy session I have with their insurance provider.
I use the integrated Stripe processor on SimplePractice to process payments.
I require all clients to keep at least one valid form of payment on file. Your card information will be securely kept on file with SimplePractice. This will allow me to instantly process your payment after each session. I do not have access to payment information other than the last four digits of the card you keep on file.
What happens if I need to cancel a session?
I have a cancellation policy in place, which protects the time I set aside specifically for you, as my client, and ensures that I have a consistent schedule that allows me to do my best work possible.
What happens if I need to reschedule a session?
If you reschedule more than 3 days/72 hours in advance, you will not be charged a fee.
Reschedule requests made with less than 3 days/72 hours may be subject to the full fee of the originally scheduled session.
Current clients may reschedule their appointments using the CLIENT PORTAL.
My Full Cancellation Policy
I require 3 day’s notice (72 hours) to cancel sessions. I ask that you give me as much advance notice as possible when canceling a session.
Sessions canceled less than 3 days before the scheduled session time will be considered late cancellations and you will be responsible for the full fee or the full contracted rate I have with Caresource.
If we have a session scheduled and you do not contact me to cancel or reschedule, and you do not show up to the session, the full fee of the session will be charged.
This policy is in place for a few reasons:
It helps me keep my schedule more consistent, which allows me to show up from a space of being centered and grounded while I am in session with my clients. This makes my business more sustainable over the long term, which allows me to show up with consistency for the clients I work with.
It helps us stay on track with your therapy. I take your treatment very seriously and prioritize consistency in our sessions, because this is one of the biggest vehicles for positive outcomes, outside of the relationship you and I build and the level of involvement you have both in session, and in the work you do between sessions. Frequent cancellations and inconsistent sessions often lead to inconsistent results.
It helps me better plan and predict need within my schedule, which allows me to appropriately allocate time and space for administrative and documentation tasks, rescheduling other clients, planning my continued education, involvement in trainings, and tending to other non-client tasks and duties.
A note about me missing sessions:
While I do my absolute best to not miss appointments, I am also human and may need to cancel or reschedule a session with you throughout our time together.
If I, your therapist, am not able to attend a session, I will also do my best to give as much advance notice as possible—you will NOT be charged the fee for me canceling sessions, even if I cancel the day-of. I will also make my best effort possible at offering a reasonable time to reschedule the missed appointment.
I do not cancel sessions frivolously and don’t take the decision to do so lightly. If I cancel a session, especially with less than 3 day’s notice, please know that I only do that with great consideration for your time and our work together, and that I only do it when absolutely necessary.
Do you offer in-person services?
While I am a therapist in Fort Wayne, I am not offering in-person services at this time. My services are 100% virtual to support individuals all across the state of Indiana. I also offer virtual therapy in Florida via telehealth.
Why teletherapy? What do I need to do therapy online in Indiana?
Teletherapy gives me the opportunity to meet you where you are—literally.
By operating a virtual practice as a therapist in Indiana, I am able to expand my offerings to all individuals in the state of Indiana, regardless of location. This brings unique, personalized care to you at the click of your mouse or tap of your finger.
All you need is an internet-connected device with a web camera and microphone and a quiet, private environment. I provide my sessions via Telehealth by Simple Practice.
If you will be joining via your desktop or laptop computer, simply follow the link sent to you prior to the appointment.
If you will be joining your session via mobile, please download the app to prepare for your first session:
Interested in what teletherapy is all about? Read more about it here.
Want to know how to make your online therapy experience successful? Read some tips here.
Are you available after hours?
Information about my regular business hours:
I see clients during the following times:
Tuesdays from 10:00am - 1:00pm, and from 2:00pm until 5:00pm (break from 12pm - 1pm)
Wednesdays from 10:00am - 1:00pm, and from 2:00pm until 5:00pm (break from 12pm - 1pm)
Thursdays from 10:00am - 1:00pm, and from 2:00pm until 5:00pm (break from 12pm - 1pm)
I am often “in office” approximately 30 minutes before and after my business hours, however this is not guaranteed.
I do my best to respond to non-emergency contacts within two business days, however I am not always able to do so. Please know that I will get back to you as soon as I am able.
A note about my “after hours” availability:
I do not guarantee a response to phone calls, emails or texts prior to 10am or after 5pm on work days (Tuesday - Thursday).
I do not guarantee a response to phone calls, emails, or texts after 5pm on Thursdays until 10am on Tuesdays (meaning, I may not be available to respond to you from Thursday afternoon through the weekend until the following Tuesday morning).
I do not provide on-call or emergency mental health services. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Will the things I talk about stay private?
Because mental health services are healthcare, personal health information that you share with me during our work together is protected under HIPAA. What we talk about is our sessions will remain confidential. I am only able to share your information if you give me written & signed permission to do so.
However, there are a few situations where I must break confidentiality.
Some of those situations include:
If I have reason to believe you may seriously injure or kill yourself, or if you tell me you have intentions to injure or kill yourself
If I have reason to believe you may seriously injure or kill someone else, or if you tell me you have intentions to injure or kill someone else
If you inform me of a child or vulnerable/dependent adult who is being abused
When I am ordered by a judge to do so
Please note: I can only ensure confidentiality when it comes to my end of things. If you are attending virtual therapy in a common space in your home, in public, or in any other area where others may be able to see or hear you, I cannot guarantee your confidentiality in those spaces. This is why I recommend finding a spot that is quiet and where you can close a door between yourself and others in your home/environment.
How do I get started?
As with any relationship, it’s important that you find the right fit when choosing a therapist. I offer a free 15-20 minute consultation for us to explore how I can support you in your journey, and to help you determine whether you feel like I’m the right fit for you.
Click here to schedule a call.
*Notice in accordance with the No Surprises Act, effective 1/1/2022 You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises