FAQ’s

Is counseling right for me?

Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why people choose to have therapy. Sometimes they want to deal with long-standing psychological issues or problems with anxiety or depression. Other times it’s in response to unexpected life changes, such as a divorce or work transitions. Many seek advice and counsel as they pursue personal exploration and growth. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including depression, anxiety, body-image issues, conflict, grief, stress management, and general life transitions. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting more out of life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change.

What is therapy like?

Every therapy session is unique and caters to an individual and their specific goals. It is standard for therapists to discuss the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts around fifty minutes. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. EMDR intensives or retreats are available. Click here to learn more about our retreats.

Where do sessions take place?

Talk therapy sessions are available remotely through secure video conferencing. However, for some people, in-person sessions are preferred and work best these session are offered at our Dayton and Kettering offices. In some cases, we like to integrate a casual, comfortable, movement-based approach, which may include meeting in public places, walking on marked trails or pathways or at our location Acorn and Owl in Yellow Springs, to meet the request, discretion, and comfort level of the client. 

Do you take insurance?

No. In order to maintain the approach many of our clients prefer, we do not work with insurance companies. We are able to provide a Superbill or detailed statement for you to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. We do not work with insurance companies.

We choose not to contract with insurance companies
for the following reasons:

1. When billing insurance, therapists are required to give a mental disorder diagnosis. Many clients do not have mental disorders and are only in need of support or talking to a professional. Insurance will only pay for those with a diagnosis. This may stigmatize clients and potentially impact future opportunities.

2. Because insurance is footing the bill, they get to decide when therapy is over, based on therapist progress reports. However, client progress does not necessarily indicate that therapy should terminate. This decision should be left up to you and your therapist.

3. Client confidentiality can be compromised, unknown insurance workers are given access to client information in order to process the claims.

Fee structure for counseling sessions 

$150 -$250.00 individual sessions
$200-$350.00 family session
$200-$300.00  couples counseling
$150-$200 student structured support

Cancelation policy- We require a 24 hour notice to cancel appointments. Sessions not canceled within 24 hours are charged the full price of the session on the day services were to be rendered. 

We do not offer refunds. 

Good Faith Estimate (GFE)

Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.

• 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.
• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises

Health Information Portability and Accountability (HIPPA)

• HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices- This notice described how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. 

  PLEASE REVIEW

  Your health record contains personal information about you and your health.  This information about you that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services is referred to as Protected Health Information (“PHI”). This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your PHI in accordance with applicable law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), regulations promulgated under HIPAA including the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, and the ACA Code of Ethics.  It also describes your rights regarding how you may gain access to and control your PHI.

  We are required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices.  We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.  Any new Notice of Privacy Practices will be effective for all PHI that we maintain at that time. We will provide you with a copy of the revised Notice of Privacy Practices upon request.

  HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

  For Treatment.  Your PHI may be used and disclosed by those who are involved in your care for the purpose of providing, coordinating, supervising, or managing your health care treatment and related services. This includes consultation with clinical supervisors or other treatment team members.  We may disclose PHI to any other consultant only with your authorization.

  For Payment.  We may use and disclose PHI so that we can receive payment for the treatment services provided to you.  This will only be done with your authorization. Examples of payment-related activities are: making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, processing claims with your insurance company, reviewing services provided to you to determine medical necessity, or undertaking utilization review activities.  If it becomes necessary to use collection processes due to lack of payment for services, we will only disclose the minimum amount of PHI necessary for purposes of collection. 

  For Health Care Operations.  We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI in order to support our business activities including, but not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may share your PHI with third parties that perform various business activities (e.g., billing or typing services) provided we have a written contract with the business that requires it to safeguard the privacy of your PHI.   For training or teaching purposes PHI will be disclosed only with your authorization.

  Required by Law.  Under the law, we must disclose your PHI to you upon your request.  In addition, we must make disclosures to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of investigating or determining our compliance with the requirements of the Privacy Rule.

  Without Authorization.  Following is a list of the categories of uses and disclosures permitted by HIPAA without an authorization.  Applicable law and ethical standards permit us to disclose information about you without your authorization only in a limited number of situations.  The following language addresses these categories to the extent consistent with the ACA Code of Ethics and HIPAA.

  Child Abuse or Neglect. We may disclose your PHI to a state or local agency that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect. 

  Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose your PHI pursuant to a subpoena (with your written consent), court order, administrative order or similar process.

  Deceased Patients.  We may disclose PHI regarding deceased patients as mandated by state law, or to a family member or friend that was involved in your care or payment for care prior to death, based on your prior consent. A release of information regarding deceased patients may be limited to an executor or administrator of a deceased person’s estate or the person identified as next-of-kin.  PHI of persons that have been deceased for more than fifty (50) years is not protected under HIPAA.

  Medical Emergencies.  We may use or disclose your PHI in a medical emergency situation to medical personnel only in order to prevent serious harm. Our staff will try to provide you a copy of this notice as soon as reasonably practicable after the resolution of the emergency.

  Family Involvement in Care. We may disclose information to close family members or friends directly involved in your treatment based on your consent or as necessary to prevent serious harm.

  Health Oversight.  If required, we may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections. Oversight agencies seeking this information include government agencies and organizations that provide financial assistance to the program (such as third-party payors based on your prior consent) and peer review organizations performing utilization and quality control.

  Law Enforcement. We may disclose PHI to a law enforcement official as required by law, in compliance with a subpoena (with your written consent), court order, administrative order or similar document, for the purpose of identifying a suspect, material witness or missing person, in connection with the victim of a crime, in connection with a deceased person, in connection with the reporting of a crime in an emergency, or in connection with a crime on the premises.

  Specialized Government Functions.  We may review requests from U.S. military command authorities if you have served as a member of the armed forces, authorized officials for national security and intelligence reasons and to the Department of State for medical suitability determinations, and disclose your PHI based on your written consent, mandatory disclosure laws and the need to prevent serious harm.

  Public Health.  If required, we may use or disclose your PHI for mandatory public health activities to a public health authority authorized by law to collect or receive such information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, or if directed by a public health authority, to a government agency that is collaborating with that public health authority.

  Public Safety. We may disclose your PHI if necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.  If information is disclosed to prevent or lessen a serious threat it will be disclosed to a person or persons reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat, including the target of the threat.

  Research.   PHI may only be disclosed after a special approval process or with your authorization.

  Verbal Permission. We may also use or disclose your information to family members that are directly involved in your treatment with your verbal permission.

  With Authorization.   Uses and disclosures not specifically permitted by applicable law will be made only with your written authorization, which may be revoked at any time, except to the extent that we have already made a use or disclosure based upon your authorization.  The following uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization: (i) most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes which are separated from the rest of your medical record; (ii) most uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes, including subsidized treatment communications; (iii) disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI; and (iv) other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice of Privacy Practices.

   YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI

  You have the following rights regarding PHI we maintain about you.  To exercise any of these rights, please submit your request in writing to our Privacy Officer at Empowering Wellness, LLC 5450 Far Hills Ave #205 Dayton, Ohio 45419

  • Right of Access to Inspect and Copy.  You have the right, which may be restricted only in exceptional circumstances, to inspect and copy PHI that is maintained in a “designated record set”. A designated record set contains mental health/medical and billing records and any other records that are used to make decisions about your care.  Your right to inspect and copy PHI will be restricted only in those situations where there is compelling evidence that access would cause serious harm to you or if the information is contained in separately maintained psychotherapy notes.  We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies. If your records are maintained electronically, you may also request an electronic copy of your PHI.  You may also request that a copy of your PHI be provided to another person.
  • Right to Amend.  If you feel that the PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information although we are not required to agree to the amendment. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us. We may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy. Please contact the Privacy Officer if you have any questions.
  • Right to an Accounting of Disclosures.  You have the right to request an accounting of certain of the disclosures that we make of your PHI.  We may charge you a reasonable fee if you request more than one accounting in any 12-month period.
  • Right to Request Restrictions.  You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the use or disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  We are not required to agree to your request unless the request is to restrict disclosure of PHI to a health plan for purposes of carrying out payment or health care operations, and the PHI pertains to a health care item or service that you paid for out of pocket. In that case, we are required to honor your request for a restriction. 
  • Right to Request Confidential Communication.  You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location.  We will accommodate reasonable requests.  We may require information regarding how payment will be handled or specification of an alternative address or other method of contact as a condition for accommodating your request.  We will not ask you for an explanation of why you are making the request.
  • Breach Notification. If there is a breach of unsecured PHI concerning you, we may be required to notify you of this breach, including what happened and what you can do to protect yourself.
  • Right to a Copy of this Notice.  You have the right to a copy of this notice.

  COMPLAINTS

  If you believe we have violated your privacy rights, you have the right to file a complaint in writing with our Privacy Officer, with the Secretary of Health and Human Services at 200 Independence Avenue, S.W.  Washington, D.C. 20201 or by calling (202) 619-0257.  We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.