Frequently Asked Questions
What is the investment?
A 50-minute individual therapy session is $120.
A 60-minute couples therapy session is $130.
A 90-minute support group session is $45.
I accept payment in the form of exact cash, debit/credit cards, and HSA cards.
Good Faith Estimate Required Notice: You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, healthcare 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 (not a part of psychotherapy). 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 http://www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
Do you take insurance?
I do not accept insurance as a form of payment and I am considered an "out-of-network" provider.
Part of the reason behind not taking insurance as a form of payment is that insurance companies require that I give a diagnosis and treatment moving forward can become a justification as to why you have this diagnosis and why you need treatment. This means the insurance company is often dictating the treatment and I much prefer for therapy to instead be a non-rushed collaborative endeavor between therapist and client. When working with insurance companies, client confidentiality is also waived as every person who handles your claim has access to your treatment file, records, and diagnosis.
I can provide a superbill at the end of each month for you to submit to your insurance provider. However, there is no guarantee your provider will end up reimbursing you so I strongly recommend checking your benefits with your insurance provider before starting treatment. You can contact your insurance company by calling the number on the back of your insurance card and asking them these questions:
1. Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
2. Do I have coverage for an out-of-network provider?
3. What is my deductible, and has it been met?
4. How many therapy sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
5. What is the financial coverage per therapy session?
6. Does my plan require a referral from a physician?
If you plan to pay for sessions with a Health Savings Account (HAS) debit card, please know that I also require you to have a valid credit card on file as a backup form of payment upon starting treatment.
What is the cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, you are expected to notify me at least 24- hours before your appointment time. Late cancellations and no-shows will still be charged the full session fee.
If 2 sessions are canceled within a 2-month period, I will no longer be able to reserve a specific time slot for you and we will move scheduling to a first-come-first-serve basis. Thank you for your understanding.
If you are ever unable to attend your in-person session (due to sickness, transportation issues, etc.), you are always welcome to move your session to telehealth for your convenience.
Where is your office located?
My office is located in The Place Within Counseling Center in Roseville, CA.
I primarily offer in-person sessions to clients living in Northern California in Loomis, Penryn, Auburn, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Citrus Heights, Sacramento, Antelope, Folsom, and Granite Bay.
I also offer telehealth sessions to clients residing anywhere in the state of California.
How long are sessions?
An individual therapy session is 50 minutes long.
A couple's therapy session is 60 minutes long.
Longer sessions are available upon request at your prorated session fee, and if scheduling permits.
When are appointments available?
My business hours are Sunday-Wednesday from 11:00 AM-7:00 PM and Thursdays from 12:30 PM-4:00 PM.
Sessions are scheduled weekly or bi-weekly on a consistent day and time until you have reached your initial goals for therapy.
Research consistently demonstrates that therapy yields the most significant benefits when integrated into a client's routine on either a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Out of ethical considerations, I have chosen not to accept new clients who cannot commit to weekly or bi-weekly therapy sessions at the outset of their treatment. It's important to note, however, that as progress is achieved and therapy goals are accomplished, sessions will be scheduled less frequently in the future.
Once you feel that you have reached your goals, we will either have a graduation session to end our time together or we will move sessions to an "as needed" basis. When we move sessions to an "as needed" basis, I will no longer reserve a certain day/time for you and will instead invite you to schedule sessions through my online calendar as needed. If you would prefer to not schedule through my online calendar, you are welcome to reach out to me directly the week that you would like to come in and I will share what upcoming appointments are available.
Is what we talk about in sessions confidential?
All communication between us will be held in strict confidence unless:
- You authorize a release of information with your signature.
- If a court of law orders the release of specific information. Some common examples of exceptions to client privilege in a court proceeding include:
- The client is involved in a criminal proceeding.
- The client makes their emotional condition/mental health a condition in a lawsuit.
- The client alleges a malpractice claim against their therapist.
- The client has been court-ordered to therapy.
- A criminal defendant has requested a psychological evaluation.
- If the client is under 16, is the victim of a crime, and the therapist has reason to believe that disclosing certain information would be in the client's best interest (ultimately the judge's decision to make).
- The therapist has been sought out by the client for the purpose of committing a crime or avoiding detection after the fact.
- You present as a danger to yourself.
- You present as a danger to someone else.
- There is the disclosure of suspected abuse and/or neglect done to a child, elder, or dependent adult.
In the latter two cases, I am a mandated reporter and required by law to inform potential victims and legal authorities so that protective measures can be taken.
There are some other rare situations defined in state and federal law where I may break confidentiality. California has more than 20 such situations defined in state law which you can learn more about by visiting: Exceptions to Client Confidentiality
Couples Confidentiality Exception: When working with couples, I have a no-secrets policy and require all communication that occurs outside of sessions to be done in a group chat/email with both members of the couple and myself. Maintaining a safe, trusting, and transparent therapeutic space is incredibly important to me when working with couples. An exception to this would be if a member of the couple ever reaches out to me about a safety concern they have that involves their partner (such as domestic violence occurring).
HIPPA Notice: The Place Within Privacy Practice
How long does it take for therapy to work?
It's not uncommon for people to come into therapy looking for immediate relief. Please know that I sincerely want you to get healing in whatever you are going through. I understand how debilitating and overwhelming you may feel at the onset of starting therapy. Unfortunately, I cannot offer a quick fix to complex issues that have been developing and compounding for quite some time. Just as our problems so often increase and worsen over time, healing from them will also take time.
I intend to provide services that will assist you in reaching your therapy goals. Based on the information you provide me and the specifics of your situation, I will provide recommendations regarding your treatment.
Whether or not therapy is successful depends on many factors, including your specific goals, how much you would like to accomplish in our sessions together, your willingness to actively participate in therapy, your commitment to change, and the therapeutic relationship you and I are able to develop.
What are the risk and benefits of therapy?
Risks: Participation in therapy can result in emotional discomfort as challenging topics are discussed and processed. While there may be some days where you leave therapy feeling better, other days you might leave feeling temporarily worse due to the heavy nature of topics being processed. Some clients may find that participating in therapy results in changes they didn’t expect at the outset, such as a relationship not improving but instead ending. There may also be an increase in negative symptoms when certain maladaptive coping skills are removed and slowly begin to be replaced with more adaptive coping skills. Remember that it may have taken time for your struggles to develop, and it may also take time for you to begin to feel better. Specific therapeutic outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Benefits: Participation in therapy can help clarify your understanding of yourself, your values, and your goals. It can provide a fresh perspective on a complex problem and help point you in the right direction. Therapy can help you process and heal from trauma in a safe, organized, and helpful way. It can help you increase your positive self-talk, increase your coping skills, and lead to greater emotional stability. Furthermore, therapy can result in improved relationships with others and a deeper and stronger relationship with yourself.
A word on telehealth therapy: There are specific risks and limitations uniquely related to telehealth therapy. Before beginning telehealth treatment, I will go over these specific risks with you as a part of your informed consent.
What can I expect in our first session?
Our first session is an opportunity for you to share what brings you into therapy and see how I can best support you moving forward. I'll gather information about your family/relationship history, the history of the problems and concerns you are struggling with, assess what your goals for treatment are, and offer you some immediate symptom-relief techniques.
The first session also serves as an opportunity for us to get to know each other. It's a chance for you to see if I'm what you're looking for in a therapist and if you believe we would work well together. It is also an opportunity for me to assess if I have the competence and training to help you meet your desired treatment goals.
It is really important to me that you find the right fit, and I understand that not everyone "clicks" with everyone. If, after our first session, you don't feel like I'm a good fit for you, that is okay. You are under no obligation to continue seeing me for sessions. Please let me know if you'd like to try a different therapist at the end of our first session, and I will be happy to reach out to other trusted therapists in the area to help you find the perfect fit.
Ready to get started? Schedule your free consultation today.
Do you have a question not covered above? Send me a message at support@janellestepper.com.