Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about holistic counseling with Laura Giles, LCSW.

Treatment

Q: How long will it take to see results from ____________?

A: Every person is different. No one responds in the same way to any type of therapy or intervention. If there is a crisis, we focus on dealing with the crisis, then working on solutions, then maintenance. Without a strong foundation, quick change usually doesn’t last. So, we will go at the speed of your body to create change at a pace that you can sustain. If you were functioning well and then were hit by a life crisis, that is usually a lot quicker. A healthy lifestyle always supports quick recovery as well.

Q: What treatment works best?

A: It depends on what is the root of the problem. Let’s say that the problem is ADD. Is it caused by a blow to the head or ingesting toxins (food colorings, sugar, etc.)? If it’s due to a blow to the head, neurofeedback is the best approach. If it’s due to the diet, you need to change your diet. Eating a healthy diet will always make any healing modality more effective because the body will have more energy to work with.

Now let’s say that you have a problem that requires surgery or medication and you get that done. Are you finished? No! Not if you want wellness. Surgery and medication only mask the symptoms. If your mind or energy body are not corrected, the dis-ease will return in some other form because the imbalance is still there. So, if you are interested in wellness, the treatment that works the best is the one that addresses the root cause. If there are several approaches that do that, the best one is the one you like.

Hours

Q: Do you have evening and/or weekend hours?

A: No. Office hours are by appointment Monday through Thursday. The last appointment of the day is 4:00 p.m., sometimes 5:00.  Availability is extremely limited. I give priority to returning clients so that they can have continuity of care. If you are interested in one time visit (for something like past life regression), I can almost always work that in.

Q: Do you offer counseling by Skype?

A: No, I offer distance counseling on a HIPAA compliant platform. You do not need an app.

.

Insurance

Q: Do you accept _______ insurance?

A: I participate in the Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield network (except HMO products), Optima, and Cigna. I am out of network for other carriers. This doesn’t mean your insurance company won’t cover your visit. It just means that you have to check with them about out-of-network coverage.

It’s always a good idea to check your coverage. The out-of-network fee may be the same, or slightly more than, your in-network fee.

Lots of plans are now very restrictive. If your deductible is really high, meaning you have to pay the first $X, it’s better to choose your provider by what you want than what you can get because the fee is coming from your pocket anyway.

Q: Will insurance pay for __________?

A: Typically insurance will pay for your intake interview as long as you are not receiving services elsewhere. They will pay for individual counseling as long as you are not receiving services elsewhere. They generally do not pay for low energy neurofeedback system (LENS), couple’s counseling, breathwork, hypnosis, energy work, or past life regression. The insurance company sets the terms for what they pay for and how much. You will have to call them to find out for sure what your plan covers.

Q: When should I not use insurance?

A: If you have privacy concerns, you can self-pay. When you use insurance, you MUST have a diagnosis on file. This gets reported to the insurance company. If you don’t want your health information shared, you can self-pay.

You may also prefer to self-pay when you want more control over your health. Insurance dictates what treatment options are available to you. When you self-pay, all those decisions are up to you.

Fees

Q: What are your fees?

A: All services are billed at $165 per therapeutic hour (50 minutes). If you are a counseling client and we do breathwork as part of your therapy, there is no additional charge. If you contract for one service and want to add on LENS (because it doesn’t take long) or BEMER (because it can generally be done simultaneously) the fee is an additional $35 as long as we stay within the same therapeutic hour.

Stand alone BEMER sessions are 15 minutes. They are 3 for $100 or $45 each. It is recommended that BEMER clients commit to ten sessions as it can take a while to see changes.

Q: What is your billing policy?

A: All fees are due at the time that services are rendered. However, there may be times when a balance accrues. In this case, any balance that is 60+ days due will be sent to collections. Attorney fees and/or court costs will be assessed. The returned check fee is $50. Missed appointment fees are $50. All balances must be caught up before services can be resumed.