What is the difference between Psychotherapy and Counseling?
Counseling tends to be short-term and focuses on a particular problem. Psychotherapy is longer-term and tends to be both more open-ended and life-altering. Therapy refers to both counseling and psychotherapy.
WILL MY INSURANCE PAY FOR SESSIONS?
PPO and POS plans will often reimburse for my services; others (HMOs) require you to choose someone on their contracted provider list. You may want to check with your carrier to see if your plan will cover individual psychotherapy with "Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists" on an “out of network” basis.
I request payment at each session, but I am happy to prepare a monthly statement (which will require me to provide a diagnosis code) for you to submit to your insurance company. I do not belong to any managed care provider panels because basic decisions about your care, such as the number of sessions, are decided by health plan employees, and providers may be required to discuss your confidential information with insurance workers for "authorization" to see you. By not contracting with health plans, I can preserve your confidentiality as fully as the law allows. Billing is straightforward and included as part of the therapy relationship. Treatment decisions are made by you and I alone.
HOW LONG ARE THE SESSIONS?
Sessions are generally 50 minutes long, but I may suggest 75- and 100-minute sessions if we decide it would be helpful. Typically we will meet weekly, although you may choose to come more or less often.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
It is not possible to answer this question accurately, since the length of treatment depends on your individual needs. Once I learn more about the issues you want to work on, I can provide you with a better idea of how long we might be working together.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING THE INITIAL APPOINTMENT?
The first session is an opportunity for information gathering on both sides. I will have questions about your current situation, your family history, and your physical and emotional health. You will have ample opportunity to begin talking about why you decided to seek therapy, and we will begin to formulate some goals. This is also an opportunity for us to get a sense of what it's like for us to work together. If, at the end of the first session, we decide for any reason that your needs would be better served by someone else, I will do my best to provide more appropriate referrals.
Francine Lapides, MFT
474 Fall Creek Dr.
Felton, CA 95018
831-335-4830
Fax 831-335-2049
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