You might have to meet with more than one therapist to find the right fit. It’s kind of like dating: You choose a person because a mutual acquaintance recommended them, or their online profile spoke to you, or you’re following a gut feeling. A phone consultation with a therapist can help assess the match, and you should get a good feel for how a therapist works within the first session or two. If it turns out for any reason that I’m not the therapist for you, I will support you in finding other counseling resources.

It’s normal to feel a little nervous when starting therapy. Just show up to your appointment with as much openness, willingness, and honesty as you’ve got available to you that day, and I’ll guide you from there. Sometimes you’ll know right away what you want to work on, other times you might not. Either way, everything we need to do our work together will make itself present. (Truly—it’s kind of magical.) I’m pretty good at helping people feel welcomed and at ease. And yes, sometimes there is awkward silence.

My rate for individual therapy is $165 for a 55-60 min session. I see couples on occasion and charge $180/hour for couples counseling.

I offer a limited number of reduced-rate spots for clients who need them. Every client who is able to pay my full rate is fostering my capacity to offer a lower rate to people who need my services but otherwise can’t afford them. Please know I cannot guarantee that reduced-rate spots will be available at any particular time.

At this time, I am not in-network with any health insurance plans, but I will provide you with the documentation (“superbills”) you need in order to submit claims to your insurer. You will be responsible for managing claims and contacts with your insurance provider if you choose to use your benefits. Please contact your insurer to learn about your coverage. Good questions to ask include:

• Do I have benefits for out-of-network mental health care services?

• If yes, what portion of services are covered?

• Do I have a deductible that must be met before services are covered?

• Is there a limit to the number and/or frequency of sessions covered?

• Is there a difference in coverage for in-person and teletherapy sessions?

o Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act (the “No Surprises Act”), health care providers need to give clients who do not have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency health care services, including psychotherapy. You can ask me for a Good Faith Estimate before a scheduled service, or at any time during treatment. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. www.cms.gov/nosuprises

I offer in person and telehealth sessions. I do my best to accommodate your preferences, though there are days and times when I’m available for telehealth only. I reserve the right to temporarily move all sessions to a virtual platform based on COVID rates and APH/CDC recommendations.

There are times during the year when I am located outside of Austin. During these periods, all of my sessions will be virtual/telehealth, so please consider in advance if this will work for you.

It’s generally best practice to meet once a week at first, especially if you’re in a lot of distress or if you haven’t been in regular therapy (recently or ever). It helps us to build rapport with one another and to get you faster relief. That said, everyone has their own set of circumstances, and I am open to finding an arrangement that works for your particular situation. Many of my clients see me every other week. Over time, you might choose to meet once a month, or simply as needed.

The job of every therapist is to become unnecessary to our clients because you’ve met your goals and are thriving on your own. How long it takes to reach that point is different for everyone.

I work a traditional schedule, roughly weekdays between 9am and 6pm. I occasionally make exceptions for extenuating circumstances, but I generally do not work nights or weekends. My availability is often changing since clients begin and end treatment on their own, individual timelines. New appointment spots open up based on changes in my existing clients’ needs or my own.

Once you’re an established client, you will be able to view my availability and make scheduling changes or requests through an online client portal. If you need to change the ongoing day and/or time of your sessions, I will do my best to accommodate you within the confines of my schedule.

Your health information is protected by federal and state laws and by the ethics of the LPC Code, and I keep your identity confidential starting with our very first interaction. I will give you a Notice of Privacy Practices to sign prior to engaging in therapy, which will provide you with a thorough explanation of your rights.

You can reach out to me at (512) 814-7321 or karey@counselingwithkarey.com, or by completing the consultation request form.