Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I really need therapy?

It is different for everyone. A sign that you might need help from a professional are when the way you feel begins to negatively impact your sleep, your job, appetite, relationships with friends and loved ones, or your decision-making abilities. If you find that you feel “blue” a lot, or that things just aren’t getting better, or even that things seem hopeless – these are also pretty strong indicators that it’s time to seek out a trained professional to help.

Why shouldn’t I try to just work through this on my own.

It’s easy to put off seeking help for something that is negatively impacting the way we feel. In fact, the decision to get help can be extremely difficult for many people. Often times we dismiss feelings of anxiety, emotional pain, relationship stress, or depression as “just life” – even to the point of encountering real difficulty in normal day-to-day functioning. Deciding to take responsibility for your mental well-being is an empowering first step. It takes courage, but it puts you back in control of your feelings and well-being. Even this small action step of reaching out can have a surprisingly positive effect on your outlook!

What does professional therapy provide?

Professional counseling gives you an opportunity to share, but also to gain new understanding and perspective. Life can be hard at times, and difficult circumstances are sometimes beyond our control, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Therapy helps you set achievable goals, and begin to make lasting changes to help you reach them. Getting to the root of issues and learning techniques for changing unhealthy or unhelpful behaviors can help equip you to regain control and practice healthy patterns for long-lasting improvement.

What happens in a therapy session?

Since the needs and goals of every client are different, therapy sessions vary in format and approach. Sometimes clients come with an agenda or specific things they’d like to talk about. Other times, people have a success story, an emotion that’s bothering them, or just a vague feeling or thought they can’t shake. Sessions progress based on the needs of the client at the time, and active participation and collaboration is important. In addition to in-session discussion and activities, we might encourage an outside activity or assignment that we discuss later (like reading a book, or keeping a journal). Ultimately, the goal is to identify the areas where change or help is needed, set realistic objectives, and to equip you with resources and strategies for both near-term and long-term success.

Do I have to share things I don’t want to?

Certain topics or stories can be difficult to share, and that’s normal and OK. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to, or that makes you uncomfortable. It’s important to build a trusting relationship between therapist and client, but our sessions always progress at a pace that is comfortable for you.

How long does it take?

Because therapy is tailored to a specific person, and the goals and challenges that person is facing, there’s no pre-defined period of time for on-going therapy sessions. Sometimes incredible progress is made in mere minutes, but it’s not uncommon for therapy to span several sessions over a period of weeks or months. Individual sessions are generally about 45-60 minutes in length, depending on various factors.

Is this covered by my insurance?

Coverage varies greatly, but my services may be covered in part or in full by your insurance provider. I am credentialed with many Delaware insurances including Highmark Health Options, AmeriHealth Delaware First, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, Medicare, Medicaid, and others. However, specific networks, insurance vendor carve outs, and plan specific requirements can make it tricky to determine what is actually covered and how it is covered. Please contact your health insurance plan, specifying that you are seeking Behavioral Health or Mental Health specific benefits (often different than one's Medical benefits) to learn more about what your plan covers. Below are some questions that are helpful to ask:

• Do my insurance benefits include mental health services?
• What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
• Will I be required to pay a copay?
• Is there a limit to the number of sessions per year my plan covers?
• What is my deductible?
• Do I need to get approval from my primary care physician?
• For telehealth: do I have to use a specific vendor, or can the provider use their own telehealth platform (I currently use Doxy.me).
• For telehealth: Do I have any in-person requirements (first session may need to be in person, once a year in-person requirement, etc.)

If you are potentially interested in pursuing sessions, we would also do an eligibility inquiry with your insurance prior to our first session, to determine what your coverage may be for psychotherapy.

What if I need to cancel my appointment?

If you need to cancel your appointment, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance of your session. Multiple late or no shows to appointments could result in discharge.

Are therapy sessions confidential?

Yes. Your privacy is important to us, and you can trust that our sessions, as well as any of your personal information, is held in the strictest of confidence. While no data can ever be considered 100% safe, anything you transmit over our website has security measures to protect it, and stored data is HIPAA-compliant. 

In addition, confidential information disclosed in private therapy sessions is legally protected.  However, there are some exceptions to this. It is important that you understand the laws and regulations regarding this, to ensure you fully understand such limits to confidentiality, as you may decide that sharing certain information is not relevant to your treatment goals and/or might be better left out of your medical records. Below are some of the limits to confidentiality.

I am a mandated reporter of child abuse and/or neglect. When child abuse or neglect is disclosed or suspected, as occurring presently or having occurred in the past (even if the person who was abused is now over 18 years old), a report will be made to Delaware Family Services (DFS), and/or Law Enforcement, as mandated by the Delaware Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Del. Code Ann. tit. 16 - 901 et seq.

I am a mandated reporter of abuse and/or neglect of elderly, disabled, or vulnerable adults. If abuse or neglect of an elderly, disabled, or vulnerable adult is disclosed or suspected, a report will be made to the Department of Health and Social Services, as mandated by the Del. Code tit. 31 - 3910.

If a client indicates or presents as a serious danger of violence toward himself or herself, or another person, depending upon the situation, I am required to seek assistance from 911, the authorities, and/or notify the person in danger. 

If you’d like to learn more about our ethical standards and privileged communication exceptions, our office can provide additional information.

                                              I work with adults 18 years of age and older.

                                    Individual therapy only (no family, marriage, or couples).

                                                       I am not a prescriber of medications.

Emotional Wellness Counseling, LLC

818 Williamsville Rd 

Houston, Delaware 19954-2619

Conveniently located between Milford and Harrington.

Serving the Houston, Harrington, Greenwood, Milford, Camden, Felton, Lincoln, Dover, Bridgeville, Frederica, Farmington, and Seaford areas.  Conveniently located in Kent County, near the Sussex County line.

                                In person and telehealth available, by appointment only.