Working together with children, ADOLESCENTS, ADULTS, Couples and families towards a positive change
KM Counseling Services, PLLC
Frequently Asked Questions
Being a parent is a tough job. You want what's best for your child but it's rarely a clear cut answer as to what that may be. Children often use their behavior to express feelings that they do not understand or may struggle to communicate. By bringing your child to counseling, you gain additional support and the help of a professional that will work with you and your child to find helpful options and solutions. This may include teaching your child ways to communicate there feelings in a healthy way, learning coping skills, identifying their feelings, and discovering triggers to their feelings and behaviors.
The first session is generally an hour and involves completing paperwork and gathering information from you as the parent or guardian. There will be questions about your child's history, the issues the child has been experiencing at home and in other settings, and family history. Depending on the age of the child and the types of issues the child is experiencing, it may or may not be deemed appropriate to visit with the child and parent(s) separately. With teens, it is customary for the teen and parents to be interviewed separate to begin to establish rapport between the teen and counselor. Goals are set in the first or second sessions. Parents are generally involved in goal setting.
Counseling sessions are set depending on the age and goals of the client. For younger children age three to five, sessions are generally 30 minutes long. For older children and teens, sessions are generally 45 to 50 minutes. Family sessions are usually 50 to 60 minutes.
The length of time a child will attend counseling is dependent on several things including the issues the child is experiencing, the severity of symptoms, the frequency of sessions, and the child's goals. The counselor and parent/guardian as well as the child (when age appropriate) will together discuss progress towards goals throughout the therapeutic process to decide when termination from counseling is appropriate.
Counseling sessions are $165 for the initial session and $140 for each 50 minute session there after for our fully licensed counselors. See Insurance and Fee Tab for a current list of insurances accepted. Depending on the insurance, there may be a co-payment due for each session. Amount of co-payments vary depending on insurance plan and carriers. Deductibles are required to be met by some insurance providers before the insurance will cover sessions. Prior to the first session, your insurance will be checked for benefits and to determine the out of pocket cost of sessions.
A Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-Associate) is a professional who has completed an approved masters program, related practicum experience and passed the National Counselor Exam in order to be approved for a temporary license as an LPC-Associate. The Associate must then complete a total of 3,000 hours under the supervision of a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) in order to apply to receive a full license as an LPC. LPC-Associate are able to perform much in the same way an LPC can while under the supervision of an LPC-S. For more information and background on the Associate check out the "Meet the Counselors" page listed under "Home" tab at the top of the page.
If you have additional questions not covered here, feel free to contact me on the Contact Us by filling out the online form or by e-mail at kellym@kmcounselingservices.com.