FAQ’s

What is the cost of therapy or coaching?

Private pay is $240 for 4 sessions pre-paid.
Insurance out of pocket varies by contract. I would be happy to check this for you.
I provide pro bono sessions for 2 client slots per week that are survivors of domestic violence. As you can imagine, these slots stay full. If you are interested in sponsoring some of these slots so that I can expand this to more, please contact me.
Call a Therapist – Do you have a quick question to get general coaching guidance on tools to use for a general mental health situation? You can have a one time call for 30 minutes for $50. Go to Valerie.clientsecure.me and choose new client and pick coaching call to schedule. It is not intended to be used for crisis calls or a substitute for psychotherapy.

Most sessions are scheduled for 50 minutes. Out of respect for your time and other clients, sessions are scheduled on the hour. If you are over 10 minutes late without prior notification, the session will be considered a no show. There is a science behind the 50 minute session in which most people have the most therapeutic moments in the last 10 minutes of a session. The build up to this occurs organically.

Please notify me 24 hours in advance for any cancellation so that this session can be made available for other clients. The fee for a no show or late cancellation is $75 or forfeit of any prepaid session. This will be the client’s responsibility, as this is not covered by insurance.
If the appointment is for a free 15 minute phone consultation? Unfortunately, you will not be eligible for another free consultation. Your next step would be to schedule an intake appointment.

In Texas, you can contact your local mental health authority to see if you are eligible for services. Click here or call 211 or go to 211.org.

What do you want to work on in therapy?
What experience(s) have you had with therapy or other mental health treatment? What worked and what didn’t work?
What is your expectation of what a therapy session looks like and what do you expect to get out of therapy?
What is your idea on how long you expect to be in therapy in terms of number of sessions, weeks, or months?
What is important to you about a therapist in order for you to feel comfortable opening up in a therapy session?
What is your ideal time each week for therapy? Do you prefer the same time every week, or will this vary?
How many sessions do you anticipate having? (Generally, solution focused brief therapy is 3-4 sessions and focuses on typically one specific concern. Generally, trauma focused cognitive processing therapy (CBT) is 10-12 sessions. Multi-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is 10-12 sessions. CBT and ongoing processing can be much longer.)
What is your budget for therapy per month? How do you plan to pay?
What characteristics or values of a therapist are important for you?
How will you know if therapy is working for you? What will be different in your life once you have completed therapy?
Do you have reliable internet connection? Do you prefer video calls or audio calls?
Do you have any concerns about my office contacting you via text, phone, or email, and leaving messages if applicable?
What do you want to know about my experience, education, training, or style?

My number is 903-289-7948. I have a very small practice and prefer to have a small caseload of around 20 clients. This keeps my costs down and quality high. This means if you call, you will be talking to me, not an answering service. If it’s after hours, or I’m in therapy, please leave a message. My goal is to respond within 24 hours. My days off are Tuesdays.
If you are a current client or have set up a patient portal with me, I prefer that you message me within your portal to protect your privacy since it is HIPAA compliant.

At present, I offer 2 client slots for no cost to survivors of domestic violence. I would love to offer more and still be able to “keep the doors open.” If you would like to sponsor more slots, please contact me.