Commonly Asked Questions
Which insurances do you take?
We currently are in network providers for BlueCross BlueShield/CareFirst, UnitedHealthcare/United Behavioral Health, Aetna, John Hopkins, and Cigna/Evernorth. We are able to provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance if we are not in network. We are working to be in network providers with additional insurances in the near future and will update our in network availability accordingly. For further information about this please feel free to inquire.
We are unable to accept clients who have Medicare insurance.
What can I expect from therapy?
Every clinician is different, and therefore what you can expect will vary from person to person. The things that are common across the board are respectful, nonjudgmental, and open spaces that are as safe as you are willing to make them. Each clinician at New Hope Counseling Group will collaborate with you to move you towards your personal goals of healing, empowerment, and self-discovery. With our diverse clinical team, we take care to screen each client and try to match you with the clinician best suited to assist you in achieving your goals.
Your first session will be focused on your clinician getting to know you better and understanding your needs. As you and your therapist work together, you'll collaborate on the frequency and length of your sessions.
How long are sessions?
Your first appointment with your therapist will be about 60 minutes. Your follow up sessions will be between 45 and 60 minutes, and will be established by your therapist in your first session.
What if I don’t like my therapist and want to switch to another therapist?
Before switching therapists, it's important to have a conversation with your therapist regarding what you're dissatisfied with. If there are no changes or there's nothing that your therapist can do to repair your relationship, please connect with their immediate supervisor to discuss your concerns.
I need a letter written for any reason such as disability accommodations, support animals, or for medical procedures, am I able to get this from you?
Your therapist may be willing to provide you the documentation you require. You must provide at least two weeks notice prior to the due date of the documentation. Due to ethical standards, we are unable to provide you written letters for anything unless you have been seen for a minimum of eight sessions by your therapist. Depending on the request, you may be charged an out-of-pocket cost.
What are your out of pocket rates for therapy?
Our rates vary depending on the licensure and experience of your therapist and can be discussed when setting up your initial appointment. Intake (initial) appointments cost more than ongoing appointments. If you are paying out of pocket, you will be provided with a good faith estimate per session.
Please speak to our therapy coordinator about possible options if you are someone who is underinsured or without insurance. One of our primary goals is to make therapy as accessible as possible, however, we do strive to provide adequate compensation to each of our therapists for the services they provide.
How do I cancel or reschedule an appointment?
If this is your first appointment, you are welcome to reach out to your therapist to let them know you need to cancel or reschedule. You also can contact the therapy coordinator. If you are an established client, please only reach out to your therapist.
Please remember sessions cancelled with less than 24-hour’s notice and no shows are subject to a $60 fee.
Is virtual therapy/teletherapy effective?
It is important to remember teletherapy is not for everyone, and if it is not for you this is okay! Each clinician providing virtual sessions uses a HIPAA-compliant platform and technology to ensure your protection to the best of their ability. Teletherapy has been indicated to be effective for various mental health concerns, and our team is experienced in providing virtual sessions. Please speak to our therapy coordinator about any concerns or questions you have about teletherapy prior to scheduling a virtual appointment with one of our therapists.
The therapist I'm interested in can't take my insurance or has a waitlist. What do I do?
Unfortunately, not all of our clinicians are in network with the same providers, which is often due to the level of licensure that is held. When this happens, we will share with you other available clinicians who are able to take this insurance.
If your desired therapist has a waitlist, please know we strive to connect our clients to a therapist as quickly as possible and we will offer available options at that time. If you would like to be placed on the therapist's waitlist, we are happy to do so, however, some therapists may or may not have a time frame in which they will accept new clients.
If either of these aspects wind up occurring, you are welcome to see another one of our available therapists or check out other options.
I live in a different jurisdiction than my preferred therapist. Can I still see them?
Because of licensing regulation, you must be in the jurisdiction that your therapist is licensed in. If you have the means to travel to this jurisdiction, then yes, you can be seen by your preferred therapist, but you must always travel to this jurisdiction for your sessions.
Please note that none of our therapists are able to provide services to clients located in Virginia.
Can I refer my adult child/spouse/adult family member to you?
Yes, however, we will only be able to directly respond to the person being referred to us, so it is best you have them reach out to us themselves to seek out services. If this is something they are seeking assistance from you with, please specify that in the form as well as provide their contact information for us to then speak with them directly and move forward with the referral.
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What about my teenager? Can I refer them to you and manage everything?
Yes and no. It depends on who is the person initially making the referral. Each jurisdiction and state has different age requirements for consenting individually to mental health treatment. If you are referring your teenager or adolescent child to treatment, you are the one who is managing the forms and ensuring they attend sessions. However, they are also eligible to seek out treatment on their own and many do.
For Maryland and Washington, DC, anyone as young as 12 years old is legally allowed and eligible to seek treatment without parental or guardian consent as long as they are found to be competent enough to understand what they are consenting to. The only form anyone between 12 and 18 cannot sign is one to release their information to additional parties without the parent or guardian's consent as well.