Behavioral Health

➤ Our offices are private and comfortable with noise machines to ensure confidentiality.

➤ Your counselor will discuss confidentiality with you and the importance of your information and conversations being kept private. There are a few exceptions to this rule that will be explained to you (for example the need to protect the safety of yourself or others), but for the most part you can expect your privacy to be protected in every way possible.

➤ If the client is a child or adolescent, please ensure that a parent or legal guardian accompanies them to the testing session to sign paperwork and give consent for treatment.

– Please note that the guardian/parent of a minor has a right to all relevant clinical records regarding the child. However, for teen clients, our counselors try to balance the teen’s need for privacy vs. the caregiver’s right to information. Your counselor will have this discussion with you during the first session if this situation applies.

➤ Our counselors are trained to gather information in the first session to gain an understanding of your situation, your family and personal background, relevant medical conditions, symptom history, and current symptoms and functioning. Though it may be difficult to tell your private story to someone you don’t know, our counselors do their best to make the experience as comfortable as possible.

➤ Your counselor will assist you in making agreed upon treatment goals and discuss some possible strategies for reaching those goals through counseling.

➤ First sessions generally take one hour and follow-up counseling sessions are usually scheduled for 45-minute increments.

➤ At the end of your first session, your counselor will discuss with you the recommended frequency of visits and set up your next appointment.