Frequently Asked Questions
What do you need to know before your child starts therapy?
Getting Started
Therapy may be helpful when your child is having a hard time with emotions, behavior, relationships, school, or life changes. Some children show they are struggling through worry, sadness, anger, withdrawal, sleep changes, trouble separating, or big reactions that seem hard to manage.
You do not have to wait until things feel severe to seek support. If you are wondering whether therapy may help, it may be a good time to reach out.
That is very common. Starting something new can feel scary, especially when a child does not know what to expect. It may help to tell your child that they will be meeting their therapist and to show them the therapist’s photo and bio ahead of time. You can also introduce them to Foxworth, our friendly stuffed fox and therapy companion, who helps make the therapy space feel warm, playful and welcoming.
For younger children, you might explain that they will have their own special play time with the therapist for about 50 minutes, while you, as the parent, will also have time to connect and get to know the therapist.
For tweens and teens ages 12 and older, it may be more helpful to reassure them that therapy is a safe, supportive space where they can go at their own pace. You can share that the first few sessions are focused on getting to know the therapist, talking about what has been going on, and helping them feel comfortable.
Helping your child know a little about what to expect can make the first visit feel easier and less overwhelming.
About Play Therapy
Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate approach that recognizes children naturally communicate through play rather than words alone. In a safe and supportive space, children can express feelings, work through challenges, build social skills, and practice new ways of coping and responding. Play therapy helps children grow, heal, and develop healthier behaviors in a way that fits their stage of development.
Parent Involvement
Not at all. Parenting is hard, and when a child is struggling, parents are often doing the very best they can with the tools they have.
Working with parents is never about blame. It is about offering support, strengthening connection, and finding new ways to help things feel easier at home. Sometimes small shifts can make a big difference in your relationship with your child and in how supported you both feel.
The first step in starting the therapy process is picking up the phone and calling 813-291-2023 or clicking ‘Make Appointment’ button below to start the therapy process. We’ll have a brief phone call to discuss your child’s needs and gather more information to determine whether I would be a good fit for your child. Learn more about me here!
If you feel I’ll be a good fit for your child, I’ll gather some contact information and set you up with an electronic portal where you can communicate with me about your child, access the intake paperwork and sign it.
I’ll send you a questionnaire about your child’s background and the reason for beginning counseling.
This takes less than 20 minutes and helps us “hit the ground running” during our first session.
Privacy & Confidentiality
What your child shares in therapy is confidential and protected by law. At the same time, parents and guardians play an important role in the therapy process.
For therapy to be helpful, children and teens often need a safe space to talk openly. Because of this, I work to balance parent involvement with your child’s need for privacy. I will keep parents informed about important concerns, overall themes, progress, and ways to support their child, without necessarily sharing every detail of each session.
There are important exceptions to confidentiality. If there is a concern about safety, such as your child being at risk of harm, someone else being at risk, or suspected abuse or neglect, I will take the necessary steps to protect those involved and will communicate with parents as needed.
If it would be helpful to coordinate with another provider, such as a pediatrician, psychiatrist, or school professional, information can be shared with your written consent.
Appointments & Scheduling
Most therapy sessions last 50 minutes. Each session may look a little different depending on your child’s needs, but care is taken to end in a way that helps your child feel grounded and ready to transition back into their day. Therapy is important work, so I am thoughtful about pacing sessions and supporting closure before the appointment ends.
Most children begin therapy with weekly sessions. As progress is made, appointments may move to every other week. Once your child is feeling more stable and supported, we may schedule monthly maintenance sessions to help strengthen progress and support long-term growth.
There is no one “right” length of therapy. Every child and family is different, and the course of therapy depends on your child’s needs, goals, and life circumstances.
Some children may need only short-term support, while others benefit from a longer course of therapy, especially when challenges have been present for a while or when there are ongoing stressors such as school difficulties, family changes, or other major transitions.
Progress in therapy is not always linear. Some weeks may feel easier, while others may feel more challenging. At times, things may even feel a little harder before they get better as deeper concerns begin to surface and be worked through. Over time, many families are able to look back and see meaningful growth, healing, and progress in their child.
Fees, Payment & Insurance
I’m an out-of-network provider. If requested, I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
Please note that many insurance plans require diagnostic and billing information in order to review therapy claims. If you choose to use out-of-network benefits, some information related to your child’s treatment may become part of the insurance claim record.
Some families prefer to use private pay for added privacy. You may also be able to use HSA or FSA funds for eligible services.
Families are encouraged to check directly with their insurance plan to better understand out-of-network reimbursement and eligibility requirements.
Effective 1/1/2022, the No Surprises Act requires all healthcare providers (including mental health therapists) to provide a Good Faith Estimate if you are uninsured or choose not to use your insurance to cover your services.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
- Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
- If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
- Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 877-696-6775.
- Intake Assessment: $200
- Individual Session: $180
- Parent Coaching: $180
- School Consultation: $160-$180
