FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you’re unable to attend your in-person session, we offer the “switch over” option which allows you to convert the session to a telemental health experience. This means that instead of coming into our office, you’ll be able to either have your session over the phone or through video conferencing, assuming you’re still in the state of Ohio and able to privately connect to the Internet.

No shows and cancellations are subject to the terms and conditions communicated to you as part of the informed consent process.

If you are experiencing an emergency situation that imminently threatens your life or safety, or that of others, please call 9-1-1.

If you are experiencing a crisis – for example, if you have distressing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, severely lose emotional control, or experience a trauma – call our office immediately to schedule an appointment with your clinician, or another clinician who can provide same-day brief counseling and stabilization.

Below are also a few crisis numbers for free, confidential 24/7 support:

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-TALK (8255)

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-7233

The National Sexual Assault Hotline:
1-800-656-4673

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline:
1-800-422-4453 (call or text)

The National Human Trafficking Hotline:
1-888-373-7888 (or text 233733)

At Wellness Grove, our clinicians hold a Masters or Doctoral degree in counseling or other related mental health profession. All clinicians are competent in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health issues for diverse populations. Please visit Our Team page to learn more about each clinician.

It’s okay if you don’t connect with your therapist. Although it may be difficult, we recommend talking with your clinician directly about what you need. Your feedback can be used to switch things up in sessions (for example, take a different approach that works for you) or help you find a therapist that is a better match. Believe it or not, clinicians – especially those who are seasoned like us – do not get angry or offended when a client needs someone different. Rather, we are honored to be part of your journey and use our knowledge and connections with other practitioners to help you. If it feels too hard to have a direct conversation, we understand that too. Please call our front desk and let our staff know so that we can schedule you with someone new.

We believe counseling benefits everyone.

When things are going well, counseling is an opportunity to continue your self-growth and celebrate your successes. A clinician can help you identify your growing edges, point out strengths and assets, and create an individualized plan that relates to promoting your meaning and purpose, happiness, or even your legacy.

Counseling is also beneficial when you begin noticing that things are starting to feel “off” or “not right” in your life, or when you anticipate that an upcoming experience or transition will be difficult to navigate. In these instances, a clinician can help you develop plans to prevent mental health issues from arising or cope with them in healthy, empowering ways.

When problematic issues have been going on for a while, you start to notice that you aren’t able to fully function, and/or you experience distress in your relationships then you may be experiencing a mental health issue that can be helped with professional support – and that’s what we do.

Therapy is a process that allows you to:

• Explore your strengths and struggles in a safe, affirming, and non-judgmental space. Sometimes clients know what they need to explore (such as their childhood, relationship dynamics, their experience with depression or anxiety). Other times, a clinician can help identify and support areas of exploration that the client had not yet realized or felt safe doing on their own.
• Gain new insights. These are those powerful “aha” moments that people have. It’s when we make connections with our experiences and ourselves. And, with this often comes various outcomes such as a sense of freedom, increased self-compassion or understanding, forgiveness, clearer thinking, increased energy, relief, happiness, and a sense of wholeness.
• Take action and make changes that will help you transform into the happier, healthier, and more empowered versions of yourself. Our clinicians can help you make realistic plans with goals and specific objectives, and keep you on track.

One of the most significant predictors of counseling success is the therapeutic relationship. It is important that you find the right person for you, and when you do here’s some tips to consider:

• Be open and honest about your experiences to the degree that you feel comfortable. As you continue to build trust with your clinician, you can always choose to share more – it’s up to you. Just know that we can’t help you work on something if we don’t know what it is.
• Add your input throughout the process. You are the expert on you, and our clinicians have expertise in counseling. We can help you reach the top of the mountain (or, your therapeutic goals), and we want to help you get there on a path that works for you. Sometimes you may need to take a short break, camp out, or go back down the mountain because you forgot something. Sometimes you may need encouragement or advice, or an appropriate nudge. And, sometimes you just want someone to celebrate moments of success. We want to be all of those – and collaboration makes that happen.
• Expect to feel comfortable and uncomfortable. It is essential that you feel comfortable with your counselor. Having trust, respect, mutuality, authenticity, and excitement in the relationship are key indicators that it is growth-fostering. The discomfort may arise with vulnerability, and with vulnerability comes growth. It is important to challenge yourself and have difficult conversations – even if it’s about the therapeutic relationship. All relationships experience connections and disconnections, and therapy is no different. Learning healthy ways to navigate them in session means you can gain skills to do that in your other relationships outside of session as well.
• Follow your compass and stick with your plan. Attending therapy as agreed (maybe weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) is important because the goal is to accomplish – and maintain – your therapeutic goals. If you ever need to take a break or leave, we understand. Our door is always open to you.

Typically, sessions are scheduled for 50 minutes.

First and foremost, we respect your autonomy and recognize that counseling is a choice. We won’t push, coerce, or guilt you into coming to counseling. However, we may remind you of your goals and agreed-upon frequency of sessions. For some clients, counseling is brief. For other clients, it’s longer-term. Our recommendation for the frequency and length of sessions is based on a thorough understanding of your goals, as well as the nature and impact of an issue or issues you may be facing.

Please know that counseling is not a “quick fix” – it’s a process that takes time. Research shows that many clients show improvements within seven sessions (or a month-and-a-half if attending weekly), with significant improvements after about a year. Change is hard, and lasting change is even harder. Support throughout the process can make it easier.

Yes, but within limits. Wellness Grove follows professional practice, ethical guidelines (of the American Counseling Association), and laws and rules (of the Ohio, Counselor, Social Worker Marriage and Family Therapist Board) related to confidentiality. This means that what you share in counseling sessions, and that you are attending therapy at our practice, is kept private. There are some exceptions, however, and these include the possibility of harm to yourself or another person, or in cases of elder or child abuse. Your clinician will review confidentiality with you during your first session and throughout the course of counseling.

The first session, also called the intake session, is an opportunity for you to learn more about the counseling process, your clinician, and your goals. The intake session can feel like an informal interview – with two interviewers! On the clinician end, we will be reviewing your paperwork, discussing confidentiality and aspects of the counseling process, sharing our clinical approach, learning about you as a whole person (such as your presenting issue or concern, your background, your strengths), determining an appropriate diagnosis that fits your experience and sharing it, making recommendations for continued care (such as frequency of sessions), and providing referrals and resources as needed. All of this is done with your input.

Yes, we are in in-network provider with the following insurance carriers: (with more being added)

• Aetna
• Allwell
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• APEX Health Solutions
• Buckeye Health Plan
• CareSource
• Cenpatico
• Cigna
• ComPsych
• GEHA
• HealthSmart
• Humana
• Medical Mutual
• Meritain Health
• Molina Healthcare of Ohio
• MultiPlan
• Mutual Health Services
• Ohio Medicaid
• Optum
• Paramount
• SummaCare
• The Health Plan
• United Behavioral Health (UBH)
• United Healthcare (UHC)
• WellCare

Our billing department works with these insurance companies directly. If your health plan is not listed, we’re considered an out-of-network provider and our services would not be covered. Please do, however, reach out to us as we may push to carry your provider in the future. Once insurance is verified by billing, we can discuss your out-of-pocket responsibility.

A standard self pay counseling session with a clinician at Wellness Grove costs $150 for the initial session, known as the intake session, and $125 for each session thereafter.

For clients with health insurance, coverage will vary depending on your insurance plan.  Please check with your health insurance provider for more details, or reach out to Wellness Grove for support.

Yes, online therapy (or telemental health) is available to new and existing clients. This option is currently only available for clients who are physically located in the state of Ohio, and is not appropriate if you plan to have sessions outside of the state (due to work, travel, or other reasons). Most insurance plans cover “telemedicine” as a mental health or behavioral health benefit. If you are unsure, please call your insurance carrier to inquire about this delivery method.

No, our clinicians are not qualified to prescribe medication – it’s not within our scope of practice. However, we may make a referral for a medication evaluation with a trained professional (such as a psychiatrist, primary care provider, or nurse practitioner). If you are taking medication, please let us know. We play an important role in recognizing potential side effects that impact your therapeutic progress. Additionally, we want to work alongside your providers, with your consent of course, to provide you with comprehensive care.