Questions About Therapy Services

Do You Accept Insurance?

I am primarily accepting private pay clients at this time. I do not accept IHC. I do accpet Blue Cross + Blue Shield and PEHP. I can provide an insurance superbill if needed. I will ask to have an out-of-network contract if your particular insurance is not a provider. I encourage you to call with questions and happy to make referrals to local therapists if needed.

What Forms of Payment Do You Accept?

Cash, credit cards, and checks made out to Red Cliff Counseling and Wellness.

What If I Schedule an Appointment but Don't Attend?

If you schedule an appointment and fail to show up without text notice, I will charge you $100.

I do not charge if you are sick or have emergency childcare issues AS LONG AS you text me and let me know before the morning of your appointment.

What Is Individual Counseling?

We provide individual counseling for adults, adolescents, and children.

Therapy fosters a healthy climate to understand the past and promote ways to achieve goals and developmental tasks.

Through therapy you can have better clarity about important relationships and learn ways to gain peace and joy within yourself and with loved ones.

If you are worried about your adolescent or child, you are invited to speak with one of our therapists so we can provide suggestions on how to present therapy to your teen or child.

What Is Trauma Treatment?

You can find peace, joy, and freedom from the pain of trauma. One step at a time. One decision at a time. It just takes a stubborn client and a stubborn therapist who insist on healing.

Do You Provide LGBTQ Support?

Red Cliff Counseling and Wellness provides support and counseling for the LGBTQ Community. Please contact us to learn more about our counseling programs.

What Is Family Counseling?

The family system is often our greatest source of joy but when this system becomes out of balance it is important to seek therapy to find positive solutions for moving forward as a healthy group of loved ones. Common family issues include dealing with substance abuse, adolescents acting out, depression or anxiety, parental struggles, and loss of a loved one. The primary focus of family therapy is to improve understanding and communication with the goal of restoring the joy of family life.

How Is Couples or Family Counseling Different From Individual Counseling?

Couples and family counseling is an excellent way to enhance relationships and gives you en vivo experiences to learn new ways of “really hearing” your loved ones. It can help you learn new strategies to validate and communicate with the people you care about in your life. It is a lovely way to acknowledge how important your relationships are. Meeting with your loved ones helps bring to light some of the hiccups that may be interfering with successful communication. Plus, you get to practice a new, healthy, creative, and respectful way of relating to the important people in your life.

If I've Never Been to Counseling, What Can I Expect?

The first session is about you getting to understand your needs and concerns while I learn about your story, giving both of us an opportunity to develop a trusting relationship or to decide if perhaps another therapist or specialist is more suitable for your needs. I often say finding the right therapist is like the search for a winter coat: sometimes you have to try on a few before you find the right fit. If you have reservations about working with me, I always encourage you to tell me so. I am happy to refer you to another respected therapist. The point is always that you get the help you need. The first session is an assessment period for the therapist, so often our time is spent covering a wide range of questions to help me clearly deduce what is best needed and then, if you feel at ease with working with me, we discuss how often we should meet based on the types of goals you have.

How Often Should I Come in for Counseling and How Long Will it Last?

Usually the first session is when we discuss the pace of therapy but often it is good to start meeting weekly to develop consistency and trust. And to learn useful strategies to help improve overall well-being. Afterward, it is good practice to space visits out to every other week or monthly just to keep working on strategies. This allows me the opportunity to make sure these changes are working out well for you. Many will find it helpful to return to counseling for a brief “check-in” should a significant life event happen or just to get support from a trusted therapist who already knows your story and who can help you quickly get regrouped toward your life-long wellness pursuits.

Grief & Loss Services

Grief may be experienced in response to physical losses, such as death, or may be in response to symbolic or social losses such as divorce or loss of a job. The grief experience can be affected by one’s background and support system. Taking care of yourself and utilizing the support of friends and family can help you cope with your grief experience.

There is no right way to grieve. It is an individual process and a natural part of life. Life won’t be the same after a loss, but experiencing your grief will allow you to adjust to life after the loss. Grief lasts as long as it takes to adjust to the changes in your life. It can be for months, or even for years. Grief has no timetable; thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and other responses may come and go.

Grief in the Workplace

Grief affects all of us at different times and places in our lives. The workplace is not untouched by grief. Grief in the workplace occurs when you or a co-worker has experienced a personal loss or a workplace loss such as a death. It is important to remember that everyone grieves differently and everyone needs time to adjust to the loss.

Anticipatory Grief

When a person or family is expecting death, it is normal to begin to anticipate how one will react and cope when that person eventually dies. Many family members will try to envision their life without that person and mentally play out possibly scenarios, which may include grief reactions and ways they will mourn and adjust to life after the death. Anticipatory grieving includes feelings of loss, concern for the dying person, balancing conflicting demands and preparing for death. Anticipatory grief is a natural process that enables the family more time to slowly prepare for the reality of the loss. People are often able to complete unfinished conversations with the dying person (for example, saying “goodbye,” “I love you,” or “I forgive you”).

Complicated Grief

There are times when grief does not progress as expected; the intensity and duration of grief is prolonged and interferes with a person’s ability to function. Symptoms of depression and anxiety may be prevalent and prolonged. Thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and reactions may seem to persist over long periods of time with little improvement. In these situations, it is important to seek help from a qualified professional who can assess your individual situation and make recommendations that will help. Complicated grief typically does not subside on its own.

Red Cliff Counseling and Wellness provides grief, bereavement, and loss counseling for individuals, couples, and families. We also specializes in supporting employers/employees coping with loss. We provide memorial and bereavement services as well as consultations for creating healing trays or sanctuaries.

Sudden Loss

Grief experienced after a sudden, unexpected death is different from anticipatory grief. Sudden, unexpected loss may exceed the coping abilities of a person, which often results in feelings of being overwhelmed and/or unable to function. Even though one may be able to acknowledge that loss has occurred, the full impact of loss may take much longer to fully comprehend than in the case of an expected loss.

Do You Keep Everything Confidential?

Trust is the foundation to effective therapy and confidentiality is the path to creating the safe place needed to explore what is most important to you. There are limits to confidentiality though when there is a concern for your safety or the safety of another as well as limits regarding child/adult abuse as I am a mandatory reporter for abuse issues or should I receive a court order from a judge. The consent form helps clarify any limits to confidentiality and I would be happy to discuss this principal more fully with you at any time.