“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” —Anais Nin
Rates and Insurance
At Empower Counseling we strive for excellence in all that we do. We offer proven effective treatments in the following areas: Anxiety Counseling, Counseling for Depression, Trauma therapy including EMDR, counseling for eating disorders, difficult life transitions, online counseling in Alabama, and counseling for perfectionism.
Should You Invest in Counseling?
How important is your mental health? Is there any other part of your life, other than your mental wellbeing, that affects all of the other parts of your life?
At Empower Counseling, we understand that counseling is an investment. But think about all of the “things” you have spent money on in your life that you thought would make your life better. How long did the happiness last from those purchases? Spending resources on therapy is not spending money. It is investing money. It is an investment in your greatest asset…you.
By definition, an investment involves using capital in the present to increase an asset’s value over time.
At Empower Counseling, we believe money invested in your own mental health and wellbeing reaps the greatest payout of any investment you could make. It’s pay out is better relationships and a more enjoyable, more fulfilling life. What is that worth to you?
Without strong mental well-being and positive view of self, no area of your life is as enjoyable and fulfilling as it could be.
Our Rates
Our therapists charge between $125-$225 for individual 50 minute sessions, depending licensure, experience, type of therapy offered, etc. Prior to beginning therapy with Empower Counseling, our team will talk to you about specific rates for your chosen therapist.
These are not the only services we offer. Other specific services tailored to the individual needs of our clients are offered and the rates for such will be communicated to our clients prior to the service provided.
Payment
Payment is due at the beginning of each session. We accept cash, major credit cards, and Health Savings Cards.
Cancellation Policy
If you are unable to attend a scheduled session, please cancel at least 48 hours beforehand by emailing or calling your therapist. (We do not receive responses to automatic reminder texts and emails). You will be charged for the full rate of the session if you cancel with less than 48 hours notice. All no-show appointments will be charged at the full rate of the session missed.
We do understand that emergencies outside of your control may occur. However, when you cancel an appointment or simply do not show up this negatively affects three people: you, your therapist, and another client who could have potentially used your time slot. When a session is canceled in less than 48 hours, we are not able to offer your time slot to another interested client. We also know from research and experience that regularly prioritizing your therapy, leads to better results.
Insurance
We choose to be out-of-network with all insurance companies because we believe this choice offers our clients the highest and most effective level of care, while still allowing clients the opportunity for some reimbursement by their insurance.
Top 5 Reasons Why We Don’t Take Insurance
1. It is not confidential. Insurance companies require therapists who take their insurance to use an Electronic Medical Records system. In 2023, there were 725 healthcare breaches, which is a record-breaking number. These breaches affected over 124 million health records, with 69% of the information accessed through network servers. If we must disclose information to a 3rd party insurance or technology company, there is increased risk to your information being out there. We want all of our clients to feel safe and confident that what they share with their therapist, stays with their therapist.
2. They require a diagnosis. Before they will pay, insurance companies require that each client be given a diagnosis, which becomes a permanent part of their records. We believe that we all change and grow. At Empower, we address the symptoms and issues our clients want our help with, focusing only on reaching client goals. We do not want to slap a label on our clients that sticks with them even after their issues are resolved and goals are achieved.
3. We believe our time is better spent focusing on you. Dealing with insurance companies requires much time and energy. At Empower, we choose to put all our time and energy toward providing our clients with the best services from the most qualified and knowledgeable counselors. We can spend our out-of-session time filing insurance claims or we can spend it on preparation for the most effective sessions with our clients as well as on continued education. We think this is a no-brainer.
4. They dictate your treatment. Insurance companies decide the number of sessions you get and the frequency of the sessions. This is one we just cannot get over. The people working for these insurance companies who are making decisions about your treatment are not mental health professionals. They have no idea what you need. All they know is what is allowed under your policy. At Empower, we believe our clients, along with their therapists, should be deciding what our clients need. Period.
5. We are here for your personal growth journey. Yes, if you are a client of Empower Counseling, you are coming here for our help. But we do not see ourselves as in charge of your therapy. And we certainly don’t want an insurance company in charge of your therapy. Instead, we walk with you on the path between where you are and where you want to go. This journey might be away from mental illness toward strong mental wellbeing. But it also might simply be a journey of personal growth. We want you to tell us where you are now and where you want to go. Because we don’t take insurance, we do not have to decide whether you need a diagnosis or whether what you want from therapy will be covered by insurance. Instead, you simply tell us where you want to go and we help you get there.
Good Faith Estimate
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services, including therapy.
You may at any time ask your health care provider or facility to provide you with Good Faith Estimate for total cost of services in writing.
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 and the bill.
For more information: https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
You will be provided a Good Faith Estimate when you sign up for services or even before you sign up, if requested. We recommend at least 8 sessions, the average number of sessions for our practice is 16, and the exact number you will need depends on your individual circumstances and needs.
Cost
You may wonder why counseling costs what it does per session.
Our counselors only make a portion of the fee charged.
Our in session time is not the only time we spend at work. Other time is spent preparing for successful sessions, answering emails, and on continued learning.
A majority of the cost per session goes toward the expenses involved in keeping the doors open and the lights on-rent, supplies, software, taxes, licenses, etc.
We Want To Help!
We have partnered with Mentaya to help clients use their out-of-network benefits to save money on therapy. Use this tool below to see if you qualify for reimbursement for my services.
If you have further questions about our practice, please reach out to our client care coordinator at clientcare@empowercounselingllc.com.
We want you to feel confident that you know exactly what to expect from Empower and your own insurance company, if you choose to ask for reimbursement based on your individual policy coverage. If you do seek any reimbursement from your insurance, please know that they will require a diagnosis. Below are some questions to ask your insurance company directly to be well informed about what to expect from them.
Questions to ask Your Insurance Company before you begin therapy
Depending on your current health insurance provider or employee benefit plan, it is possible for out-of-network services to be covered in part, and many of our clients do get reimbursed. Please contact your insurance directly to determine if and how your plan compensates for Out of Network psychotherapy services. Some of our clients have reported have nearly all of their services covered while others have had very little covered by insurance. We always recommend calling before your first appointment so there are no surprises down the road.
If you plan to try to get reimbursed down the road, we always recommend that you call your insurance company PRIOR to your first appointment and ask some or all of the questions below. We’ve found that insurance coverage for out of network benefits varies greatly. Several of our clients have insurance that will cover 80% for out-of-network expenses after a small (sometimes as low as $250) copay or deductible with a very easy process. Other clients have excellent insurance but have to jump through a million hoops to be reimbursed and then others have plans that have super high deductibles before the insurance will reimburse you at all.
***We offer Mentaya to our clients who would like to go the route of seeking reimbursement for out of network therapy sessions. Mentaya will do the work for you for a fraction of your reimbursement if you choose.***
Now, to the questions to ask your insurance provider:
- Does my health insurance plan include out of network mental health benefits?
- Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it?
- Do I need preauthorization to be reimbursed for out of network mental health services? If so, what is that process for obtaining preauthorization?
- What percentage or amount of my care will be covered after I’ve met the deductible?
- Are specific diagnoses required for me to be reimbursed?
- Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
- Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?
- What credentials does a provider need to have in order to be reimbursed or is it possible to be reimbursed for a provisionally licensed therapist or counselor-in-training who is properly supervised? (Some of our providers have a ALC. While many insurance companies do reimburse for their services, some do not.)
- What percentage of my out of network mental health services will be covered if I submit a Superbill? Is there anything else I will need to submit with the Superbill?
- How do I get reimbursed for out of network mental health services? How often should I submit a Superbill, what is the process for submitting that and how long will it take for me to be reimbursed?
***After gathering this information, we recommend you ask for a confirmation number and the name of the person giving you this information.***
If your insurance company says certain diagnoses are not reimbursed or that you aren’t reimbursed for working with a provisionally licensed (ALC) clinician, please let us know at the start of treatment.