Frequently Asked Questions

What is therapy?
Are all our conversations confidential? What are the laws about confidentiality?
Are you licensed to practice?
Are you required to continue to take courses to keep your license?
What are your fees?
Do you make home visits?
What fee applies if I start individual counseling and want to bring in my partner or family?
Can you do a phone session?
How do I pick a therapist?
What is marriage counseling?
What is premarital counseling?
What is art therapy?
Will my insurance cover therapy?... with Riverview Counseling Center?
Should I use insurance to pay for therapy?
What if I lose my job and can no longer pay for counseling?

What is therapy?

Therapy is a process, available for Individuals, Couples or Families, designed to explore personal and relational difficulties. Therapy or counseling is a commitment between a therapist and a client to meet together and resolve the distress. Primarily, the quality of the relationship between the therapist and client cannot be emphasized enough. Effective therapy is the direct result of the quality of their relationship and how they work together. The emphasis is on empowering the client to pursue personal self-discovery and mastery of their own life.

At times, therapy can also include education, for example on communication, social skills or conflict resolution but primarily is more geared to the process. Therapy takes place through weekly meetings, in home family consultation, group meetings, weekend retreats, crisis resolution and an occasional phone consultation. Therapy is a means to develop skills for change that will restore strength, resilience and hope to the client.

Are all our conversations confidential? What are the laws about confidentiality?

Yes, absolutely all the information shared in a counseling session is held in the highest confidence. Therapists are legally and ethically bound to maintain confidentiality unless the client states they have a specific plan to harm themselves or others.

Are you licensed to practice?

Yes. I am licensed by the State of New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Division of consumer Affairs.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #37F100153100. Licensed Professional Counselor #37PC00213500.

Are you required to continue to take courses to keep your license?

Yes. By law I am required to complete 40 hours of course work related directly to Marriage and Family Therapy before my license will be renewed.

What are your fees?

If you have medical insurance, we can help you to understand how to have the reimbursement check mailed directly to your home. We will provide you with an invoice from our office with all the information your insurance company will need to process your claim.

Payment is expected at the time services are rendered. All sessions are one hour unless circumstances or crisis warrant more time. The standard fee of $160.00 will be charged unless there are extenuating financial circumstances which should be discussed in the initial consultation. There is a one time initial conultation fee of $195.00.

Do you make home visits?

Home visits are available upon request when clients are not able to travel to the office.

What fee applies if I start individual counseling and want to bring in my partner or family?

The fee remains the same.

Can you do a phone session?

Yes, in many cases a phone session is valuable when the weather turns bad, the baby sitter cancels or scheduling becomes difficult. They are also available in case of an emergency or family crisis or during the transition of moving to a new location until a new therapist can be secured. Session time and fees remain the same.

How do I pick a therapist?

Picking a therapist is probably one of the most important decisions you can make. Select an organization, such as The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, or The American Psychological Association and research therapists available in your area. Call and interview the therapist asking what their credentials are, do they have any special training in what you are seeking therapy for. Ask what their availability is in-between sessions for emergency meetings. Make an appointment for a consultation and bring a list of questions for the therapist. If you come away from that meeting feeling that all your concerns were addressed and the relationship would be a good fit for what you need this is a good indication you are with the right therapist.

What is marriage counseling?

Couples know when their relationship is in trouble. They report poor communication, a decrease in sexual intimacy, while experiencing an increase in tension, defensiveness, criticism and feelings of disappointment and anger at their partner. Either there is an increase in fighting between the couple or one or both shut down and the distress cycle intensifies. In addition, there may be complicating factors of infidelity, domestic violence, financial crisis, trauma, addictions, in-law interference, parenting disagreements, conflict of gender differences and marital roles.

Marriage Counseling is a commitment to work with a professional marriage therapist for a period of three to six months. First and foremost, there is a discussion to determine how the children are coping with the marital conflict and what their immediate needs are. Children can often develop stress from living with couples in conflict. It is vital to help the children as well as the couple. Each couple is evaluated to determine the exact nature of their conflict. Genograms, a family map, are created to help each partner understand their role in the conflict. Each session couples are given the opportunity to design new ways to restore security, support and encouragement in a nurturing relationship.

What is premarital counseling?

One question being asked now is "If I get married, how can I predict that it will last?" Clinicians are studying the factors that point towards predicting future marital satisfaction.

There are three areas of study.

Individual traits: These include an individual's personality traits and emotional health, as well as values, attitudes, and beliefs. Examples of such traits are: flexibility and self-esteem (positive factors), depression and impulsiveness (negative factors), interpersonal skills (e.g., assertiveness), and realistic beliefs about marriage.

Couple traits: These include couple communication and conflict resolution skills, degree of acquaintance (how long and how well the couple has known each other, similarity of values and goals, and living together as a trial marriage

Personal and relationship contexts: These include family background characteristics such as previous marriages, existing children, the quality of an individual's parents' marriage, family relationship quality, age at marriage, and parents' and friends' approval of the relationship.

Premarital counseling should include not only a discussion of similarities and differences in the relationship, but how to accept, negotiate and understand them. The sessions can also include filling out a written questionnaire which would clarify the issues. Premarital counseling usually involves spending 5 - 7 sessions with a family therapist, clarifying the issues, setting goals for improvement, and discussing other important topics related to marriage such as finances, roles in marriage, parenting styles, and having children. Premarital counseling will help the couple improve their communication skills. Most couples rate premarital counseling as very helpful. It also establishes in their relationship a positive attitude about seeking help if marriage problems arise in the future. Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are uniquely trained and qualified to help couples with premarital assessment and counseling. An experienced MFT understands the diverse dynamics of couples and their relationships, and is prepared to assist couples with any issues that may arise.

What is art therapy?

Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. Read More

Will my insurance cover therapy? ...with Riverview Counseling Center?

It is best to discuss this question directly with your insurance company. Each individual plan is different and your company will tell you exactly what your benefits are. Your therapy will be covered by out of network benefits. We will provide you with a monthly invoice statement with all the information you need to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement of these benefits. Once you submit your claim the benefit check will be mailed directly to your home.

Should I use insurance to pay for therapy?

Clients may have some concerns about confidentiality when assessing insurance funds for therapy, especially if the counseling is work related. However, you pay a premium for these benefits and the insurance companies are ethically and legally bound to keep information confidential and you have the right to use these benefits.

What if I lose my job and can no longer pay for counseling?

If circumstances change a current client's ability to pay for counseling, a financial plan can be discussed.

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