Frequently Asked Questions
What is therapy like? What should I expect when starting therapy?
I believe that each therapy is a unique process between two (or three in the case of couples!) people. The process will be tailored to the reasons for beginning therapy and your progress depends on what you put into it. That said, there are some things those seeking therapy can expect. You can expect that I will help you feel safe, heard, and understood. With that, you should expect to talk and share about your needs, your challenges, and whatever else you want to talk about. You can expect me to actively listen to you, ask thoughtful questions, and provide feedback, reflections, and observations. Expect not to be judged for what you share, and I will encourage you to take a nonjudgmental attitude toward yourself as well. Most of all, expect to develop greater self-awareness, understanding, tools, and strategies to help you become more aware of patterns and cycles and develop ways to address them and make effective change.
For Couples: Much of what is stated above applies to Couples Therapy as well. One of the main differences is that listening to your partner rather than reacting to them can be equally important to what you share. Expect that I will assist in this process by slowing things down and ensuring that each member of the couple feels heard and understood.
How long does therapy take?
That depends on your needs and your goals coming into therapy. For some, therapy is a short-term process to address an acute problem or crisis. Once the problem is addressed, they may choose to leave therapy. For others, they may choose to stay in therapy for a longer course of time due to ongoing difficulties, to process trauma, or derive an additional benefit from a supportive relationship. In either case, we will have an ongoing discussion about your needs.
What is your therapeutic style and foundation?
I describe my style of therapy as relational, meaning my focus is to recognize the role significant relationships play in shaping how we experience others, the world, and most importantly, ourselves. This can often take the form of cyclic patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings. However, each therapy is tailored to the need of the individual or couple. The foundation of my practice is also shaped and informed by other modalities of therapy, including: Attachment-Based, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotion-Focused Individual and Couples Therapy, Psychodynamic, and Person-Centered.
What are your fees? How do I pay for sessions? Can I use insurance to help pay for the cost of session?
For Individual Therapy: My standard fee is $150 per session. I partner with a few companies to be able to accept insurance as an in-network provider for Individual therapy only. The insurances accepted for individual therapy include: Aetna, United Healthcare, Oxford, Oscar, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
For Couples Therapy: My standard fee is $200 per session. I accept all Out-Of-Network benefits to help assist with the cost of couples therapy. In this case, you will pay out-of-pocket the full cost of a session but then submit documentation for reimbursement for a percentage of the cost. While 100% reimbursement is unlikely, most out-of-network benefits cover a range of 50-80%. This is best determined by calling your insurance company.
Some helpful questions to ask your health insurance company include:
Do I have out-of-network benefits for behavioral health/mental health services? Do these cover services provided by a Licensed Mental Health Counselor?
Is there an out-of-network deductible I must meet before I qualify for reimbursement?
What percentage will be reimbursed?
How do I submit out-of-network claims?
Payment is due at the time of session unless an alternative arrangement is discussed. I accept cash, credit card, personal checks, and payments through Zelle.
What is your cancellation policy?
Starting therapy is a commitment of your time, money, and energy. This is a commitment I take seriously by dedicating time for you, and the same is expected during our work together. If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please let me know as soon as possible. When less than 24 hours' notice is given, you are responsible to pay a cancellation fee, which will be discussed at the outset of therapy.
Are you seeing patients virtually or in-person?
At this time, I am only seeing patients virtually. Patients must reside in New York State and be present there at the time of session in order to receive treatment. I use a HIPAA compliant secure video platform to ensure the security and confidentiality of our meetings.
What are some tips for doing therapy virtually?
Some helpful things to ensure a seamless session include:
Privacy: Making sure that you are in a private place where you feel safe.
Device: A laptop or desktop computer with a camera and microphone are recommended.
Internet Connection: A strong connection is needed to support a full session’s worth of video and audio. A high bandwidth also ensures as few disruptions as possible. A strong WIFI connection or hard-wired connection using an ethernet cord is recommended. Using cellular phone data is not recommended as it weakens the connection and quality of video and audio.
Video and Audio: Seeing you and hearing you are the most important aspects of our work. Headphones with a strong microphone ensure both greater privacy and increase audio quality. Sitting an appropriate distance from your camera and not having light behind you helps.
Backup Plan: If the internet connection fails on either end, I will call you to complete the session by phone.
No Distractions: Therapy is most effective if you are present and focused. Closing other programs and windows will help that process, as will refraining from cell phone use.
How do I get started?
By scheduling a 15-minute consultation call if you would like to explore working together. Visit my contact page and send me a message. Or contact me directly via email at michael.vella.lmhc@gmail.com or by phone at (252) 651-1226. Please leave a message if it goes to voicemail.