Practice Policies

Chelsea O’Day-Navis, MA, LPC
O’Day Psychotherapy PLLC
DBA: GR Contemplative Therapy

FEES/METHODS OF PAYMENT

In return for a fee of $150 per counseling session (or the agreed upon rate), I agree to provide counseling services for you. Group counseling rates will be determined by group facilitators prior to the start of the group. Credit cards and HSA cards are acceptable for payment prior to each session. Payments are due at the time services are provided and future sessions will not be scheduled until a client has submitted all payments.

If I am not a participating provider for your insurance plan, you may request a receipt of payment for services, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please note that not all insurance companies reimburse for out of network providers and it is your responsibility to know your out-of-network benefits and if you qualify for reimbursement. For clients with financial need, I offer a sliding fee scale based on your annual gross income. Please ask me if you wish to learn more about the sliding fee scale.

I reserve the right to bill for my services should they extend beyond or scheduled sessions. Addressing client concerns beyond billing and scheduling questions, requiring more than 15 minutes of my time, will be billed at our agreed upon hourly rate. This may include responding to emails, phone calls, writing referral documents, etc. Writing referral letters for transgender clients pursuing surgery or hormone treatment will be included free of charge.

I do not offer to appear in court on behalf of my clients unless subpoenaed by a judge. If my appearance or recommendation is mandated by the court, I reserve the right to charge my clients for all related fees. Preparation of reports, court documents, etc. will be billed at my regular hourly rate. I also reserve the right to charge for travel and accommodation fees. These fees will be itemized and the client agrees to sign off and pay for these additional services.

MORE ON INSURANCE

​If you have a health insurance policy, it will usually provide some coverage for your mental health treatment. I will submit claims on your behalf if you provide your insurance information and therefore give me permission to do so. However, it is your responsibility for obtaining coverage information and determining what is expected of you for deductibles, co-pays, and knowing whether GR Contemplative Therapy is considered in-network as a provider. If you need help, we will help you determine and figure out all this information. It is usually required that I provide a diagnosis to the insurance company if they are to pay for any part of the services or if deductibles are to be applied.

In addition, there are times that insurance companies require additional information that becomes a part of the insurance company’s files. By signing this agreement and providing your insurance information, you are giving GR Contemplative Therapy permission to provide that information to the insurance company. Also, some insurances require a prior authorization to pay for mental health services. If you did not obtain prior authorization and it was required, you may be responsible for paying the fees accrued for the services rendered.

Many insurance companies leave a percentage of the fees to be paid by the client, which is considered a co-pay. This amount is due at the time of service. The credit card or HSA card on file will be charged unless check or other card payment is provided at the session. Some insurance plans also have a deductible, or out of pocket amount to be paid at the time of services. This too, is to be paid at the time of services.

If I am not a participating provider for your insurance plan, I will supply you with a receipt of payment for services, which you can submit to your provider for reimbursement. Not all insurance companies will reimburse for out of network providers. However, they often have a list of in-network providers from which you can choose.

APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS

Please remember to cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance. You will be responsible for the entire fee if cancellation is less than 24 hours. This fee is not insurance billable, and will be out-of-pocket. This is not a penalty, but rather your payment for the time that was reserved for you.

The standard meeting time for psychotherapy is 50-55 minutes. It is up to you, however, to determine the length of time of your sessions. Requests to change the 50-minute session needs to be discussed with the therapist in order for time to be scheduled in advance.

A $10.00 service charge will be charged for any checks returned for any reason for special handling.

Cancellations and re-scheduled session will be subject to a full charge if NOT RECEIVED AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, we still have to end at the same time as originally planned and you may lose some of that session time.

TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY

If you need to contact me between sessions, please email, text, or leave a message on my voice mail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 24 hours. Please note that I am not a 24-hour crisis support provider and I generally do not check my email or respond to texts outside of regular business hours. You may contact me with any questions or concerns regarding the counseling process. You should not contact me in emergency situations. If you are in a state of crisis and need immediate assistance you should call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room. You may also call the National Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATION

Due to the importance of your confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). I believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.

EXPLANATION OF DUAL RELATIONSHIPS

Although therapy is a very personal process, please keep in mind that our relationship will be of a professional nature. You will be best served while I am seeing you for counseling if our relationship remains strictly professional and if our sessions concentrate on your concerns. Communication outside of our scheduled sessions, be it via email, phone call, or text, will be limited to the topics of scheduling, and/or billing questions. If you communicate via these methods to share other information, please note that I will acknowledge having received your message, and we can discuss it during your scheduled session time.

TELE-THERAPY & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, I will do so. While I may try to return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.

If you and your therapist chose to use information technology for some or all of your treatment, you need to understand that: (1) You retain the option to withhold or withdraw consent at any time without affecting the right to future care or treatment or risking the loss or withdrawal of any program benefits to which you would otherwise be entitled. (2) All existing confidentiality protections are equally applicable. (3) Your access to all medical information transmitted during a telemedicine consultation is guaranteed, and copies of this information are available for a reasonable fee. (4) Dissemination of any of your identifiable images or information from the telemedicine interaction to researchers or other entities shall not occur without your consent. (5)

There are potential risks, consequences, and benefits of telemedicine. Potential benefits include, but are not limited to improved communication capabilities, providing convenient access to up-to-date information, consultations, support, reduced costs, improved quality, change in the conditions of practice, improved access to therapy, better continuity of care, and reduction of lost work time and travel costs. Effective therapy is often facilitated when the therapist gathers within a session or a series of sessions, a multitude of observations, information, and experiences about the client. Therapists may make clinical assessments, diagnosis, and interventions based not only on direct verbal or auditory communications, written reports, and third person consultations, but also from direct visual and olfactory observations, information, and experiences.

When using information technology in therapy services, potential risks include, but are not limited to the therapist's inability to make visual and olfactory observations of clinically or therapeutically potentially relevant issues such as: your physical condition including deformities, apparent height and weight, body type, attractiveness relative to social and cultural norms or standards, gait and motor coordination, posture, work speed, any noteworthy mannerism or gestures, physical or medical conditions including bruises or injuries, basic grooming and hygiene including appropriateness of dress, eye contact (including any changes in the previously listed issues), sex, chronological and apparent age, ethnicity, facial and body language, and congruence of language and facial or bodily expression. Potential consequences thus include the therapist not being aware of what they would consider important information, that you may not recognize as significant to present verbally the therapist.

MINORS

I do not typically work with minors but may on occasion work with teens ages 16 and up if I trust that I am an appropriate fit for your needs. If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. I will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential.

TERMINATION

Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If therapy is terminated for any reason or you request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.

Should you not schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.