No, I believe everyone at some point in their lives can benefit from therapy. We all need a safe space to process and learn new ways of coping and communicating ourselves.

However, it’s important to know that if you use insurance for your sessions, your carrier will require a diagnosis be added to your file. If that is something you wish to avoid and you do not require medication, consider opting for private pay over using your insurance.

Yes, I take HIPAA - which protects your privacy - extremely seriously. Any exceptions are outlined clearly in my paperwork and at the intake session, including if you or a vulnerable individual are in imminent danger.

If you would like to optionally coordinate care with a medical provider such as a physician, or with a family member, I will have you complete and sign a release of information and have a discussion with you about which information will and will not be disclosed.

Only a physician can prescribe medication, such as a primary care provider or psychiatrist. I am not a physician and therefore cannot prescribe medications, but I will attempt to provide referrals for medication management if they are necessary and appropriate for your case.

Yes, I accept most commercial plans of Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare in Texas, Michigan, and Florida. I also accept commercial Humana in Texas and Michigan, as well as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.

Please verify your benefits before beginning services; rejected claims may result in clients having to pay out of pocket for sessions.

That will depend on your individual policy. Please call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask your carrier a few pertinent questions, including - What are my benefits related to outpatient mental health services? Do I have a deductible? How much, and has any of it been met? Do I have a copay, and how much is it?

Depending on your policy, your insurance provider may require you to pay the full rate of sessions until the deductible is met, or pay the full rate for the sessions themselves from the very first session onward, or cover the majority of the cost while requiring you to pay a small copay each session.

My rates are posted here, but to restate - a 30 minute session is $85, a 45 minute session is $125, and a 53-55 minute session is $165. The intake session, which would be our first session and focuses on history-taking and completing documentation, is $175. Most sessions are either 45 minutes or around 53-55.

No, I do not, but I do offer a 30 minute session at a reduced rate.

Freedom. Using your insurance comes with specific requirements, including getting a diagnosis, access to your treatment plan, and access to your progress notes. Opting for private pay gives you more control and freedom over the process, and better protection over your privacy. Additionally, insurance may not approve more frequent sessions such as biweekly sessions or sessions longer than 90 minutes. Opting for private pay means you can choose your session frequency and length without worrying about someone else trying to take it away or control it.

There are a number of reasons to still use your insurance for sessions, depending on your needs. You may desire a diagnosis on file in order to coordinate medical care and medication management, or simply require insurance coverage in order to afford your sessions.

I provide monthly superbills for clients seeking out of network reimbursement from their provider. How this works is the client pays the full rate out of pocket, receives the superbill, and then submits the superbill to their provider for reimbursement. Depending on your policy, the insurance provider will reimburse a percentage of your bill by sending you a check. Call the number on the back of your insurance card to inquire about your out of network mental health benefits.

I accept credit card, debit card, and HSA card payments. Unfortunately I cannot accept payment via Zelle, Apple Pay, or Venmo because they are not HIPAA compliant.

As my office hours are limited, I require advance notice of 48 hours to cancel or reschedule sessions. Failure to inform me of a need to cancel or reschedule before the 48 hour window will result in a late fee up to the full rate of the missed session. 

Please do inform me of any scheduling conflicts as soon as possible, as failure to do so may result in other clients missing out on the opportunity to take up that time slot in your stead.

No, at this time my practice is fully virtual, allowing for my clients across different states and time zones to have equal access to my services.

Sessions are conducted either face to face via a HIPAA-compliant video platform or via phone call. If using insurance, please confirm beforehand that your policy covers phone sessions. After we schedule your first session, you will receive the link to my virtual meeting room.

Depending on your care needs, yes, virtual sessions have been shown to be just as effective as in-person counseling in an outpatient setting. If I believe you require a higher level of care than I can provide, I will provide appropriate referral options for you.

Licensing requirements vary by state and region. As I am licensed in Michigan and Texas and a registered telehealth provider in Florida, I can provide services to anyone in any of those states. However, even if you are a resident of one of those states and temporarily in another state, even just for vacation, I will not be able to hold sessions with you until you return to a state where I am licensed. As of now, those states are Michigan, Texas, and Florida.

All paperwork and documentation are completed in English, but I conduct sessions orally in either English or Urdu, depending on the client’s needs.

Therapy is not a one size fits all approach, so there is no way to know how many sessions you will need. If a provider is promising you results in a set number of sessions, be wary, because your treatment length will depend on the complexity of your case and the amount of work you put in between sessions.

That said, I have had clients start to see results in just a few weeks, and have had other cases where clients and I work together for several months to a year or longer, adapting the treatment plan and updating the client’s goals as the previous ones have been achieved.

Initially I recommend beginning once a week or at least once every two weeks in order to establish rapport, facilitate processing, and get a foundation of healthy skills established. After we start seeing consistent progress, we may reduce the frequency to once every three weeks or once a month based on mutual agreement. Once you have achieved your treatment goals and do not have other issues to work on, we can successfully terminate.

Therapy is a process and takes time. Just like the issues you are dealing with didn’t sprout overnight, they’re not going to go away overnight either. It’s important to have realistic expectations going into therapy. The first session is an intake session, where we focus on history taking and getting to know each other. The next session, we work on identifying your goals and creating your treatment plan. We get to the real meat of your therapy sessions only after these first two steps have occurred. If you are in a crisis and need immediate assistance, please contact 988 and/or the Crisis Textline, depending on which is more appropriate for your situation.

At this time, my office hours are Mondays and Tuesdays from 11 am-7 pm central time/12 pm-8 pm eastern. Evening slots are limited and book quickly, so contact me ASAP if you need one of those time slots.

I am currently only taking on clients who are 13+ years old.

As a parent myself, I understand your concerns. However, privacy is just as important to teenagers as it is to adults. In order to make my adolescent clients comfortable and help them feel safe enough to open up, I do not divulge the detailed content of our sessions even to the adolescent’s parent or guardian unless the adolescent is in imminent danger or demonstrating reckless behavior that can lead to a dangerous situation.

At times, session content may include information that is not in accordance with your personal moral code, but as a therapist committed to ethical practice, I must protect each client’s right to confidentiality without imposing my own or even the client’s family’s values. While I do encourage my adolescent clients to seek support from their families if it is safe to do so, the choice is theirs.

I welcome whichever approach you prefer. It’s your therapy, so we will include a faith based approach only with your consent and comfort. In fact, I do not incorporate a faith-based approach unless specifically requested by my clients.

As a counselor, I act in accordance with the ACA code of ethics and do not impose my own values or beliefs on my clients (section A.4.b.) In the past, I have worked with clients who identified as Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic, or spiritual but not religious; all are welcome at Bold Spirit Counseling, PLLC.

Once we have agreed upon a date and time for your first session, I will block off that time in my calendar and send the link to my meeting room. You will also receive intake paperwork to complete, including practice policies, informed consent document, and other necessary forms. I will also require that you put a credit card on file to secure your spot.

If any of these documents are missing or incomplete 72 hours before the scheduled session, I will reach out to you to offer any necessary assistance. If I do not receive a response or the completed paperwork 48 hours before the scheduled session, your appointment will be cancelled. We may then reschedule your appointment once documentation is complete and processed.