Frequently Asked Questions
Thinking about therapy or booking an appointment? Here’s what you need to know!
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Therapy can be an incredibly powerful tool for self-exploration, growth and collaboration with a trusted professional who is 100% invested in your well-being and committed to meeting your goals. How therapy is structured can vary, for example therapy can be short-term, long-term or as needed. Therapy sessions can be done as individual, couples or family settings
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Email us at secondstoriescounseling@gmail.com or contact us at (203) 806-1319
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We are an in-network provider for Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Connecticut, CIGNA Behavioral Health, ConnectiCare Inc, Connecticut Husky Health, Connecticut Medicaid, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ), OptumHealth, UnitedHealthcare, and UnitedHealthcare / UHIS-UnitedHealth Integrated Services
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Yes! Please contact us directly for information and questions regarding our sliding scale rates.
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During your first session we will learn more about you, your story and what brought you to therapy. We will also go over any questions that you may have and our policies. There is no one size fits all when it comes to therapy and we therefore tailor our services to the individual, couple and/or family.
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After you book your appointment and prior to your first appointment, we will email you our registration paperwork through our electronic health record called ‘TherapyNotes’, which is an easy to use electronic forms platform. Please fill out, sign and submit your paperwork back to us.
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Appointments are generally 45 minutes for both intake and subsequent appointments. Some of our therapists do offer 60 minute sessions as well.
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As is common practice, you can cancel or reschedule an appointment anytime, as long as you provide 24 hours notice. Failure to cancel an appointment, reschedule or show up with less than 24 hours notice, will unfortunately result in a charge for the full cost of the session, not your copay or coinsurance. In the event of an emergency, the fee will of course be waived.
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Teletherapy is essentially the same as an in-office appointment but from the comfort of your own home! We use a platform called Doxy.me or Google Meets which are similar to other virtual platforms such as Zoom. Doxy.me and Google Meet are HIPPA compliant and easy to use by only needing one link for all of your appointments. Before your first appointment, your therapist will send you their personal Doxy or Google Meet link, which will allow you to enter into a virtual waiting room. Once you enter, your therapist will start your appointment at your scheduled time.
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Yes! Therapy is completely confidential, meaning that what you share and your personal information cannot be shared with others without your consent. However, there are times when confidentiality must be broken in the interest of protecting yourself, others and for legal reasons. These reasons tend to be rare and include the following:
1. Imminent threat emergencies, which include threats of suicide and homicide.
2. Mandated reporting situations regarding abuse/neglect of a minor or individual.
3. Court mandates or subpoenas.