F.A.Q. | Emerald Path Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

That's a great question! In a nutshell, mental health therapy, also known as psychotherapy or counseling, is a professional service that helps individuals navigate any challenges that they may be facing through life, be it emotional, psychological, and/or behavioral challenges. Therapy offers a safe, supportive space for people to explore their thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and improve overall well-being. For a more comprehensive idea, check out this article that our founder Angie Yong wrote about what mental health counseling is and what it can do for you!
Emerald Path Therapy has three tiers of clinicians: Clinical Interns, Provisionally-Licensed Clinicians, and Fully-Licensed Clinicians.

Clinical interns are individuals who are currently enrolled in an accredited master's or doctoral program and are actively pursuing a degree in clinical mental counseling, marriage & family therapy, social work, or a related field. They are required to meet certain prerequisites that determine their eligibility for a clinical internship. Our clinical interns offer lower session rates, which may be a great option for individuals who may not be able to afford our full out-of-pocket rates.

Licensed clinicians (both provisionally and fully-licensed) are individuals who hold master's or doctoral degree in clinical mental counseling, marriage & family therapy, social work, or a related field, and have been cleared by their state board to practice as a licensed professional in their field.

Want to know more about a specific clinician's credentials? All our clinicians' credentials are listed under their individual profile bio. Click here for a complete list of all our therapists!
Our in-person office spaces are set up much like a family room. What therapy looks like and where it goes very much depends on where you want it to go. During a session, your therapist will facilitate discussions to help you navigate whatever challenges and/or issues, big OR small, you choose to bring to the therapeutic space. Here at Emerald Path Therapy, our counselors are committed to Mindful Collaboration. We think of counseling as a collaborative effort between you and your therapist. Together as a team, you and your counselor will decide where you want to go, from goal-setting and treatment planning, all the way to termination.
As licensed mental health counselors, we are bound by state laws and a code of ethics that limits the disclosure of client information to any outside person or entity without your express written consent. Though there are some limitations to confidentiality, these limitations are very specific, and typically only pertain to matters of safety. You can find all of the details on client privacy, confidentiality, and limitations to confidentiality, in our Notice of Privacy Policies, which are provided to all clients as part of their intake paperwork. If you have questions about this issue, feel free to discuss it with your therapist at any time.
In order for you to receive health insurance benefits for services, we are required by insurance companies to provide and assign clients with a formal diagnosis from the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). These diagnoses are a necessary part of the claims process to determine "medically necessary" treatment, and become a part of your permanent medical record. As part of our commitment to you and your right to privacy, we advise all current and potential clients to understand and carefully consider the the potential risks in utilizing your health insurance benefits for therapeutic services.
Prior to your first session, we ask that you access your personal client portal account and complete all the necessary intake forms. This saves both you and your therapist precious time during your session and ensures that we have everything we need to provide you with the best experience possible!

At your scheduled time, your therapist will greet you in the waiting room and bring you to their office. Intake sessions typically include a brief overview of our practice policies, and review of your client history paperwork, and goal-setting and treatment planning for therapy. During this time, your therapist will take time to get to know you. Most clients find the conversation flowing quite naturally once things get rolling.
Mental health therapy is used for many different situations, therefore it is difficult to predict exactly how long it will take. In your first few sessions your therapist will listen to your goals and make an assessment and a suitable treatment plan. Once that assessment is complete, your therapist should be able to give you an estimate about time frames and frequency of meetings. As problems unfold those estimates may need to be updated. We encourage you to have continued conversations with your therapist about your progress and treatment plan as you go along.

The length of treatment depends on the problems being addressed, the motivation level of the client, the strength of rapport between client and therapist, and the frequency of meetings which can affect the pace at which we can work on problems. All of these things should be talked over with your therapist if you have concerns about the length of treatment.

The cost for the initial intake session is $175.00.

Each subsequent 55-minute session is $150.00.
Yes, we do!

Currently, we are in-network with and accept the following insurance plans:

Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans

Aetna PPO plans

United Healthcare / Optum plans

As a complimentary service to you, our team handles all insurance billing for accepted insurance plans, so that you can get the help and encouragement you need without the hassle of dealing with insurance claims. For out-of-network insurance plans, we are happy to provide your insurance providers with a super-bill for reimbursement.

Many health insurance policies have some coverage for outpatient mental health but most expect you to pay some of the costs for counseling. To find out the details of your coverage, you should call your insurance carrier. They should be able to tell you exactly what they cover. If you are still unsure, you can contact our office, and someone from our team will be able to look into it further for you. It’s not always easy to get clear answers about coverage but we will do all we can to help you find out what you need to know!
Yes! Clients are welcome to use their insurance to finance their sessions. Should you choose not to use your insurance to finance your appointments, you will be responsible for the full out-of-pocket costs of your sessions.

We are committed to you and your family's privacy and confidentiality, and want you to have complete control over your health records. Submitting a mental health invoice for reimbursement carries a certain amount of risk to your confidentiality, privacy, and future capacity to obtain health or life insurance or even a job. If you are planning to use your insurance, we strongly advise you to consider all the potential benefits and risks including the risks to your privacy.
We accept payments in the form of cash, check, or credit/debit card. As a healthcare provider, we also accept payments through Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Emerald Path Therapy provides all clients with a secure and convenient method for submitting and storing payment information for any costs not covered by insurance. To ensure timely collection of service fees, we require all clients to maintain a valid method of payment on file regardless of your preferred method of payment. Your card will only be charged in accordance with your financial responsibility as outlined in our practice policies.

All service fees including but not limited to co-payments, co-insurance, annual deductibles, services not billable to insurance (i.e., missed or late-cancelled appointments, letters, phone calls, etc.), and any out-of-pocket fees are subject to be paid in full at the time of the service unless other arrangements have been made in advance.
We offer reduced rates for those who experience financial hardship and are not covered by insurance. Your rate will be based on family income and circumstances, and can be discussed with your therapist. Please indicate on your intake form if you are seeking a reduced rate.
Questions about your bill can be directed to your individual therapist. If you need further assistance, you can contact our support team at billing@emeraldpaththerapy.com, and someone from our team will be more than happy to assist you!

During your first session, you will be provided with insight and information on what the counseling process will look like. Your therapist will discuss confidentiality and any limitations to confidentiality, our practice's policies, and your rights and responsibilities. Your therapist will then guide you through some questions that will provide your therapist with insight on any presenting concerns that brought you to seek counseling. These questions will also help us to assess how those concerns impact you in your world, your safety, and your strengths. Finally, your therapist will work collaboratively with you to identify and create goals and a plan to address your presenting concerns, mitigate its impact on your world, and instill hope that we will get to a place where you can celebrate healing.
Sessions last between 45 to 55 minutes.
We understand that circumstances or situations may pop up unexpectedly from time to time and interfere with your ability to attend your appointment.

To cancel or reschedule your session, we ask that you follow our cancellation/rescheduling procedures at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment in order to avoid potential cancellation and/or penalty fees.
Things happen. We get that.

When you make an appointment, these sessions are set aside specifically for you! Our clinicians do their very best to ensure that you get the help that you need. While we strive to be as accommodating as possible, we also want to respect the financial and time commitments that our clinicians reserve for these appointments. When appointments are cancelled on short notice, our clinicians are unable to fill that spot. Our late cancellation, late rescheduling, and no-show policies are outlined as follows:

Late Cancellation Policy

Late cancellations will automatically incur a $75 penalty fee. Except for emergency cases, appointments cancelled less than 24 hours of the appointment time are considered a "late cancellation", and will incur a $75 cancellation fee.

Late Rescheduling Policy

Except for emergency cases, appointments rescheduled less than 24 hours of the appointment time are considered a "late rescheduling", and will incur a $50 penalty fee.

No-Show

No-show appointments will automatically incur a $150 penalty fee. Except for emergency cases, appointments are immediately considered a "no-show" under the following circumstances:

The client fails to show up to their appointment;

The client did not cancel or reschedule this appointment prior to the session's scheduled start time; and

Multiple unsuccessful client outreach attempts.

Emergencies

In the case of an emergency where you are unable to make a session, we ask that you inform your therapist as soon as you know you will miss your session, even if your session has already begun! In general, communication with your therapist may go a long way toward accommodation and rescheduling as it does not bring us joy to charge late cancellation and/or penalty fees. Please note that "emergency cases" are determined at the sole discretion of your therapist.

Scheduling an appointment with us is easy! If you already know what you're looking for and are ready to schedule an appointment, fill out a Contact Form HERE, and someone from our team will reach out to you!

Need a little more help or guidance? If you have any other questions or concerns, or would just prefer to speak to a "real person", our intake team is here and ready to help you find the best-fit for your needs! Just call or text 630.345.6345, or email us at info@emeraldpaththerapy.com and someone from our team will reach out to you!
If you have a specific counselor/therapist in mind, you can make a request by providing us with their information when filling out a new Contact Form! We always do our best to accommodate your preferences based on availability and insurance coverage. However, please be advised that all our clinicians maintain their own schedules, and may not always be available to take on new clients. In those cases, you have the option of being put on their direct waitlist. Looking to get help as soon as possible? If you would prefer not to be placed on a waitlist, we'll work with you to find a therapist with immediate availability!
Appointments may be canceled or rescheduled for without penalty up to 24 hours prior to your appointment time. No cancellation fee applies. We understand that schedules can change and will work with you to find a new time.

To cancel or reschedule your appointment, call or text us at 630.345.6345. Cancellation messages may be left at any time 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. When leaving a message, please include your first and last name, your therapist's name, and your session day and time. You can also contact your therapist through their direct phone extension or email address. You can find your therapist's direct contact information HERE.
Our client portal offers you a convenient and secure location to manage your appointments, join telehealth sessions, and access your personal client file and all your documents. To access our client portal, you will need to be an active client with Emerald Path Therapy. Once you schedule your first appointment with us, you’ll get an email invitation from TherapyPortal.com to set up your secure client portal account.

If you’re a new or prospective client and haven’t received an invite yet, or if you’re not sure whether you have an account, just reach out and we’ll help you get set up. Forgot your password? No problem! Give us a call or a text at 630.345.6345, or shoot us a quick email at info@emeraldpaththerapy.com, and we’ll walk you through it.

To access our client portal directly, click here. You can also log in by clicking the "Client Login" button on our website (pictured below).