Frequently Asked Questions
What is an LPC?
-LPC stands for Licensed Professional Counselor, and it is a license for professionals who counsel mental health. -To be an LPC in the state of Texas you are required to have: -A Master’s Degree or higher in counseling or a field that is related to counseling that consists of 48 graduate semester hours. -Completed 300 hours of practicum that is supervised, with at least 100 hours where you have directly worked with a client. -3,000 hours of supervised experience after graduation, with 1,500 hours of direct contact with clients. -completion of state board exams -Once this process has been completed, the license is given. - 60 hours of masters credits at an accredited university What qualifications does a Master Level Counseling Student have? These students have completed the required coursework for a master's degree at their university. They are now obtaining face to face client hours in order to complete the educational requirements for their chosen degree in counseling or related field. They are under the direct supervision of the Clinical Director at Joyful Restoration Wellness as well as their practicum course professor at their university. What is an LPC Associate? -LPC Associate stands for Licensed Professional Counseling Associate. This means that they have achieved all of the requirements needed to be an LPC but they need more hours of experience to be considered a fully licensed counselor. This means they are also in the process of completing their required 3,000 hours of supervised counseling. Why would I choose an LPC-Associate? While in the temporarily licensed stage of licensure, an LPC Associate's services cannot be paid by insurance and so is not able to charge an insurance company for services provided. Here at Joyful Restoration Wellness, our Associates tend to have lower "cash pay" rates than LPCs, and in some cases, offering fees comparable to an average insurance co-pay. One does not have to be diagnosed with a mental health condition or illness to seek services. Additionally, when one is receiving services from an Associate, he or she is getting the benefit of having two clinicians with different skill sets and expertise, because Associates are required to meet weekly with a supervisor. While these meetings vary in content from week to week, the primary purpose is to conceptualize cases, review interventions and techniques, collaborate on treatment options and much more. Essentially, one receiving treatment from an LPC Associate gains the benefit of not just that person's knowledge, experience, and expertise, but also that of the Associate's supervisor. LPC-Associates tend to offer more office hours creating additional availability for appointments |
Do you only work with Christians or faith-based clients?
Our team here at Joyful Restoration believes and operates out of a Biblical Christian worldview, but we do not discriminate against other beliefs, races, genders, origins, disabilities, or sexual orientation. If there are significant differences between our beliefs, then we strive to meet you where you are. You are free to ask for prayer and guidance from the Christian standpoint, but if you do not, then there is no judgement. We will not ask you for an explanation. How can therapy help me? Life can throw a multitude of situations our way and sometimes they leave marks on us. These marks can keep us trapped in our emotions and stuck in unhealthy patterns. If you are desiring extra support, guidance and getting out of unhealthy patterns and habits then therapy is the right choice. Some things that people see a therapist for include psychological issues, depression, anxiety, addictions, life transitions, conflict, grief, and personal growth. Through therapy, a client can learn to develop new coping skills and walk through any trauma that they may have experienced. What is therapy like? Each session of therapy is going to be unique to every individual. We all go through different processes and different situations in life and your therapy sessions are directed towards accomplishing a short or long term goal. You may be asked to practice certain things in between your sessions to reach the goal that you desire. It is up to the client to choose how often they want to meet with their therapist. Does my information remain confidential? It is the law to keep client confidentiality. Therapists cannot disclose any information about their client unless they have permission from the client. However, there are some exceptions to the law and these include: suspicion that a child, dependent adult, or elder is being abused, or a client is threatening to harm either themselves or another person. In these circumstances, we have to break the confidentiality to ensure the safety of the client and/or others involved. |
Is medication a substitute for therapy? Here at Joyful Restoration, we believe that God can heal all things, and He most certainly gives us wisdom as well. The decision for medication recommendation is not taken lightly. Our team of experts carefully considers each client and their specific needs and issues. We believe that the combination of therapy with medication can be beneficial for some clients, and we work closely as a team to create the best possible treatment plan for each person. Sometimes, people get “stuck” and may benefit from a temporary “boost” that enables them to move forward in their recovery. Other times, people may have a chemical imbalance causing them to need the help of a medication to balance the chemicals, which may be more permanent. Our desire is to get to the root of the issues and resolve the pain to restore wholeness in your body and life. In some circumstances, situations cannot be solved by medication alone or by therapy alone. Can my insurance cover the cost of therapy? We accept Cigna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and United Healthcare insurances! Insurance WILL NOT cover services provided by interns; therefore, all services provided by any of our LPC Interns are self-pay only. Most of them offer services for a reduced rate. Who files the insurance claims? Please contact us if you would like to use your insurance to pay for counseling services. We will do our best to verify your benefits and coverage prior to the first session so you can be aware of your full out-of-pocket cost; however, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided by your insurance company including but not limited to: copays, co-insurance, deductibles, and covered services. |