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Frequently asked questions

Q: What insurance do you accept?

We accept all major commercial insurances in Kansas and Missouri as well as Medicaid and Medicare. To confirm if we accept your insurance, please contact your insurance provider and call our office at: 816-477-3772

Each therapy session is 53-minutes long, and the cost per each session is the contracted rate determined by your insurance. In other words, the session rate will vary depending on the contracted rate we have in place with your insurance. Otherwise, self-pay is $150 per session. Most of the time, HSA dollars may be used for payment, however please contact your insurance provider to confirm. 

Yes. Therapy is 100% confidential. You have the right to doctor-patient confidentiality, and whatever you say in therapy will be kept private.

Therapy is an empowering, explorative experience that helps you transcend past pain, process complex emotions, and cultivate a healthy relationship with yourself and others. We do so much more than ‘just talk’ in therapy. We transcend emotional pain, learn how to process, manage, and cope with complex feelings, and cultivate post-traumatic growth. From mental and visual exercises to expressive movement, we will work with you to help you gain control over your thoughts and emotions.

Therapy is a good option for you if…

  • You’re tired of going through the motions.
  • You feel like you’re living in survival mode and barely getting by.
  • You’d love to heal and move on from the past, but you just don’t know how.
  • You know you need help, and you’re ready to do the work.
  • You’re tired of feeling stuck. You want true hope and real healing, and you’re willing to do the inner work, soul-searching, and self-discovery to find it.
  • You’re willing to commit to giving therapy a fair chance and being open and honest with yourself and your therapist.
  • You’re willing to invest your time and energy into becoming the healthiest version of you.

Psychotherapy, talk therapy, therapy, and counseling are basically all the same thing, but psychotherapy is the technical term. Psychotherapy is a field of healthcare that specializes in mental health. In psychotherapy, a trained mental health professional will work with individuals, couples, families, or groups to improve their mental health and emotional well-being.

Psychotherapy is based on the science behind the mind-body connection. The mind and the body do not function separately from each other. They are two parts of a unified system, and mental illness often manifests itself in physiological symptoms. For example, individuals with depression or anxiety often experience chronic pain such as headaches, sleep disturbances, digestive issues, and even a suppressed immune system.

At The Wellness Counseling Center, LLC, we take the mind-body connection a step further to include all eight of the wellness domains that impact an individual’s overall health. The 8 dimensions of wellness include: emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and financial. This multi-dimensional approach allows us to better assess your full story and help facilitate comprehensive healing at the deepest level possible.

A therapist (also called a counselor) is a licensed professional who completed the education and training required to help treat clients with mental health symptoms. Therapists and counselors utilize psychological, social, and neurological expertise to help improve how their clients manage stress, emotional distress, and relationships. Therapists are unable to prescribe medication.

Some therapists are specialized. For example, trauma-informed therapists are therapists who have specialized knowledge of how traumatic experiences impact the mind and body. They use somatic techniques and hyper-focused polyvagal expertise to help individuals with PTSD or Complex PTSD achieve post-traumatic growth. All Wellness Counseling Center therapists are trauma-informed and have undergone extensive trauma-therapy training. 

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor or nurse practitioner who has been trained in psychotherapy and can prescribe medication to treat mental health disorders. Psychiatric care is not typically a replacement for therapy, rather, therapists and psychiatrists work collaboratively together as needed to provide both psychotherapy and medication management services. 

It is important to note that medication is not always needed, and psychiatric care is rarely where mental healthcare begins. If you suspect that psychiatric care is needed, The Wellness Counseling Center, LLC, has partnered with two psychiatric providers and can facilitate a psychiatric evaluation if needed. However, if you are just beginning your mental health journey, it is best to start with talk therapy. 

Q: Do you offer group therapy?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. We provide therapy for all individuals ages 3-90.

One of the ways we make mental health care accessible is by making it EASY for you. From the moment you reach out, we will walk with you every step of the way. We’ll help match you with the right provider, prepare you for your first session, and explain the financial/billing process in full, clear, easy-to-understand detail. Our office team will ensure you are fully informed and know exactly what to expect at every stage of your therapy journey.

To learn more about our process, please visit our Getting Started page where we break down everything you need to know step by step.

Reflect on your therapy goals

  • What are the specific reasons why you are seeking therapy? Having a clear understanding of what you hope to achieve through therapy will help your first few sessions flow smoothly. 
  • Mentally prepare yourself to be open and honest. You’ll never be pressured to share anything you don’t want or are not ready to share, but your honesty and openness will certainly help your therapist help you. 
  • There’s no need to be shy. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your therapist.
  • Finally, please be kind to yourself. It’s completely normal to feel a bit nervous before your first therapy session. Rest assured our counselors are some of the friendliest and open-minded human beings you’ll ever meet, and their top priority is ensuring you feel safe, supported, and comfortable. 

 

Consider practicalities 

  • The intake paperwork will need to be completed and submitted before your first session.
  • Plan your transportation in advance so you arrive at your appointment on time. If you travel often for work or don’t have transportation, be sure to let us know ahead of time so we can provide you with alternative virtual therapy options. 
  • Set aside some ‘cushion time’ before and after your therapy session. One of the most important parts of therapy is the cognitive integration that occurs following therapy sessions. Give yourself some time before and after your sessions to relax, decompress, and process your thoughts and feelings.

Your first therapy session is what’s called your ‘intake session.’ It’s simply a time for you and your therapist to formally meet, get to know each other, and begin exploring your reasons for seeking counseling. The goal of the first session is to provide foundational context and structure for future sessions.

During your first session, your therapist will provide clarity around how they work, including information about their personality, style, techniques, etc. They will also explain the therapeutic process and what you can expect from future sessions. Additionally, they may ask you questions about the issues or concerns that led to you seeking therapy, but it is unlikely you’ll be taking a deep dive into sensitive topics on the first session. 

We are inclusive of all clients and timelines. However, because therapy deals with sensitive topics, the more work we do in therapy, the more work is uncovered. The brain is complex, and the deeper we go, the deeper we can experience healing.  

While we absolutely can and do work with clients needing or interested in short-term care, we have seen the best and most lasting transformations occur within 6-12 months of therapy (approximately 20-24 sessions). That said, we respect that everyone’s timeline for healing is different. Whether you are able to commit to three months or nine months, we will do our best to work with whatever time and resources you have available. 

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, notification is required at least 24 hours / 1 business day in advance to avoid cancelation fees. To make changes to an appointment, please call our office at: 816-974-7378

First, please visit our Contact Us Page. Filling out this brief form will allow us to formally begin the intake process. 

Next, please call our office for a complementary 15–20-minute consultation. During this initial phone call, one of our dedicated team members will be happy to speak with you, answer questions, and help match you to the appropriate therapist. Otherwise, if you’d like, you can review our list of therapists for yourself.

Once we’ve determined that we have an available therapist who is a good fit for your needs, we’ll send you our intake paperwork to fill out, set up your insurance with our billing department, and proceed to schedule your first appointment. Our devoted team members will be happy to answer any questions and walk with you every step of the way.  

For a complete overview with step-by-step details about how we work, please visit our Getting Started page. 

Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.

― Tori Amos

Keep in touch

We know that healing can sometimes feel like a lonely process, but it doesn’t need to. You are not alone.
Whenever you’re ready, we’ll be here. Whether you’ve just scheduled an appointment or are still exploring options, please consider subscribing to our mailing list. You’ll receive monthly newsletters full of emotional support and helpful tips for achieving wellness in every dimension of your life. 

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