It’s okay if your goals are initially broad or vague. They can be refined and made more specific as you progress in therapy. The important thing is to start the process of self-reflection and goal-setting to guide your therapeutic journey.

When defining therapeutic goals for counseling, it’s important to ask yourself thoughtful questions that help clarify objectives and expectations. Here are some key questions to consider:

• Are there any emotional patterns I’d like to change?
• What specific behaviors would I like to improve?
• How will I know therapy has been helpful?
• What concrete changes would indicate progress to me?
• What do I hope to accomplish in the short term (next few sessions)?
• What are my long-term therapy goals?
• How can Dr. Reid be most helpful to me?
  
  

  Setting personalized goals will give you a sense of control over your mental health journey and increase your commitment to the therapeutic process. Defining your goals will lead to better treatment outcomes, reduced mental distress, and improved overall well-being. By establishing clear, specific, and achievable goals at the outset, we will collaborate more effectively, ensuring

  our work remains focused on addressing your most pressing concerns and facilitating meaningful change.

Paying for therapy increases your engagement and commitment to the process, provides a therapeutic opportunity to explore your attitudes toward money, and builds trust between us. Ask yourself: “What can I reasonably afford to invest in counseling per month without straining my finances?” This amount can provide a baseline for determining the frequency of visits. I usually see clients twice a month unless in a significant crisis. The self-pay professional fee is $135 per 50-minute session, paid upfront before the session begins. Your cost per session might be less if I am contracted with your insurance company. A 3% card convenience fee will be added unless you pre-pay by check or use a cash app. The fee ensures I can maintain a sustainable practice, cover expenses, and earn a living wage. Fair compensation allows me to invest in ongoing education and professional development, enhancing the quality of my services. Adequate fees help prevent burnout by reducing the need to overwork or take on too many clients. The fee acknowledges my training (40 hours of continuing education every 24 months for each of my two licenses), my four decades of clinical experience, and my specialized skills. The fee structure differentiates our therapeutic relationship from a social or non-professional one.

Clinically, telehealth is just as effective as so-called “in-person” therapy and more convenient, safe, flexible, accessible, economical, and comfortable. Teletherapy clients do not have to travel, miss work, arrange childcare, navigate bad weather, go out when tired or sick, and so forth. Sessions are not forcibly cut short by a late arrival. Couples can be in two separate locations, so long as each is physically present somewhere in Louisiana at the time of the session. Online sessions lead to more consistent therapy attendance and greater continuity of care in adverse conditions. Teletherapy also protects me from exposure to viruses, which I might then pass along to my wife, who is bed-bound and immunocompromised. Also, I don’t have to clean off my messy desk in preparation for people to enter my home-based office or lock up my two friendly little dogs, who usually hang out around my feet. When someone tells me they don’t like telehealth therapy, I know there is a 95% chance they have never tried it.

Not all services are covered by insurance (e.g., Blue Cross does not pay for marital or couple therapy). There can be delays in processing claims, and it is costly for me to employ someone to process claims and then wait for payment. So, I collect the full fee upfront before the session. I am a small, sophisticated private practice with no full-time office staff. I must carefully manage cash flow and overhead, especially considering my wife’s ongoing and expanding medical needs, including 24/7 care. After each session, I will email you a paid-in-full Superbill and Form 1500 to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement directly to you. If I am a contracted provider with your health insurance company, the superbill will reflect their in-network discounted rate. Remember, submission of the claim form does not guarantee reimbursement, and the final decision will depend on your specific plan benefits and coverage. Insurance is helpful, but do not give your power away by being at the mercy of insurance companies. Your health and well-being come first. Let me know upfront if you are sincerely suffering financial hardship due to circumstances beyond your control.

At the time of our session, you will pre-pay from the debit, credit, HSA, or HRA card in your portal, by personal check or transferring the fee through my cash app. Most clients pay the fee by credit card. I will give details about the cash app if you decide to use my services.

You will use the online scheduling feature in your portal to see my availability and fit me into your busy schedule instead of me asking you to fit into mine. My private practice hours are Monday – Friday at 7 am, Noon, and 5 pm – 9 pm. This means you have 30 times per week from which to choose on a first-come-first-served basis, so I suggest you plan and schedule several appointments at once just to know you have them reserved. There is no late cancellation fee if you reschedule or cancel more than 24 hours before the appointment. However, if you reschedule or cancel your appointment within 24 hours of our scheduled time, you will be charged $135.

That’s easy. Just click the link below. The Guide to the Portal explains how online scheduling works. When designating a location, be sure to select “Video.” If you mistakenly choose “In Person,” you will receive a message saying, “No Availability.” Also, in your search, specify either Morning, Afternoon, or Evening. Inside your portal, provide:

1. Insurance Information COMPLETED IN FULL (e.g., D.O.B., gender, address) with photos of the Front and Back of the Card. I cannot generate a claims form without complete information, and my tight schedule makes it difficult to chase down information that was overlooked or ignored.
2. Consent for Teletherapy
3. Review of Practice Policies
4. Credit Card Information
5. Acknowledgement of “Late Cancellation Fee”
6. Initial Questionnaires

Feel free to text me at (985) 778-6049 if you need help scheduling or have other questions.

Now, click below to create your portal:

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