This is how mental health professionals communicate their approach and style to therapy. There is no best type of therapy, but more which one fits with you and what you are looking to get out of therapy. A quick Google research on the therapy will give you an idea of how this clinician perceives mental health. The clinician will draw on this therapeutic approach for treatment recommendations. If you are not sure about this, call up the clinician and ask them about their approach and how this impacts their treatment plan. Clinicians are happy to explain their approach so you feel comfortable with their style. Finding a good therapist fit is a key component to productive therapy.

Many therapists have a profile on Psychology Today or on the practice’s website. Psychology Today allows you to select things that you are specifically looking for in a therapist in your area and it will provide you with a list. It also allows you to select your insurance as an added filter so you only see therapists who take your insurance and treat your specific concerns. You can look on the practice’s website to find the providers and read their profile and any of their special interests. You can click the link below to check out our provider’s Psychology Today profile or read about them under the providers tab on www.rosecransassoc.com

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/megan-rosecrans-algonquin-il/468613

It is good to know which type of professional you are seeing and their educational level and type of license. We are going to break these down into sections to help simplify.

LPC and LSW

LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has earned a Master’s Degree in counseling or in clinical psychology. LSW is a Licensed Social Worker who has earned a Master’s Degree in social work. These individuals are practicing on what we call a limited-license and must be supervised by a fully-licensed professional (i.e., LCPC, LCSW, or LCP). They  are not allowed to practice on their own. They are required by the state to earn a specific  amount of hours after obtaining their limited-license prior to sitting for the state full- licensing examination. If you are seeing a LPC or LSW then you need to know they are  required to be supervised and will be consulting with their supervisor about your case. You  are allowed to know who that supervisor is and the supervisor’s contact information. You  are allowed to request that you do not want to see a limited-licensed professional.

LPCP and LCSW

LCPC are Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who have earned a Master’s degree in counseling or in clinical psychology. They are fully-licensed and can practice independently without supervision. LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has earned a Master’s Degree in social work and is fully-licensed by the state to practice independently without supervision.

LMFT

LMFT are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. They are specifically trained to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders in the context of marriage, couples, and family systems. Master’s and Doctoral level can be a LMFT.

CDAC

CDAC are Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Master’s and Doctoral level can become CDAD certified.

LCP

LCP is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who has earned a doctoral degree in psychology who is fully-licensed by the state, and can practice independently without supervision.

There are LPCs and LCPCs who have a doctoral degree, but these individuals are working on accumulating hours toward taking the psychologist licensing state examination.

If you are meeting with a doctorate therapist who has either a LPC or LCPC only, then they  will be consulting with a supervisor about your case. You have the right to know who the supervisor is and their contact information, and you are allowed to request you do not want to see this level of a professional.

The difference in educational level and licensure can mean the difference in the kind of expertise you are provided with the type of services you are seeking. There is the additional component of required supervision for limited-licensed professionals. Use this information to help you make an informed decision about your mental healthcare and what fits for you and your needs.

The initial appointment or intake session is a chance for the therapist to get to know you and what brings you into therapy. They will ask questions about your medical, developmental, social, occupational, educational, medical, psychiatric, and substance history. They will also ask about any symptoms you may be experiencing and how these symptoms are impacting your life. Therapists will provide you with a treatment plan before the end of the session.

When you call to make your first appointment, Rosecrans & Associates will collect your insurance and policy holder’s information to verify we are in-network with your insurance company. We will check your benefits to make sure you are covered. You can call your insurance company and inquire about your benefits and if you are covered for behavioral health. You will have to specifically ask about behavioral health coverage, otherwise they will only provide you with medical coverage information. Your insurance company will provide you with the specific details of your plan and your estimated cost.

Most plans have a deductible that must be met before the insurance company will begin to pay for covered services. After you met your deductible, insurance will begin to pay for covered services. You may have a co-pay or co-insurance. Copays may be due before and after a deductible has been met, and they are a flat-fee due at the time of service. Coinsurance is paid after the deductible has been met, and is a percentage of the service charged, not a flat-fee. Out-of-pocket is a maximum or limit you pay each calendar year for covered services. After you spend this amount on deductibles, copays, and coinsurance, your health plan will pay 100% of the covered costs.

There are insurance companies that contract out mental health benefits to other insurance companies. These are called “carve-out plans.” This does not mean you are not covered for mental health. It means that a different insurance company covers your mental health benefits, and you will need to call that company to check your mental health benefits. This is important to know because Rosecrans & Associates may be covered under your main insurance plan but not covered with the outsourced insurance company. This is why we verify insurance prior to your first appointment to ensure you are covered.

We will file insurance claims on your behalf. If you want to file the insurance claim on your own, we will collect our service fee at the time of service and then provide you with a Superbill.

A Superbill is an itemized form that includes details of the service required to submit a claim to your insurance company.

Out-of-network means Rosecrans & Associates does not have a contact with your insurance company, therefore there has been no negotiated rate between the provider and your insurance company. There are several options if we are out-of-network with your insurance company. We can provide you with a Superbill to help you file a claim with your insurance company. We can also work with you and your insurance company on creating a Single-Case Agreement. A single-case agreement is an agreement between the insurance company and the provider that they will make an exception and cover you as if the provider was in-network even though the provider is out-of-network.

Yes you can! You are not required to use your insurance. If you would like to choose this option, our office staff can discuss fees prior to scheduling your initial appointment. Our fee schedule will also be included in the information packet on the patient portal.