faq
We strive for a first session at The Village Institute For Psychotherapy to be informative, challenging and reassuring. The therapy office is comfortable and peaceful. Your therapist will be actively engaged with you and will guide you in the process of therapy. Paperwork is kept to an absolute minimum.
Therapists at The Village Institute for Psychotherapy are encouraged by the Director to watch the movie “Analyze This”. While this isn’t a training tape, it does bring to the forefront (in a comical way, of course) what a therapist should provide in the first session: a sense of being understood. This can take many forms depending on the unique qualities of the patient and of the therapist.
We know that medication can sometimes be an important component of a patient’s treatment. Research confirms that the benefits of Psychotherapy and the effects of medication can be mutually supportive. At The Village Institute for Psychotherapy, while we do not prescribe medication, we are actively involved in referring patients to psychiatrists who do prescribe medication. These professionals are known to us, and are therefore supportive of patients’ psychotherapy.
We do not directly accept insurance as payment. Many insurance policies, however, will reimburse you for “out-of-network” expenses if that is part of your coverage.
Insurance companies have guidelines and requirements that would limit who a patient can see, how often a therapist can see a patient and for how long. We believe in offering personalized therapy along the highest standards of practice and care in our industry. We elect not to have an insurance company come between the therapist and the patient.
You will need to contact your insurance company to find out if your insurance plan covers “out-of-network” outpatient psychotherapy.
If the answer is yes, the following specific questions are important to ask your insurance representative:
Do I need a referral and/or any prior authorization for psychotherapy sessions to be covered?
What is my deductible for out-of-network psychotherapy?
What portion of the fee is covered by my insurance (after the deductible is met)?
Is it a flat amount per session or a percentage per session?
If a percentage per session, is this calculated based on actual charges or is it based on “usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) fees” developed by the insurance company?
(Please note: The Village Institute for Psychotherapy sets the fee for the psychotherapy session regardless of an insurance company’s valuation of our services.)
Do I have an out-of-pocket maximum? If yes, if this maximum is reached, at what rate will I be reimbursed?
If your insurance plan covers out-of-network outpatient psychotherapy, your therapist will help you complete necessary paperwork in order to get your reimbursement.
We offer a sliding scale fee that considers several factors (a patient’s income, a patient’s expenses, a patient’s out-of-network insurance coverage) coupled with an acknowledgement of the value of the service being provided by the therapist. These factors are weighed with each other resulting in a fee that is fair for the patient’s individual situation.
All three disciplines share interest in the workings of the mind and, if trained, can provide psychotherapy.
In general, Psychiatrists obtain a medical degree and therefore focus on the biological underpinnings of mental illness. Because they have a medical degree, psychiatrists can prescribe medication.
Psychologists earn a graduate level degree that focuses on all aspects of human behavior and personality structure, both normative and nonnormative.
Social Workers earn a graduate level degree with an emphasis on societal factors impacting emotional well-being and the need to connect people with the community and support services available.
Any of these three disciplines can choose to specialize their training in psychotherapy.
What training do the therapists at The Village Institute for Psychotherapy receive?
Our staff members have training in Psychology (PhD level and MA level psychologists) and Social Work (MCSW and LCSW level).
All of our therapists specialize in psychotherapy practice. It is our belief that training never ends for psychotherapists. Thus, even beyond their formal training, all of our therapists (including our Directors) are in regular clinical supervision. Some staff members are in formal training programs in Clinical Psychology or Social Work and these staff members receive more intensive supervision and guidance.
At The Village Institute for Psychotherapy, we believe that the most important characteristic of a therapist is his or her character and commitment to psychotherapy. Therefore, the type of degree is less important. Instead, we value training and we assure that our therapists have received the best training available.