Faq

Philosophically, I believe something my physician father told me: “Mental health precedes physical health. If you believe and desire to be physically healthy, you are more likely to heal and become healthy.”

Firstly, I believe counseling occurs in a “safe container” of trust and confidentiality. I strive to maintain a safe place and process in each session.

Counseling is about identifying places where you are experiencing troubles. Counseling with me is collaborative involving sharing and questioning.

I am not one to sit there staring at you expecting you to do all the work.

And, I do mean work. I have been known to assign homework to you and me. Counseling is about change and transformation. Transformation occurs when we are both doing the work.

I am empathetic and compassionate—but direct without being judgmental. I will challenge you and challenge your thinking.

We will identify your strengths and opportunities for change. Then we will set goals that focused on you and your needs.

I usually have a game plan for each session, but life happens, so we will always address the things that are affecting you that day in that moment. Above all, I want to celebrate your successes.

I embrace the old adage that “Happiness is found in the journey.”

In general, each session is approximately 50 minutes.

However, the first session is usually longer because of paperwork, and I really dislike rushing people who are telling me their life’s story.

So, I usually try to schedule the first session when I can allow more time.

There is not standard length of time.

In counseling we seek to improve your current issues and identify the cause so we can develop beneficial living and thinking skills. Everyone has a different story and a different need.

You are the expert of you. You do not need to be in counseling longer than you desire.

If you are contemplating leaving counseling, just let us know and we will use the last session as a summary and celebration of your successes.

If you need a referral, we can provide one, too.

Absolutely! I often have several women on my caseload.

The biggest reasons women have come to see me are (1) following a client referral (2) learning to deal with the men in their lives, and (3) seeking counseling from a male perspective (having had female counselors in the past).

The most important thing is to understand that the client is the relationship. I’m not a counselor for each person. I am the counselor of the relationship.

The first session is my learning how you interact and communicate. I have an online assessment I like to use and, if I see it benefitting the couple, I will make it part of the couple’s homework.

The assessment does a great job of identifying strengths and differences in the relationship. We then spend the next two sessions reviewing the assessment, discussing strengths in the relationship and the differences. Collectively, we decide where to proceed next.

Why look at strengths? Every couple has areas where they have a strong connection. As we work on the differences, we have to ensure the strengths remain strengths.

What I don’t like is a “he-said, she-said” type of session. These tend to be argument-producing sessions and are non-productive. If your idea of relationship counseling is a “bitch at my partner session,” you need to pass me by.

YES.  We decided, in the beginning, to focus on the counseling relationship rather than insurance requirements. We still believe YOU are more important. 

So..accepting insurance has been a careful decision for our practice.  In a prior career, Chip was a consultant in the health insurance industry and has a unique insight into the health insurance industry. After careful consideration, we are accepting the following insurances:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• United Healthcare/Optum – Just Added!!   However, we always need to verify benefits.  Just ‘cuz your card says UHC doesn’t mean it in all circumstances.  Sorry. 
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)- only a select few, call to see which ones we are accepting 

We will continue to evaluate other insurances.  In the meantime, we are happy to work with other insurances but our practice is considered out-of-network.  To make use of your out-of-network benefits, we can provide you a ‘superbill’ of services that can be used to submit to your insurer for processing.  Sorry, we cannot guarantee any reimbursement from your insurer.  My advice is to submit it and find out.  You may be surprised!!

In-Network folks….

Using your insurance benefits has confidentiality issues for you and the practice.  Using your benefits obligates the practice to share information with your insurance if requested.  This is a ding to your privacy rights.  While requests don’t seem to be a common occurrence, it is a fact you need to consider.

The reality is most insurers do not want to pay for counseling. They only want to pay for medical services. Fortunately, state and federal regulations require individual counseling coverage be included in all benefits packages.

Marriage/Couples Counseling….

A recent improvement by insurance companies is the inclusion of marriage/couple counseling benefits.  DOUBLE-CHECK with your insurance to see if they cover couples counseling.

Yes, we are able to schedule weekend appointments.

Our weekends are as valuable to us as they are to you so we tend to prioritize those appointments carefully. These are typically only morning appointments.

I do counseling of men who are high-school age and older.

I do not work with any women under age 21. I can give you a referral for some excellent counselors.

When I was a teenage boy, I didn’t understand teenage girls. And I barely survived raising two daughters, so now I can be choosey.

Heck no! I associate as a Christian but my spiritual journey was complicated. Spiritually Wonderful but complicated. I am not a “Christian counselor”—so quoting from the Bible is not me.

In counseling, I may question where you are in your spiritual walk. I am not asking for any other reason but to better understand you. You decide if spirituality is part of our counseling sessions.

Yes! I love fun sessions and laughing so clients need tissues. Okay, sometimes people cry for joy, too.

Sanity came along when I decided to stay sober. So I know a fair amount about this subject before and after I became a counselor.

As of 5/4/2020…I have been sober 12,001 days continuously through times of a personal (and professional) dversity, joy and grief.  That’s 32 years, 10 months, 8 days.  

So I know the path to the hell of addiction but more importantly…..I actually know the way out and I’ll be your guide!

I have been married for over 28 years… and counting. I definitely married up!

I like both cats and dogs. I have one dog: half-Lab, half-Catahoula. I generally like big, badass cats.

I have two grown and launched daughters. I survived (and paid for) both weddings. Walking my daughters down the aisle was a surreal experience – each for completely different reasons.

I enjoy reading techno-thrillers, space operas, and survival-like books (usually on Kindle).

I enjoy historical documentaries and American history (except for the Civil War).

I have a creative spirit, often frustrated. I work with wood and mixed media.

My favorite color is blue (Cobalt blue!).

My favorite foods are: Tex-Mex, Thai, seafood, but also country breakfast. You had me at ‘biscuits and gravy’.

I do volunteer work with the Denton County Medical Reserve Corps, the Community Emergency Response Team, and the United Methodists Center on Relief (Disaster Team). Ask me how to get involved.

I have an amateur radio license: KG5QPR. But I suck at it.