How do I make an appointment?

If you would like to make an appointment, you can fill out our session inquiry form here. You can also email Christy at christy@renreico.com

What to expect during your first session?

Prior to your first session, you will be sent an intake form and consents for electronic signatures. If you forget to sign the consents, your clinician will have you sign paper copies before you session starts. 

When you come up to the office on the fourth floor, you will enter our waiting room. Please feel free to grab a drink or some snacks and have a seat. You are also allowed to go into the Cat Room if you have signed the animal liability form in your consents. Your clinician will come and get you when they are ready.

The intake will last about an hour. During that time, you will review your intake form with the clinician. You will discuss what brings you to therapy and any goals you have. 

Where to park?

Whitehall Towers is located behind Eat N' Park and has a large free parking lot. While there are a few spaces to the left of the door that are reserved for specific people, you are allowed to park anywhere else. There is also a small back parking lot if you are coming from the other side of the building. 

What do I do if I am late for my appointment?

Please contact your clinician ASAP to let them know. If you are more than 15 minutes late without informing them prior, the session will be canceled and you will be subject to our No Show/Cancellation fee. If you have warned your clinician, it is up to their discretion how long they are willing to wait. Sessions will not run past their scheduled time as other clients have sessions scheduled as well. 

What to do if my appointment is "After Hours"?

The doors to Whitehall Towers automatically lock at 7pm. They are also locked on weekends and holidays. If you are arriving when the doors are locked, please contact your clinician for them to come downstairs and open the door. At this time, we do not have an extension for us to buzz you into the building. 

Can I really play with the cats?

At Ren & Rei Counseling, we have a Cat Room instead of a receptionist. When you come in the lobby, you will see the cats through the reception window. You are allowed to go into the hallway and the first door on your right has a painted cat sign. If the lights are on and the sign is flipped to the cat side, you are allowed to go in and play with the cats!

What if I am afraid of animals?

We recognize that not everyone is a fan of animals. That is why the animals are not in the office every day of the week or the entire day. If you do not want to interact with the animals but want to meet in person, ask your clinician about scheduling for a day/time when the animals are not around.

Can I switch my appointment to virtual?

You are always welcome to switch your appointment to virtual. Please contact your clinician and let them know. Each clinician has an individual doxy page which you can use. These can be found either on the services page or under their respective profiles. If you regularly switch to virtual, the clinician may ask to move you to virtual regularly.

How do I pay my copay/coinsurance?

After your first appointment, Christy will send an invoice from Square to your email address. The invoice has a 2 week period before it is due. If you want payments to be automatic, please save a card to file and Christy will automatically collect after your session has occurred. If you want an invoice each time, please do not save a card to file and Christy will send you an invoice each time. 

What if I need to change my card on file or wait to pay?

Please let Christy know, ideally before your session. You can do this via email or in person (christy@renreico.com). You can also let your clinician know and ask them to contact Christy at the beginning of the session. You are asked to do this at the beginning simply because Christy may run the card after the session but before your clinician informs her. In this case, she will send you an invoice as she did for the first session. 

Can I get a receipt for payments?

Christy does not send receipts for each copay/coinsurance collected as previously many clients have requested to not get them. However, you are always allowed to contact Christy and ask her to create a master receipt for the time frame you need. Please let her know how quickly you need it.

How long will I be in therapy?

Each individual therapy session typically last 45-60 minutes. 

How long sessions continue is hard to determine because there are a lot of factors. Short-term concerns can typically be resolved in 8-12 weeks. However, more in depth therapy addressing deeper issues can last for a year or more. 

Is what I say to my therapist private?

 All information discussed within sessions is confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission except when required by law. 

Disclosure may be required in the following circumstances: 

• Reasonable suspicion that a client presents a danger of significant harm to self or others

• Suspicion of child abuse or elder abuse that has not been previously reported.

• Ordered by the courts

What is the difference between therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists?

Therapists are traditionally people who have a masters degree in counseling, social work, or related fields. They do traditional types of talk therapy.

Psychologists are people with a doctorate degree, PhD or PsyD. They can do traditional talk therapy. They also conduct diagnostic testing, IQ tests, personality tests, and neuropsychological testing.

Psychiatrists are people with a medical doctorate degree, MD or DO. Psychiatrists can prescribe psychiatric medications. Other licensed medical professionals can also prescribe medications. These include Physician Assistants (PA), Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Certain psychiatric medications can be prescribed by your primary care physician (PCP) though they are not always willing since that is not their specialty. 

What is Person-Centered therapy?

Person-Centered therapy is more client driven than many other types of therapy. This allows the sessions to be more collaborative instead of the therapist being in more of an authoritative role. This type of talk therapy has a heavy focus on unconditional positive regard or acceptance without judgement.  

What is Somatic therapy?

Somatic therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the body and its connections to the mind. The clinician will help the client recognize the sensations they feel in their bodies that are associated with different emotions in attempts to help regulate the body's nervous system. 

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines traditional cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness and acceptance. This type of therapy is very skill based to work on regulating intense emotions, self-destructive behaviors, and improve the client's relationships.  

What is EMDR? 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a type of researched psychotherapy that encourages clients to focus on a traumatic memory briefly while engaging in bilateral stimulation, usually through eye movements, to assist with reducing the emotion and symptoms associated with traumatic memories. 

For more information, click here.

What is a copay?

A copay is a flat rate for sessions regardless of how long the session is or the type of session. This is regardless of any deductibles. 

What is a deductible

A deductible is a total amount of money that a person has to pay before insurance will cover anything. The cost the person has to pay is the rate set by the insurance company for that type or length of session. It is not set by Ren & Rei Counseling, but we can tell you how much it is. Sometimes there are separate totals for individual or family deductibles. *Only one has to be met. 

What does coinsurance mean?

Coinsurance is a percentage of the total cost for a session that a person is required to pay after they have met their deductible. This amount changes based on the type or length of session. The cost of the claim is based on what the insurance rate is. For example, you may be required to pay 20% of the total cost while insurance will pay the other 80%.

What is an out of pocket maximum?

This is the total amount per plan year that a person is expected to pay. There are sometimes different totals for individual or family maximums. *Only one has to be met. When this amount is met, the person does not have to pay anything regardless of if they normally have a copay or a coinsurance. Insurance will pay 100% for your session until your plan resets (often January 1st but each plan is different).

What does Private Pay mean?

Private Pay is when you pay a separate amount without using insurance at all. This amount cannot be reported to insurance to count towards your deductible or out of pocket maximum. If you are using Private Pay, nothing is reported to insurance.