The Counseling Center > Counseling Center FAQs
What age groups do you serve?
Every Age Group
- Children
- Adolescents
- Adults
- Seniors
What types of therapies do you provide?
Play-therapy for children, individual therapy for adolescents, adults, and seniors. Group therapy, Couples therapy and Family therapy.
Are sessions 100% confidential?
Services are completely confidential. By law, no information will ever be disclosed to any individual or organization unless specifically requested in writing by the client.
What if we are referred by my child’s school–will you share information with them?
No matter who refers you, services are always completely confidential and by law, no information will ever be disclosed to any individual or organization unless specifically requested in writing by you.
Some clients do request that their therapists share specific information with other collateral providers; such as, school social workers or physicians. In these cases, we provide a form that is completed by the therapist and the client. Permission to disclose information can be revoked by the client at any time and for any reason.
How long does therapy take?
People usually feel better within a couple of weeks of beginning therapy. In almost every case; however, it takes a sustained effort to experience long-lasting relief from the thoughts, feelings and experiences that interfere with optimal life-functioning. Clients and therapist work together to draft and revisit short and long-term goals to realize ongoing clinical improvement.
How long is each session?
The initial session is 60-90 minutes in length. Thereafter, a standard weekly session is 45 minutes. Sometimes, clients and therapists determine that double sessions or multi-sessions per week are beneficial.
How much does therapy cost?
Session fees vary according to session type. Fees are based on the average accepted fee as determined by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois for this area. Fee assistance may be available to families based upon household size and income. See Fee Assistance.
Can I use my insurance?
The Counseling Center accepts most major insurance carriers. We are an In-Network Provider for Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Humana, and LifeSync. We also have a billing relationship with United Health Care and United Behavioral Health Care, however you should expect an out-of-network reimbursement from UHC.
What if you are not In-Network with my insurance carrier?
You can still use your insurance to pay for sessions even if The Counseling Center is not an In-Network provider, however Out-of Network reimbursement is typically lower than if you use an In-Network provider.
Do you offer any fee assistance?
We make every effort to extend services to everyone in the community. In many cases, we can offer a reduced fee to individuals and families based upon household size and income. Please indicate during your initial phone interview that you would like to be considered for a fee reduction. In order to qualify, you will need to verify your income with proper documentation.
Do you prescribe medication?
We do not prescribe medication. If a therapist feels that medication is needed, a client is referred to trusted local and/or In-Network psychiatrists. Conjoint psychotherapy and medication treatments prove to be the most effective in most research studies.
How do I make an appointment?
Leave your name and number on our confidential Intake Line at 630-323-7500 ext. 239. One of our licensed psychotherapists will return your call the same day; usually within 2 to 3 hours to schedule an appointment.
During the initial phone conversation, an Intake therapist will ask you a few brief questions to determine what your needs are. The therapist will also give you an overview of the process, explain our fee structure, and answer any questions that you might have. Then, together, you will pick a convenient date and time for your first session.
How long will it take to get an appointment?
Based on client and therapist availability, the majority of clients are scheduled for their first appointment within one week; often within a few days of the first call.
Who can I call if I have questions about therapy?
People often have a variety of questions before coming to the decision to begin psychotherapy or counseling. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there is anything that we can answer for you.
Call our confidential intake line at 630-323-7500 ext. 239 or send a confidential email to intake@thecommunityhouse.org and one of our licensed psychotherapists will return your call or email during the same day; usually within 2 or 3 hours of your message. At that time, we can answer your questions about the process of psychotherapy and any individual concerns that you may have.