FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We offer appointments during the week and at various times throughout the day and evening. You and your therapist will decide on the best appointment times for you. In-Person sessions are offered at our location in Decatur, GA and virtual sessions are offered through a HIPPA complaint platform for anyone residing in the state of GA.

If you’re new to Steady Hope, we invite you to fill out our brief “contact form” as your first step. You may also contact us directly at info@steadyhope.com. We will reply to your email to schedule a free 15- minute consultation call, the second step. The consultation phone call is a free 15 minute introductory call where we discuss basic logistics such as what you are hoping to process during counseling, specific types of therapy you are seeking, scheduling, and rates. Once we confirm that all of these pieces seem to line up, we’ll schedule an Intake Session (the third step) with you. It is in this first therapy session that we’ll go deeper and explore our fit together.

The first session will be a process of getting to know you and what you are hoping to get out of counseling. You may share as much as you feel comfortable. (We recognize you are getting to know us too!) Your therapist will most likely ask you questions to help move the process along and gather relevant information. Toward the end of the second or third session, you and your therapist will make a plan to address your goals. We see this process as one of collaboration. It is normal that you may feel a little apprehensive about your first session if you have not been in therapy before. However, most clients report that they feel a great deal of relief at the end of their first session.

Our providers are licensed in the state of Georgia and able to provide distance counseling via phone or HIPPA-compliant video platform to clients that are deemed appropriate for tele-medicine options. Some of our team members are also licensed for telehealth for anyone residing in the state of FL. For more information about telehealth, refer to our service here.

Rates vary depending on your therapist; ranging from $75-$175. Fees are based on a provider’s education, experience, credentials, and licensure level. Reduced rate slots are available based on financial need. If finances are a factor for you, our counseling intern provides both in-office and telehealth counseling sessions at a significantly reduced rate . Our Counseling Interns are closely supervised by an in-house Clinical Supervisor, which means that you benefit from having multiple counselors whose time and expertise are applied to working with you. Counseling Interns are completing their Master’s degree and are up-to-date on the most relevant counseling theories and techniques. Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our Counseling Interns.

We are out-of-network providers with insurance. Upon request, we can provide you with a Superbill that contains all required information to submit for reimbursement through out of network benefits. Additionally, we have partnered with Thrizer to handle the out-of-network process automatically for you. With Thrizer, you may choose to only have to pay your co-insurance for our sessions, instead of paying my full fee and waiting for reimbursements. This can save you on average 70% upfront on our sessions. Thrizer will submit superbills on your behalf and assist with the out of network processing for you.

Research suggests that somewhere between 8 and 26 sessions offer the greatest benefit for individuals receiving therapy in general. However, because each situation is different, it is difficult to predict how many sessions may be needed to help you reach your goals.

Sessions are 50 minutes, unless a longer session is requested and determined by your therapist to be beneficial.

Clients choose how often they would like to have sessions. Some options include weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly sessions.

No. Medications can only be prescribed by an MD or a Psychiatric NP. Steady Hope does not currently have a psychiatrist on staff. However, your therapist can refer you to a psychiatrist or provider who would be able to make recommendations and prescribe medication.

Yes. Our therapists have professional expertise and experience working with a diverse range of clients. We work to honor, value, empower, and understand each client’s uniqueness.

EMDR is an abbreviation for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. While we’ll never do anything in session with you that you’re not comfortable with, this incredible therapy technique has been proven to help you find relief from your most distressing and traumatic memories. During EMDR, we’re able to revisit these memories and help your brain to process and heal naturally from them. For more information, visit emdria.org

Yes, we offer faith based counseling. At Steady Hope Counseling our counselors hold a Christian worldview and can offer faith-based counseling for those who request it. We value collaborating with our clients to determine if and how they would like to incorporate faith into sessions, if interested.

Yes, We are passionate about holding safe, non-judgmental space for people from any or no spiritual tradition. We respect each client's beliefs and work to understand our clients values and goals. We view our clients from a holistic perspective- and see spiritually or belief systems as one facet to being a whole person.

The titles refer to our specific training and licensure. LAPC’s and LMSW’s are currently practicing under supervision and direction as they work to complete their hours needed for full licensure. Each license type provides the same level of mental health care just under different licesure requirements from the state board. We all offer professional, responsible therapy governed by state laws and ethical guidelines.

Our team is available to speak during their regular office hours. If we receive contact via phone or email from you, we will respond within 1-2 business days. We are not available via phone or text outside of my regularly scheduled availability. If you need crisis support outside of my regular availability, you may contact 988 (suicide and crisis help line), 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

What we won’t do is just quote some Bible verse and send you on your way. Christian-based counseling is not pastoral guidance or biblical advice for life’s problems. All of our therapists have master’s degrees in counseling and operate with a primary focus on mental health and wellness. We’re here to help you work through deeper issues that require specific training and evidence-based interventions while recognizing how Christian beliefs and practices can impact your life and your healing.

Biblical counseling primarily relies on the Bible as the sole authority for understanding and addressing human problems. It emphasizes spiritual growth, repentance, and applying biblical principles to life situations. One who practices biblical counseling has training primarily in theology. Christian-based psychotherapy incorporates biblical principles alongside psychological theories and techniques. It uses a combination of spiritual guidance and evidence-based therapeutic interventions. This form of psychotherapy recognizes the value of both spiritual and psychological perspectives in understanding human behavior. One who practices Christian-based psychotherapy has training in both psychology and theology.

Deconstruction can be a normal experience during the life transition from childhood to adulthood. You might be someone who grew up with a faith that was part of life and now is an adult who is trying to figure out what faith or non-faith expressions of spirituality look like. We recognize that one’s faith tradition can also be a contributing factor to processing spirituality. Topics our team provides a safe space to process might include understanding the impact of purity culture or rigid rules, uncovering what your values and morals are now, and identifying how your identity will shift or what possible fall-out might occur between family or friends if you decide to move away from a faith experience with which you have historically identified. Church hurt or religious trauma refers to psychological harm caused by harmful religious experiences, such as struct doctrine, emotional manipulation, or abuse within a religious setting. You might be someone who has been disappointed by the church or experienced spiritual abuse, and, if so, our team would be happy to help you understand more about religious trauma therapy and name what you are feeling.