How to get started
1) Safety first
Keep in mind that I may not get back to you for several days, and I may not have room in the schedule to start seeing you right away. If you are experiencing a crisis, understand that suicide is often a risk and access to lethal means can lead to what is often an immediately regretted suicide attempt. Call 988 to talk to someone and call 911 for emergencies. Reach out to friends and family for support and let them know you are struggling.2) Read over the paperwork
You'll need to either fill it out beforehand or at the first session. Here is a link to the paperwork. (If you need a version that can be signed electronically, let me know and I can provide that.) Feel free to ask questions if you have any. It is important that you read and understand the information in it.3) For individuals, consider the income-based reduced rate
The full rate is $85 per 50-minute session, but I do offer a reduced rate for individuals, based on income. If you make 65k/year or less as a household of one, then you qualify for the reduced rate of $65/session. Add 10k/year per extra household member (e.g., a household of 2 can make $75k/year or less to qualify for $65 sessions, a household of 3 can make $85k/year, and so on.) If you have a unique situation where you don't qualify for the sliding scale but can't afford the full rate, please explain and let's see what I can do. I do my best to make therapy fit in people's budgets so that they can comfortably commit to it. If the cost is not doable for you, then consider looking into other options such as an intern therapists at Counseling Solutions of the Ozarks, the low rates at Center City Counseling Clinic by MSU, or the sliding scale at Ozarks Counseling Center.4) Message me
Email me at me@icthecounselor.com or text or call at 417-501-4499. Let me know whether you are interested in individual or couples therapy, and then I'll let you know if there are any openings. You are welcome to include an introduction about yourself, ask questions, and let me know what times you are available, if you'd like. It may take a few days, but I try to get back with everyone, even if I don't have an opening. I will try to update the website with a banner indicating that there are no current openings, whenever that is the case. In such a case, I could offer you a spot on the waiting list, if you wish.The First Session
Paperwork and payment
At the session, I'll have you fill out the paperwork (or you can bring a copy with you, ready to go), and I'll explain it and answer any questions you may have. You can find the paperwork here. (If you need a version that can be signed electronically, let me know and I can provide that.) At the session, I'll also get a form of payment on file for you and take your payment for the first session (unless we do that ahead of time via an invoice). Cash, check, credit, debit, Cash App, Apple Pay, and HSA's are accepted. At this time, I don't accept any insurance, but I can provide a superbill that may result in some reimbursement for you from your insurance company.Dealing with anxiety about getting started
The first session can be intimidating, so you can always let me know if you'd like me to help make it more comfortable. For example, if it's alright with you, I could lead the discussion more by asking you questions and doing more of the talking, or we could agree to not go too deep into things that hurt too much or feel too personal to share: it'll get easier after the first session and we can always get to those things later.Notes about the office location
Unfortunately, my office is not wheelchair accessible, nor are the restrooms gender-neutral or fully accessible. The building I'm located in is a historic landmark and as such it isn't required to be altered to be handicap accessible. I love its charm and history, but this is an unfortunate fact. Please let me know if this is a problem because with enough notice I can arrange for a different meeting location that is accessible.Trying it out and deciding what's next
In that first session, you'll get a chance to ask questions and see what I'm like. We'll build an initial understanding of what is going on with you (individually, or as a couple, in the case of couples therapy), the initial goals, and how we will be working on it in therapy. If we feel good about continuing together, we can make a schedule for future sessions. I'm open to scheduling weekly, biweekly, or monthly sessions, depending on your needs, availability, and finances. If you want to take a day to think on it or if you schedule with me and then change your mind, just let me know; there's no pressure to continue.