Payment Information

 

Rates

• Counseling Intake Session: $160-$225 (up to 1 hour)

• Assessment Intake Session: $250 (up to 1 hour)

• Crisis Counseling Intake Session: $300 (up to 1 hour)

• Individual Therapy: $140-$250 (45 minutes)

• Individual/Couples/Family Therapy: $245-$400 (90 minutes)

• Group Therapy: Price dependent on group size/length of session

• Professional/Clinical Consultation: $47-$84 per 15-minutes

• Legal Consultation: $50-$100 per 15-minutes

• Court Appearances: $2000-$3000 for 1/2 day; $4000-6000 for full day 

• Assessment - For assessment price, please contact our office at 972-825-6570

• ​Divorce/Court-Related Therapy Sessions: +$50

• Ketamine-Enhanced EMDR: $3000 for six sessions (discount applied if paid up front)

• Wellness Program Intake: $200

• Wellness Program Follow-up: $150 

Consultations over 15 minutes outside of the counseling session will be charged. This includes attending parent/teacher conferences, attending school meetings, conducting classroom observations, interacting with insurance providers, and other interactions upon your request. 

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Insurance

To maintain high-quality, responsive services and to protect client privacy, most therapists at UPC do not participate as in-network providers with insurance plans for therapy services. Many insurance plans, however, offer reimbursement for out-of-network mental health services. UPC can provide a receipt for services (often called a superbill) that includes the information needed to submit a claim to your insurance company. We encourage you to contact your insurance provider directly to determine whether your plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits.

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Select clinicians at UPC may be able to accept insurance through supervisory billing and/or incident-to billing, when appropriate and permitted by insurance guidelines. In addition, our nurse practitioner is in-network with some insurance companies. Please contact our office staff for specific information about insurance participation and billing options for individual providers.

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Payment

You are responsible for paying at the time of your session unless prior arrangements have been made. No subsequent sessions will be scheduled if there is an outstanding balance. We accept many major forms of payment, including credit cards, debit cards, cashier’s checks, money orders, and cash. WE DO NOT ACCEPT PERSONAL CHECKS. Please be aware we charge a $45.00 credit card decline fee if your credit card is declined for any reason. Payment policies will be provided to each client and/or client's guardian prior to the first appointment

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Cancellation Policy

Once an appointment is scheduled, that time is reserved only for you. If you are unable to attend a session, contact our office at least 24-hours in advance and there will be no charge. For sessions missed or cancelled with less than 24-hours notice, the regular fee will apply. For group sessions, we must receive notice 48-hours in advance.

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Good Faith Estimate as part of No Surprises Act

This Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of items and services that are reasonably expected for your mental health care needs. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill. This Good Faith Estimate is not a contract and does not obligate you to obtain any service from University Park Counseling & Testing Center, PLLC or its counselors, nor does it include any services rendered to you that are not identified here.

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Records Request

Clients have the right to request access to their clinical records. To do so, requests must be submitted in writing. Please send your written request to Dr. Jenifer Balch at jbalch@universityparkcounseling.com. Once your written request is received, it will be reviewed in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, and you will be contacted regarding next steps, any required authorization forms, and applicable fees.

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Frequently Asked Questions

 

How can counseling help me?

A number of benefits are available from participating in counseling. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that therapists can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values

• Developing skills for improving your relationships

• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy

• Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety

• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures

• Improving communications and listening skills

• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones

• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage

• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

 

Do I really need counseling? I can usually handle my problems.

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face. 

 

Why do people go to counseling and how do I know if it is right for me?

People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives. 

 

What is counseling like?

Because each person has different issues and goals for counseling, i will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly). It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives. 

 

What about medication vs. psychotherapy?

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. ​

 

Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?

Your privacy is important to us, and you can trust that our sessions, as well as any of your personal information, is always held in the strictest of confidence. Additionally, anything you transmit through our portal is highly secure, and stored data is HIPAA-compliant.

Confidential information disclosed in private therapy sessions is legally protected. However, there are some exceptions to this, which your therapist will fully discuss with you during your initial appointment. If you’d like to learn more about our ethical standards and privileged communication exceptions, our office can provide additional information.

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Do you have additional questions or concerns?

We encourage clients to discuss any questions or concerns directly with their clinician or our office staff so we can address them promptly and collaboratively. If you have unresolved concerns or wish to contact the licensing board, you may reach the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) for information or to file a complaint. Their contact information can be found at https://bhec.texas.gov/contact-us.

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