In simple terms, therapy is a research based process that teaches you how your mind, emotions and behavior work in everyday life. It helps you navigate your feelings, build better behaviors, and relate to your thoughts differently so that you can relate to yourself, others and your circumstances in healthier, more effective ways.

The cost of therapy can vary from clinician to clinician based on skill sets, expertise, location, and other factors. The No Surprises Act is a new law meant to protect consumers and ensure that you do not have any surprise medical bills. Here is a breakdown of what you can expect to see for therapeutic services from Ashley McGirt Psychological Evaluation: $375 per hour Individual Therapy: $200 for 50 minutes Group Therapy: Often ranges from $30-50 per person depending upon the group

Yes! What you share with a therapist is legally required to be kept confidential with a few legal exceptions: ~ Immediate threat of harm to self or other, ~ Suspicion of child or dependent elder abuse ~ In the case of a court subpoena. We’ll discuss all of this and other office policies during your initial intake session.

This first session is a 60 - 90 minute meeting and is a comprehensive interview with the client and anyone that will be involved in treatment. While it is a long process it helps me to understand your concerns, symptoms, goals and life history that impacts current functioning.

What brought you to therapy? What do you feel needs focused on in your daily life? What are your symptoms? Some questions about your history, including your childhood, education, relationships (family, relationships, work, friends), your current living situation, and daily activities and commitments. We will come to an agreement about the considered length of your treatment, therapy methods, and focus of treatment in the long and short term. You will have the opportunity to decline future treatment (at any time) but always remember you are under no obligation to continue treatment.

My cancelation policy is 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment cancellations are allowed and can be managed in the online client portal. This is to allow time to fill spots with other individuals who may be waiting. I do charge a $100 fee for any missed sessions not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance. This fee is automatically charged the day of the missed session.

Typical / non - evaluative sessions are all either 50 minutes or 40 minutes which includes a few minutes to review initial session update questions, check the upcoming schedule and to collect payments if necessary. Therapy is an individual experience so each person’s therapy treatment is different. Some individuals find just a few sessions helpful while others attend more frequently and / or for longer. We will determine the best options for you and your schedule and financial realities. The idea is for you to make progress and not need therapy as regularly as you once did. You are always welcome to come back in the future if circumstances arise that would make it a beneficial support.

I do not work with people under the age of 18. I do not write letters for Emotional Support Animals (ESA). I do not conduct child custody evaluations nor do I provide custody recommendations. I do not provide treatment for eating disorders, drug & alcohol or addiction issues. These are specialized focuses that I do not have specific training and licensure for. I do not have a prescriber that I work with specifically but will gladly coordinate care with your PCP or psychiatrist. Due to state licensing laws, I can only provide therapy and counseling to individuals residing in Washington State ( I am working on a California license currently).

A.M.C.S. does not currently accept insurance, or bill your health insurance company for services on your behalf for many reasons. Many clients ask about using health insurance to pay for their therapy, and wonder why we are not on some insurance panels. Here is why.... (We are contracted with some EAP -Employee Assistance Programs and offer a limited number of sliding scale options) Health insurance companies need your therapist to have a legitimate diagnosis in order to provide you with treatment they will reimburse. However, not everyone that comes into our office has a mental illness, but rather are struggling with life stressors and need to get back on track. Some common reasons for coming to therapy, like couples counseling and grief counseling, are typically not covered by insurance. Your therapist is required to give you a diagnosis, which your health insurance will then keep on file permanently.The diagnosis given to you stays on your permanent health record, and can affect your future. For example, if you would want a job that requires a security clearance, if you would like to adopt a child, or if you would like to purchase a gun here in the great state of Washington and other states, mental health diagnoses are taken into account. Insurance companies will usually authorize a specific amount of sessions that they will provide payment for. In our experience, there is no "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to therapy. People have varying levels of severity with their symptoms, and obstacles that are unique to their life alone. Having an insurance company say we need to get all of your issues resolved in x amount of sessions puts unnecessary pressure on the both of us! We also don't want to leave you without our work completed because the insurance company thinks you don't need anymore treatment. Some insurance companies reimburse counselors and psychologists at a very low rate, typically lower than the set fee from the clinician. It makes it hard to do good work with clients when your therapist worrying about how he or she is going to pay their bills and sustain a practice. Insurance companies can also take a while to reimburse their providers. Imagine if you did not know when your employer was going to pay you, or even worse, told you after a while they decided they aren't going to pay you. Again, you deserve a therapist that can give you their full attention to focus on your needs. Your treatment remains confidential when you do not use insurance. Since we are not billing insurance companies, the information about your treatment remains confidential between you and your therapist, unless you wish to release that information to another party. Insurance companies want a lot of information about you, and would require your therapist to update them on your progress frequently, because it is their money after all. Your therapist would have to speak to a complete stranger on the phone, who may or may not be trained in mental health treatment, who is putting information in their company database about you, and who determines whether or not the therapy is helping you. We hope this helps you understand why we are not a member of any insurance panels. If you are still interested in using your health insurance, many plans (usually PPO) have out-of-network benefits, and your therapist will be happy to give you the form to submit for reimbursement. Keep in mind that your therapist will still have to give you a mental disorder diagnosis, which will still be part of your permanent health record. You will pay your therapist directly and will then be reimbursed by your insurance carrier according to the terms of your plan. Please talk to your therapist with any questions or concerns you have about any of this. A.M.C.S. is happy to spend as much time as we need to find a solution that works for all parties.