Answers to Common Questions
It’s normal to have a lot of questions when you are starting with therapy.
On this page you’ll find answers to the most common questions we are asked. We hope this information will help!
- How much does it cost
- Do you accept insurance
- How long will therapy take
- Are sessions available in-person? Virtually?
- What about confidentiality
Have a question that you don’t see an answer to? Please contact us! We’re here to help.
Where are you located?
We have two physical office locations in Philadelphia, PA and Bala Cynwyd, PA. Sessions are also available virtually via teletherapy.
Are virtual sessions available?
Yes, we offer teletherapy and can meet with you online using a variety of secure online meeting options. We also offer two physical office locations in Philadelphia, PA and Bala Cynwyd, PA, in case you need an in-person session at times.
How much does it cost?
Fees are paid on a per session basis and are due at the time of your session.
Our fees range from $180 to $220 per session. Sliding scale fees between $150 and $180 may be possible in some cases.
Dr. Jeremy Frank’s fee is $270, with occasional sliding fee slots available. Please contact us for more information.
Do you accept insurance?
Some of the therapists at JFA are able to provide “super bills” which give you and your insurance company everything needed for reimbursement. You can also check with your insurance company to see whether they provide “out of network” reimbursement. Contact us so we can help you understand these benefits. In some cases we can offer reduced fees if your insurance company does not provide out-of-network reimbursement.
Do you offer a free consultation?
No, we don’t free consultations – although some of our therapists might if it’s stated in their bios under Meet the Therapists. We will spend ample time on the phone answering your questions without a charge so don’t hesitate to call.
During the initial call we will talk about why you think therapy might help and whether individual therapy, group, or couples therapy, or even rehab seems to make the most sense. We’d also like to know if you have ideas about therapist characteristics that might help you like age, sex, orientation, personal recovery experience or not etc. It can be helpful to meet with a few different therapists to determine who is the right fit for you. We understand this and suggest you be open about it with whomever you meet or speak with so they can help you choose the best match for you.
What is the first session like?
Your first appointment will last almost 60 minutes. We’ll talk about why you came to see a therapist, what is going on in your life, and what you think might be most helpful to you. Specifically, we might discuss the problems you are having, begin to take a history, identify patterns of relating to important people in your life, and examine your coping and communication skills. If there is some urgency to you to get help and support or make changes right away we will do our best to address these issues immediately.
We believe that clients know deep down inside what might be most helpful to them. When you can steer the direction for what we talk about in therapy, it can work best. If you need help getting started, just ask, and we will ask lots of questions.
In the first session we’ll discuss options for future sessions and determine a schedule that might work for you. We’ll discuss plans for treatment and allow time for you to ask as many questions as you would like. Subsequent sessions are usually 50 minutes long.
Confidentiality: What does that mean exactly?
Your confidentiality is protected by Pennsylvania state law and by the ethical guidelines of the practice of psychology. All information concerning patients is held confidential and can only be released through your authorization.
There are a few instances when confidentiality can be broken, which generally involve a child being abused or the possibility that you might hurt yourself or someone else. In these rare instances, we encourage patients to report this first. If you have questions about these topics, please feel free to ask. Nine times out of ten, we are able to arrange for your safety. We work with a lot of clients who think about suicide or who hurt themselves often. It is critically important that you can talk with us as your therapist about these feelings; without the fear that you will be sent to a hospital.
How long are sessions?
Each session is 50 minutes long.
Sometimes it may make sense to do a double session. Such as if you want to bring a family member or you are coming from a long distance. Occasionally, patients want to shorten sessions to 45 mins or lengthen a session to an hour. We can adjust fees accordingly to match.
How long does therapy take?
The length of treatment depends on the issues you want to address.
Many people often feel better after a few sessions. You can even resolve the issues that brought you in for therapy after 6 to 8 sessions. But please keep in mind this is not always the case. Therapy is highly individualized depending on your specific needs.
Clients often have a preconceived idea about how long therapy should take. Many therapists seem to believe that good therapy takes about a year. There is some evidence that supports this idea. It could be due to a year of therapy allowing the therapist and client to ensure that gains are maintained. This longer period of time also lets us track a client during the course of struggles and issues that arise through the natural progression of a year. Such as holidays, relationship conflicts, and issues that emerge on an annual cycle.
We have have as many people who come for 1 to 2 sessions as we have people who come for 1 to 2 years.
After our first meeting, if it seems important to you, we can assess and offer a suggested length of therapy for you. Some clients like to contract for a length of time since that seems comforting or helps to provide us with structure. As you make progress, we can discuss the option of changing the frequency of meeting times to every other week, monthly, or even every other month.
How often would I come for therapy?
That depends on how much support you need and how eager you are to do the work and how quickly you want to tackle issues.
Most patients come weekly, but we also see a lot of people twice a week or twice a month. Sometimes the reasons for coming every other week are financial. It’s a lot cheaper to come once every two weeks.
In general, it makes sense to start off weekly until we get to know each other and then after some time, it might become clear that a second session a week is necessary or that it would be fine to meet every other week.
We like to see people over a longer period of time (even if less frequently) because we find this allows us to get to know clients in a deeper and more genuine way.
What if I need to cancel a session?
Our cancellation policy is 24 hours notice in advance of your scheduled session time.
How do I get started?
Visit the Get Started page on the website. From there you can submit the new client form, or call or email our office and a member of our team will talk with you about how to take the next step.