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FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

​WE'RE HERE TO HELP


About Our Therapists
About Therapy
Our Consult and Matching Process
Availability and Scheduling
Attendance and Cancellation Policy
Individual Therapy at Wellspring
Measurement-Based Care
Using Insurance at Wellspring
Your Data and Privacy

 

 

Grow your Practice with Wellspring. 

Wellspring services are HIPAA Compliant.

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We can help you with finding new Patients through our Patient Referral Platform or marketing on the Therapist Directory Page. 

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Preferential free trial access to our Teletherapy / Practice Management Systems.

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We can help you launch and grow your Practice with professional help from our partners.

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These services are mostly at Group rates or are offered FREE.

 

What is therapy?

Therapy is a collaborative process based on a trusting relationship between you and your therapist. This strong therapeutic alliance allows you to talk freely and openly in a supportive, unbiased, and non-judgmental environment. Together, over a series of appointments, you and your therapist will challenge current patterns that keep you feeling stuck as well as identify and work towards fulfilling goals.

Is therapy right for me?

Yes! Therapy is right for everyone. Therapy can help you improve your relationships with your family and friends, help you overcome fears and insecurities, cope with stress, and communicate effectively. You may choose to engage in therapy on a more short-term basis during a time of need or for a longer period of time for support and maintenance. Therapy is about making yourself a priority.

How do I find the right therapist?

Too often searching for a therapist is a daunting task. Especially when you’re feeling hopeless and vulnerable, finding the right therapist can seem impossible. Where do I even start? How quickly will I be seen? What type of therapy is right for me? At Two Chairs, our licensed clinicians work with you to understand your needs, goals, and preferences. Through a rigorous, data-driven approach backed by research and clinical expertise, we match you with the right therapist and type of therapy for your needs.

Why is it so important to find the right therapist?

Research shows that the therapeutic alliance between you and your therapist is the best predictor of successful treatment outcome. Psychologists define the therapeutic alliance as the strength of the therapist and client relationship and how aligned you are on goals. Once you have developed a strong therapeutic alliance with your therapist, studies show that individuals are more productive at work, have more fulfilled relationships, can cope more effectively with daily stressors, and engage in less risky behaviors.

Who can attend therapy at Two Chairs?

Currently, Two Chairs offers psychotherapy services to those over the age of 18. While we don’t currently offer psychiatric or adolescent services, our therapists can help work with outside providers for your care.

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What should I expect from my consult appointment?

The 45-minute consult appointment is a conversation with one of our licensed therapists who we refer to as the consult clinician.

During the consult, your consult clinician will work with you to identify your needs and preferences for therapy, and your scheduling availability. This appointment augments the information gathered from your Two Chairs profile and provides an opportunity for you to discuss personal questions or concerns you may have about therapy or receiving care at Two Chairs. Based on your conversation, your consult clinician will recommend a therapist who's a good fit based on your needs, goals, and preferences.

You can sign up for your consult appointment here.

What should I do before my consult appointment?

Once you schedule an appointment, you will receive a link to complete your Two Chairs profile and questionnaire. Please answer all questions before your consult, as it helps us get to know you so that we can do our best to match you with the right care. The profile should take about 15-20 minutes to complete and needs to be finished at least 3 hours prior to your consult. If you would like to enroll in the Two Chairs Insurance Support program (for more information on this complimentary program, please click here [LINK]), we encourage you to enter your health insurance information into the profile. If you have any questions at all before your consult, please don’t hesitate to contact the Care Coordination Team at 415-202-5159 or by email at support@twochairs.com.

When will I receive my match?

We take care to emphasize the fit between you and your clinician and to honor your preferences, to ensure you get the most out of therapy. This means that it may take a few days to match you with a clinician who is a great fit. We are typically able to connect clients to ongoing care within 1-2 weeks. However, if you have strict scheduling constraints, it may take longer to find a great match that meets your scheduling needs. You'll hear from your consult clinician as soon as we've identified a great match for you - feel free to reach out with questions in the meantime.

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Is Two Chairs accepting new patients?

Yes! At Two Chairs, we believe in providing you with quality care, quickly. To set up a consult appointment, you can call us at 415.202.5159 or you can schedule your appointment online here.

Do you offer evening or weekend appointments?

We know you are busy, that’s why we offer extended office hours in the evenings and on Saturdays. We have appointments from 8am - 6pm Monday through Friday. Currently, consult appointments are only offered Monday through Friday. If you don’t see a time that works for you, call us to see if there is additional availability.

I just had my consult appointment, how do I schedule my first therapy appointment?

You'll hear from your consult clinician as soon as we've identified a great match for you. When your consult clinician reaches out, they'll share a link to book your first therapy appointment. You'll need to use that link within a week, as we can only guarantee a clinician's availability for you for 7 days.

How do I schedule ongoing appointments?

Once you meet with your therapist, together you can pick a time that works best for you. Your therapist can schedule regular appointments several weeks in advance to ensure that you have that time together.

How do I cancel or reschedule appointments?

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, you can do so by emailing your therapist. If they are out of the office or if you are unable to reach them, please reach out to the care coordination team at support@twochairs.com or by calling us at 415.202.5159.

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What is your cancellation policy?

You can cancel your appointment up to 48 hours before your scheduled therapy without a fee. If you cancel less than 48 hours before your appointment, you will be charged for the full cost of your appointment. To ensure the continuity needed for high-quality care, you are allowed 4 missed appointments (cancellation or no shows), every 6 months (Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec). Our detailed cancellation policy can be found here.

I have an unpredictable schedule due to work - how should I schedule ongoing therapy appointments with my clinician?

At the start of care, your clinician will discuss your schedule constraints with you and work to find a time slot that works best. If your schedule changes during your course of care, you and your clinician will work together on a new schedule. The more regularly and frequently you attend, the closer you get to accomplishing your treatment goals. If you travel frequently for work, teletherapy (virtual sessions) may be an option once you have an established relationship with your clinician. That is up to your clinician's discretion and depends on the location of your travel so please discuss directly with your clinician.

I had a personal emergency or got sick within 48 hours of my appointment - will I be charged?

We recognize physical illness and emergencies can’t be predicted. If you are not well enough to meet in-person, we strongly encourage you to arrange a teletherapy session with your clinician. As with above, 48-hour notice is greatly appreciated, though rare exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for illness or emergencies. Please discuss with your clinician directly at your next therapy appointment.

I told my clinician that I had to cancel before the 48 hour window but was charged - what do I do?

Please reach out to support@twochairs.com and cc your clinician’s e-mail and we would be happy to refund the appointment via the payment method that was charged.

I rescheduled my appointment within the 48 hour window to another slot during the same week - will I still be charged?

If you can’t make your original timeslot, we would be happy to explore rescheduling based on your clinician’s availability. If your clinician is able to reschedule your appointment to a different slot prior to the cancellation window, you will not be charged for your appointment and it will not be counted as a missed appointment.

How do I keep track of how many missed appointments I’ve had?

Your clinician will let you know when you are getting close to your allowed number of missed appointments for the 6 month period (Jan-June, July-Dec) and will be able to tell you how many you have at your request.

What will happen if I have more than the allowed number of missed appointments (cancellations and/or no shows)?

After 4 missed appointments in a 6 month period (Jan-June, July-Dec) your clinician will have a conversation with you to discuss your care and find a time slot that might work better for you.

I will be missing more than 4 appointments during the time period due to an extended travel. Will I still be able to keep my time slot?

Your clinician will do what they can to keep your time slot on their panel, but due to other client’s needs we cannot guarantee that your slot is kept if you are unable to meet physically or virtually during that time period. The farther in advance you are able to give notice, the more likely we will be able to schedule around your travel. As soon as you know of your trip, please tell your clinician so you can plan together accordingly.

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What should I expect from my first individual therapy session at Two Chairs?

During your therapy appointment, you will meet with the therapist with whom you matched. They will also use the first session to understand your goals for therapy and to start building a collaborative therapeutic relationship. This will also be an opportunity to further discuss what frequency of visits is best for you and what to expect from future visits.

What should I expect from ongoing individual therapy?

During the first few sessions, you and your therapist will work together to determine your goals for therapy, which will serve as a road map for your work together. Throughout your care experience at Two Chairs, our care coordination team will check in with you to monitor your progress, assess what’s working and what can be improved.

How frequently will I have appointments?

Typically, our clinicians recommend coming in for appointments on a weekly basis until you have accomplished your initial goals for therapy. However, this varies from person to person, and you and your therapist will work together to determine the cadence that is optimal for your care.

Does Two Chairs offer couples counseling services?

While we don’t offer couples counseling at this time, our therapists can offer individual therapy to you and your partner to discuss any relationship and communication issues. If you and your partner are interested in therapy at Two Chairs, you may book individual consult appointments and be matched with therapists that match your personal needs and preferences.

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What is measurement-based care (MBC)?

Measurement-based care (MBC) is the systematic use of self-reported data to track clients’ progress, to aid clinical decision making, and to better inform and tailor care. MBC has been clinically-proven to improve overall outcomes of therapy by providing consistent, objective insight into your care journey. Experts in the mental health field have advocated for use of MBC to inform treatment for several decades. Yet, today, only a fraction of mental health providers incorporate it into their care. Two Chairs hopes to not only maintain best practices in the field of mental health, but also provide an excellent, tailored experience for our clients.

Why is MBC important?

MBC has been clinically-proven to improve overall outcomes of therapy by providing consistent, objective insight into a client’s care journey. MBC provides insight into treatment progress, empowers transparent conversations between you and your therapist, and provides increased awareness and understanding of what you may be experiencing and why. Here at Two Chairs we believe strongly in evidence-based practice, and MBC is a core component that helps us ensure we are delivering the highest quality care possible.

How does this affect my care at Two Chairs?

All clients receive two brief surveys, one before and one after each session, directly in their email inbox. The pre-session wellness survey monitors general well-being. The post-session alliance survey tracks your therapeutic relationship with your clinician and your experience in-session. Your clinician will automatically see your results, so you can review and discuss them in-session to help inform your care. These digital surveys will in some cases replace existing in-session paper surveys, and in other cases supplement existing surveys and other measurement tools. By combining in-person clinical expertise with your client feedback, MBC enables us to better tailor care to you at every step of the way.

Do I have to take part?

At Two Chairs, we believe strongly in care tailored to you. A core pillar of this mission is enabled through measurement-based care. Our MBC approach helps us monitor your progress and tailor care to match your unique needs, goals, and preferences. While MBC has been clinically-proven to improve outcomes of therapy, we realize there are certain situations where an exception should be made. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to discuss with your clinician at your next session or email us at mbc@twochairs.com.

How is my data being used?

We take the security and privacy of your personal information very seriously. What you share with your clinician through the pre- and post-session surveys will remain confidential and compliant with all applicable privacy regulations. We follow industry best practices to ensure that your personal health information is kept secure. For questions about the privacy or security of your data, please contact MBC@twochairs.com.

Am I able to access my data?

Currently, there is no direct way for you to view your data outside of session. Your clinician will have access and can review your results and progress with you during each session.

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Will my insurance company cover my care with Two Chairs?

Two Chairs is an out-of-network provider, meaning that we are not contracted to work with any insurance companies. However, if you have a PPO plan, you may be eligible for reimbursement for a portion of the costs of care once you meet your out-of-network deductible. While we cannot guarantee reimbursement, enrolling in Two Chairs Insurance Support ensures you are not alone in dealing with insurance companies. A member of our dedicated Care Coordination team can help you understand your benefits and we’ll do everything we can to support you through the process. Contact the Care Coordination Team at support@twochairs.com for more information about your specific plan.

How do I submit claims to my insurance company?

When you sign up for your initial consult, you can choose to enroll in Two Chairs Insurance Support. By providing us your most up-to-date insurance information in your Two Chairs profile, we’ll have everything we need to get started and in most cases, we’ll be able to submit your out-of-network claims on your behalf!

What are PPO and HMO health plans?

A Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) is a plan with few restrictions to see out-of-network providers. PPO plans typically cover a portion of out-of-network costs. This means that if you have a PPO plan, once you meet your out-of-network deductible, you may receive reimbursement for a portion of your costs of care with Two Chairs.

In contrast, an HMO, or a Health Maintenance Organization, is a plan where your primary care provider coordinates your care to in-network providers. HMO plans often do not have any coverage for out-of-network care. This means that if you have an HMO plan, you will not receive any reimbursements for care at Two Chairs. This is the same for EPOs, or Exclusive Provider Organizations. We encourage you to call the phone number on the back of your insurance card to confirm your out-of-network coverage if you are unsure.

How much money will I get back?

This depends on your specific insurance plan, out-of-network deductible, and the type of medical service you received. Reimbursement rates vary widely by zip code, insurance company, and plan type. Please reach out to support@twochairs.com if you would like help in understanding your out-of-network benefits.

What is the allowed amount?

The allowed amount is the maximum amount an insurance plan will cover for a certain health care service. It may also be referred to as the “eligible expense,” “payment allowance,” or “negotiated rate.” This amount is used in most calculations made by insurance companies. This number is often tricky to obtain, and to do so, you’ll need to call the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card, or wait for your first Explanation of Benefits to come back after your first claim is submitted.

What is a deductible?

A deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket for care until your insurance benefits kick in. As an out-of-network provider, the allowed amount for services at Two Chairs will count toward your out-of-network deductible until you’ve fully met that deductible.

For example, if you have a $1000 out-of-network deductible and an allowed amount for an ongoing therapy appointment of $130, it will take ($1000/$130) about 8 sessions to reach your deductible.

What is coinsurance?

Coinsurance is the percentage of costs that you pay for a health care service after you've met your deductible. The coinsurance percentage is applied to the allowed amount, and you are also responsible for any remaining difference between the allowed amount and the actual cost of an appointment. Most coinsurance rates vary between 10% and 50%.

For example, for a $190 Two Chairs appointment, if you have an allowed amount of $130 and a coinsurance of 40%, you are responsible for paying (40% of $130) + ($190-$130) = $112 per appointment after you've met your out-of-network deductible.

How long will it take to get reimbursed?

This depends on your insurance company and the complexity of your claim. On average, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months for claims to be processed. Once the claim has been submitted, the best contact for a status update is your insurance company’s Member Services, or your online insurance portal.

How do I receive reimbursement from my insurance company?

Your insurance company will issue you a check and send it to the mailing address they have on file for you.

What happens if Two Chairs receives my reimbursements?

Since we will have already accepted payment for our services, we will attempt to have the check re-routed correctly to you. Given that this typically happens as a mistake of the insurance provider, the correction process can take up to several months to resolve.

What are flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts?

Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA) are programs that allow you to set aside money (before taxes) for specific health care expenses. These accounts are intended to help you pay for out-of-pocket costs. If you’re unsure whether or not you have an FSA or HSA, please check with your employer or insurance company.

Can I use my HSA or FSA to pay for Two Chairs appointments?

Yes, you can! Two Chairs accepts FSA/HSA dollars as long as your FSA/HSA card is affiliated with a major credit card. If you would like to use your FSA/HSA card to pay for your care, please enter the payment information when you schedule your initial consult appointment or call us at 415.202.5159 and we can help get you set up. We can also provide you with any necessary paperwork to get reimbursed if your FSA/HSA account doesn’t have an associated debit card. A note that submitting receipts tends to be easier if you are also submitting your claims to your insurance company, and can ensure that you are making the most of your FSA/HSA benefits.

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What do I do if I have questions about data and privacy?

We take the security and confidentiality of your personal information seriously. What you share with your therapist will remain confidential following the rules of the HIPAA. We follow industry best practices to ensure that your personal health information is kept secure. For questions about your data or privacy, please contact support@twochairs.com.

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Open Path Clients
Q: So you’ve received your first Open Path referral. What’s next?
1. Reach out to the client within 2 business days. If it is not a good fit, or you’re not accepting new clients, refer them back to Open Path for assistance in finding a different therapist. If you’re not accepting new clients please update your availability on your account dashboard.
2. Schedule your first session, and negotiate the Open Path session rate ($30-$60 for individuals, $30-$80 for couples/family). Then, proceed as you would with any other self pay client. Your intake forms, consent forms, payment systems and preferred communication method are all the same as what you normally use. Your account dashboard is used only for updating your profile/availability/and finding important information and benefits for Open Path therapists.
Q: Can I see more than two clients at a time?
Yes. As long as your profile page indicates that you are accepting new Open Path clients, we will do our best to send them in your direction.

Q: How many clients do I have to see to be an Open Path therapist?
Just one. Your profile page has a field for you to indicate and update your availability to show if you have space for a new client or not.

Q: Can my current low(er) fee paying clients become Open Path clients?
Yes. Your client(s) would need to fill out our application and pay our one-time $59 membership fee.

Q: How will Open Path bring new clients to my door?
In addition to strengthening your digital presence and fielding queries from potential clients who discover Open Path in their own web search or via word of mouth, we support therapists who wish to conduct outreach to gain additional referrals. If there are organizations in your community you’d like to contact, please let us know by emailing info@openpathcollective.org and we can provide you with the needed materials and information.

Thanks to a generous grant from Google, we direct marketing resources toward targeted ads designed to increase the number of referrals throughout the country.

Q: I don’t have any room in my current caseload, can I still join?
Yes, with a caveat. After signing up for Open Path, you may indicate on your profile page that you are not currently accepting Open Path clients. We do ask that within six months time, you change this status on your page to make room for at least one Open Path client in your caseload.

Q: If a non-Open Path client requests reduced fee appointments with me, and I have no room in my schedule, may I refer them to Open Path?
Of course. We hope that Open Path will help alleviate the burden of saying no to certain clients. While we can’t promise there will be a therapist available to work with them, we welcome the referral and will do our best to help them find an affordable clinician.

Q: Can clients who have Medicaid use Open Path?
If there are no available Medicaid providers in the client’s area, a client could use Open Path to meet their need for affordable mental health care. It’s important to note that Open Path rates are much higher than Medicaid rates for psychotherapy. If there are available Medicaid providers in the client’s area, we ask that they not use Open Path.

Q: If I am already seeing a few Open Path clients and I don’t have room for more, will I get swamped with phone calls from people hoping to work with me?
No. You will be able to indicate whether or not you are accepting Open Path clients on your profile page. This page is always in your control.

Eligibility & Application
Q: Why should I join Open Path? Why not just offer low-fee sessions on my own?
It’s true: most of us already offer lower fees to certain clients. However, when we offer lower fees to clients we are acting as lone altruistic individuals. By becoming an Open Path Member Clinician you put your altruism to work, becoming part of a nationwide movement of clinicians dedicated to ending economic disparity in the mental health field. Also, it’s our intent to make Open Path a place of support for clinicians offering low-fee therapy: in addition to your profile page bringing increased traffic to your website, we offer discounts on CEUs, and other benefits listed here.

Q: How do I apply to be an Open Path Member therapist?
Start the application process here. An Open Path staff member will review your application and look up your license by the close of the following business day. If we can’t find your license information or you a postgraduate intern, pre-licensed professional, or an associate, we will follow up with you via email.

Q: What qualifications do I need to apply?
You must be a licensed or provisionally licensed (Pre-Licensed/License Eligible) mental health clinician with a graduate degree in psychotherapy, counseling, or a related field from an accredited institution. We also welcome unlicensed professionals practicing in jurisdictions where it is legal to practice counseling and psychotherapy without a license. You must also pass our peer-reviewed online application process.

Q: Can therapists in Canada join Open Path?
Yes, we welcome therapists in Canada to join Open Path. In order to participate, you will need to be a Registered Social Worker, Registered Psychologist, or Registered Psychotherapist and meet the following criteria:

You must provide documentation of your postgraduate degree in psychotherapy, counseling, or a related field from an accredited institution.

You will need to provide documentation showing that you are registered with your provincial college.*

* If you are a psychotherapist and applying from one of the 4 regulated provinces (Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) you must be able to show that you are a Registered Psychotherapist with your provincial college.

If you are applying from one of the other 9, unregulated provinces, you must provide proof of your postgraduate degree in a psychology-related field and registration with any provincial associations.

We look forward to reviewing your application.

Q: Can my group practice or clinic have an Open Path profile?
Yes, it is possible to have a profile on our site for a clinic or group practice. However, we recommend having therapists from the clinic use individual profiles on our site for two reasons:

1. It provides a greater SEO push for your clinic.

2. We’ve learned that people are far more likely to click on a face, than a company logo. The individual clinician can link to your main website from their profile.

If you would like to go with having the clinic posted only, we would need an application from the point person (who would receive all of the emails coming from Open Path staff and prospective clients).

After you submit the application, please email the names of the therapists in your practice that plan to see Open Path clients to therapists@openpathcollective.org. We will verify their license.

If there are interns at the clinic, we can accept them into Open Path as long as they already hold their postgraduate degree in counseling, psychology, or related field. Postgraduate interns can submit their supervisors’ name if they do not hold their own license.

If you would like to create profiles for each therapist, which we recommend, each therapist would need to fill out the application in order to create their profile.

The application can be found here.

Q: What happens after I apply?
After being approved to be an Open Path Member Clinician, we will send you a username and password to set up your profile page. Once we send a client your way, he/she will get in touch with you to schedule the first therapy session.

Q: What do you do with my professional information on my application?
We simply use it for our own records: Open Path will never share or sell your information. Our only goal is to connect you with people who can’t afford therapy while supporting your practice in the process.

Q: How much do I have to pay to have a profile page on your site?
Absolutely nothing! Part of our mission is to support you in your therapy or counseling practice. As Open Path grows and our visibility increases, your visibility will increase too. It’s our belief that your involvement with Open Path will have a positive impact for your full-fee practice as well, driving new web traffic to your practice’s homepage. Also, we’re committed to supporting your practice in other ways: Click here to learn more about the benefits of being an Open Path Member Clinician.

Rates & Fees
Q: What am I allowed to charge Open Path clients for couples counseling and/or family therapy?
Open Path member therapists are allowed to charge up to $80 for couples counseling and/or family therapy sessions. If you plan to charge greater than $60 for this kind of session, we recommend that you share that information on your Open Path profile so that clients know what to expect.

Q: Can I offer the reduced rate for a limited number of sessions, and then raise the rate above $60 after the limit is met?
We do not allow member therapists to raise the rate after a certain number of sessions to an amount over $60. We ask that you see Open Path clients within the range of $30-60 per session ($30-80 for couples and family counseling).

Q: If a client’s financial situation positively changes, is it acceptable to renegotiate their fee outside of Open Path’s $30-60 range?
Yes, if a client’s financial situation significantly improves, it is acceptable to renegotiate their fee. For example, if the client is paying $30 a session and a therapist’s rate is $125 and the client suddenly gets a high paying job, we believe it’s financially and therapeutically appropriate and important to change the fee. The therapist would be encouraged to respectfully renegotiate the rate with the client at that time. If the client has any questions about their membership with Open Path at that point, the therapist can direct them to Open Path at info@openpathcollective.org.

Q: Why do you charge low(er) fee paying clients a membership fee?
Open Path is a nonprofit organization: we use the funds we receive from the membership fee to market Open Path, maintain our website, pursue grants and other avenues of funding, and recruit new therapists and counselors nationwide. We’re in the process of building a financial aid fund for potential clients who cannot afford the $59 fee. If you know of anyone who would like to donate to Open Path’s financial aid fund, help us direct them here.

Modalities Offered
Q: Instead of individual therapy, may I see an Open Path client in a group setting, or propose this to my prospective Open Path client as an option?
This is between you and your client. However, we expect that all Open Path clients have access to one-on-one sessions with their therapist if they prefer it.

Q: What are Open Path’s guidelines on online therapy?
Open Path allows its member therapists to offer online therapy. We strongly encourage all therapists offering online therapy to research the guidelines or policies of their state’s licensing board as well as of their medical liability insurance policy. Some therapists may only be able to offer remote counseling to clients located in the same state as where they are licensed. We also highly recommend that therapists conduct an initial assessment with new clients requesting online therapy to determine the appropriateness of this approach before regular sessions are undertaken.

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