Answers to Relationship Counseling FAQs

What is therapy like at Individual & Relationship Counseling Associates?

Our relationship counselors in Reno are first and foremost, compassionate, discreet and honoring of where you are. We are experts in our work but we are also humble, and we listen. We work with adolescent and adult clients in individual, couples and family therapy formats. The primary type of therapy we do is grounded in attachment, but is not entirely standardized. In fact, it’s highly individualized. However, there are some common factors and things you can expect out of our work together:

• Respect, caring, and compassion
• Clarification of what is going on
• My understanding of what relief would look like for you
• Perspectives to illuminate persistent patterns and negative feelings
• Real strategies for enacting positive change
• Effective and proven techniques along with practical guidance

Finally, scheduling is one of the most frequently asked questions about therapy. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions of approximately one-hour each. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth.

Your confidentiality and privacy are of the utmost importance to us. My view is that you are the “keeper” of the information you share with me and in general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist. No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client.

However, there are some exceptions required by law and these include:

Suspected Child abuse or Dependent adult or Elder abuse. The therapist is required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person. The therapist is required to notify the police.
If a client intends to harm themself the therapist will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.

Scheduling with us is easy. Follow this link to our scheduling portal. You'll find easy instructions for new client and existing client appointment requests. If you're a new client requesting an appointment, we'll send you intake materials via email. When these materials are completed (takes about 15-minutes) within 48-hrs, your appointment will be confirmed. 

Please note that it is important to get these intake materials completed for us within 48-hrs so we can continue to hold your spot in our practice. Thank you in advance.

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. This is one of the most frequently asked questions about therapy.

This will depend on the issues or stressors you are seeking help with. We do not do medication management but will make sure you're referred to the right prescriber if this is necessary. Our therapists offer individual, couple and family counseling rooted in attachment science. We do EFT, CBT, Mindfulness-Based Therapy and EMDR. Your treatment needs and the therapist's specialized training will always drive the process.

Our therapists will always work with you to determine the best type of therapy to fit your specific needs.

This is a common dilemma, especially for people in couple therapy. We offer therapy at convenient days and hours including Monday-Saturday sessions from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm. Our job is to create stress relief, not more stress so we try to find ways to be flexible and accommodate multiple schedules. We also offer online therapy sessions.

Once you are an active client in our practice we advise you schedule well in advance. This way, you are more likely to get days and hours you prefer.

NO! At Individual & Relationship Counseling Associates, our team of therapists combines professional training with a deep understanding of emotional and relational dynamics. We recognize that each client is the best expert on their own life, so we emphasize a collaborative approach in therapy. This approach allows us to work together with our clients to facilitate meaningful change. Our therapists will never tell you what to do. Instead, we'll help you gain the clarity to take the best actions and make the best decisions for you.

Our therapists are equipped to help clients explore their emotions and thoughts, uncovering areas that might be less apparent to them. We focus on providing insights and perspectives, not directives. Our role is to present options and support our clients as they make choices that suit their individual needs.

The foundation of our practice at Emotional & Relationship Health Associates is a respectful partnership between therapist and client. We are committed to creating a space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to navigate their emotional and relational health.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions about therapy.  The reason is that helpful suggestions are confused by some therapists with directives, i.e. telling people what they should do.

One of the most common questions we're asked is, "how do I I know if my insurance will cover therapy?" We've created this post to help you find out. We are contracted with some and are not an “in-network” provider for others. What this means is that some insurers will pay for the majority of our session (you may have a copay) and others may pay a portion of the fee. There are benefits and drawbacks to each case and will be happy to discuss these with you.

To determine if you have mental health coverage, the first thing you should do is check with your insurance carrier. Check your coverage carefully and find the answers to the following questions:

• What are my mental health benefits?
• What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
• How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
• How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
• Is approval required from my primary care physician?

Additionally and importantly, many insurance companies limit coverage for couples and families so make sure to verify your specific insurance plan for details. We do accept HSA or FSA (health or flex savings account) payment.

Effective January 1, 2022 under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, a ruling went into effect called the “No Surprises Act” which requires practitioners to provide a “Good Faith Estimate” about out-of-network care. At Emotional & Relationship Health Associates, we work from a place of transparency regarding the cost of therapy sessions and the therapist and client collaborate together on length of treatment and overall care.

This is an issue of considerable recent discussion. Therefore, it is one of the most asked questions about therapy. In some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you. 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.

Our therapy offices are centrally located in Reno, NV, at 403 Flint St. You'll find a convenient map icon on all pages of our website.  

This is a very frequently asked question. At Individual & Relationship Counseling Associates, we often encounter situations where one partner is hesitant or unwilling to participate in couples therapy. Our message in these instances is clear and encouraging: come in anyway! It's a common misconception that both partners need to be present from the start to effect change in the relationship. In reality, when one partner engages in therapy, it can lead to positive shifts in the couple's dynamic. The insights and personal growth gained in individual sessions can ripple out, influencing the relationship in constructive ways.

We also recommend inviting your partner to attend just one session initially. This can be a non-threatening way for them to experience therapy and see if they find it beneficial. Often, the key to engaging a reluctant partner is allowing them the space to feel heard and supported in a therapeutic setting. Once they experience this firsthand, many partners become more open to the process.

At ERHA we understand that every relationship is unique, and we tailor our approach to fit the specific needs and circumstances of each couple. Even if your partner is initially resistant, we are here to support you and offer strategies to help both of you navigate this journey. Our goal is to create a safe and constructive space where both partners feel valued and understood, whether they start therapy together or one begins the journey alone.

When a client makes an appointment the requested time is reserved exclusively for them. We highly value our therapists and their time. Our therapists have a limited number of session spaces available each week. (A number of hours go into pre and post session work and this completes a weekly workload). With adequate cancellation time (48-weekday-hours) we are able to make this space available to another client. When a session space goes unfilled because of failure to cancel or attend, it affects our therapist's income. 

Thank you in advance for understanding.