610 N. Ridge St
Danville, VA 24541
(434) 280-8939
1. What is counseling (or therapy)?
2. What can I expect for my first session?
3. How can counseling help me?
4. Why am I being referred for a disability evaluation?
5. Why am I being referred for a pre-surgical psychological evaluation?
6. Does my therapist prescribe medication?
7. Does Premier Psychological Services, LLC accept insurance?
8. How long does it take for therapy to work?
9. I live in North Carolina. Can you help me?
10. How do I get more information?
11. What is your Privacy Policy?
Good question! If you are new to counseling, or therapy, it can feel a bit intimidating to meet with a counselor for the first time. After all, discussing concerns with someone we do not know can make many people uncomfortable. The good news is your therapist is there to help you work through all of your difficulties and concerns and he or she is committed to making the counseling process as comfortable for you as possible.
Counseling has been referred to as "talk therapy." The therapy "hour" lasts 45 minutes. During this time, you are free to discuss any concerns, difficulties, or issues you are experiencing that you would like help with. Your counselor will listen and assist you in an objective, caring, and non-judgmental manner. Whatever concerns you have, you and your counselor will work together to help you achieve some level of resolution. Sometimes the concerns discussed in counseling can be very personal and difficult for the client to disclose. This is okay. Your counselor will help you feel comfortable to discuss whatever difficulties you may be having.
The nature of counseling differs from one individual to the next based on numerous factors, including, the presenting concern, personality, the client's level of comfort with counseling, among other things. Counseling is not a "one size fits all" process. Rather, your counselor works with you in a manner that best suits your individual needs. The ultimate goal of counseling is to help the client work through whatever difficulties he or she is having.
The first session is called an intake session. You will want to show up about 15 minutes early for the appointment in order to complete the necessary paperwork. When it is time for your appointment, your counselor will greet you in the waiting area and invite you back to his or her office, where you can discuss your concerns in private. During the intake session, the counselor seeks to get an accurate understanding of the reason(s) you are seeking counseling. Your counselor may ask a number of questions to gather information that will help him or her better understand your unique concerns. During this time, your counselor will also work diligently to establish an effective therapeutic relationship with you by making the counseling process a comfortable and non-judgement experience for you.
There are so many benefits to therapy that it would be impossible to list them all! Clients who have been in therapy often report they gained a better understand themselves, achieved insight into their lives, improved their communication skills with others, developed greater self-confidence, were better able to make difficult decisions, learned techniques to ease anxiety, developed skills to cope with stressful life events, changed negative behavior patterns to more effective ones, and better able to manage their sadness or anger. These are only a handful of examples of how counseling can help you.
Many people who have become disabled find the process of applying for disability benefits to be a lengthy and, sometimes, frustrating process. Sometimes an individual can experience some form of mental illness which makes it difficult or impossible for him or her to maintain gainful employment. If this is the case, Disability Determination Services (DDS) may request a psychological evaluation in order to get specific information to better understand how the mental illness affects a person. The nature of the evaluation will vary based on the type of difficulty the person has, but evaluations will generally consist of a clinical interview and, sometimes, testing. The psychologist conducting the evaluation is not an employee of DDS and; therefore, does not take part in deciding whether or not a person is disabled. Please contact DDS for further information and what you can do next.
Good question! Many people are surprised when they, for example, are considering the spinal cord stimulator for treatment of chronic pain and their doctor tells them they will need to have a psychological evaluation first. No worries. Your doctor doesn't think you have a mental illness, rather, insurance companies require this of all individuals having certain surgical procedures. Why is this? There are a few reasons:
First, in the case of the spinal cord stimulator trial implant and procedure, it is important for the person having this procedure to have realistic treatment expectations. If a person has overly lofty treatment expectations he or she will, inevitably, be disappointed in the actual treatment outcomes of the spinal cord stimulator. From a psychological standpoint, this could lead to, or exacerbate certain psychiatric conditions. For example, if a person is experiencing depression and is expecting the spinal cord stimulator to alleviate all of his or her pain, then the depression could possible worsen when this doesn't happen, as he or she may feel some level of hopelessness because they have been "let down" by a treatment that they were "certain" would completely remove their pain.
Second, in the case of bariatric surgery, it is important for the person to have a thorough understanding of the nature and extent of the lifestyle changes required of them after their procedure. Sometimes, though not often, people may view bariatric surgery as "an easy way to lose weight." However, this is not the case. This surgery requires individuals to make considerable lifestyle changes that they may not have expected and may find very difficult. Because bariatric procedures are generally considered irreversible, it is important for the person to fully understand how their lifestyle will change going forward after the procedure.
Third, it is important that the person possess the capacity to fully understand these surgical procedures. In this case, the person has to be able to understand the risks and benefits associated with the surgical procedure and provide full informed consent to have a procedure. There are certain conditions which could impair this ability, for example, dementia.
Finally, there are some psychiatric conditions for which certain surgical procedures would be considered a poor treatment option. Generally, these would be severe and uncontrolled mental illnesses for which the person exhibits bizarre and/or some type of extreme behavior (a psychotic disorder, for example).
Therapists do not prescribe medication. Psychologists, professional counselors, and licensed clinical social workers provide counseling, but none of the three can prescribe medications. A psychiatrist is a medical professional who received his or her specialized training in medical school and; therefore, is the one who has the professional credentials to prescribe medications. We currently do not have a psychiatrist on staff at Premier Psychological Services, but if your counselor feels that you may benefit from medication, he or she would be able to provide you with a referral to a psychiatrist or doctor who can assist with medication management.
Absolutely! Insurance companies recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health. Given this, most insurance providers cover the provision of mental health services. Premier Psychological Services participates with most major insurance providers, including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana, Molina, Palmetto, Piedmont, Sentara, and UnitedHealth. We have an amazing support staff that handles the insurance process and can answer any questions you may have.
Counseling is a very individualize process and is different for everyone. The key word is process. There is no magic pill that makes everything better instantly. Our clinicians will work with you to determine the best course of plan for you.
Yes! Our experienced clinicians are licensed in both Virginia and North Carolina.
Please call us at (434) 280-8939 and one of our friendly staff will be happy to answer your questions.
Premier Psychological Services, LLC cares about your privacy and strictly adheres to the HIPPA Act in ensuring patient confidentiality. We do not share any client data with third parties. Your personal information is kept confidential and is not disclosed to any outside organizations, except as required by law or with your explicit consent.