Office Policies for Bill Herring, LCSW

"Good fences make good neighbors", as the poet Robert Frost wisely observed.  An effective counseling experience is nurtured and protected by a clear and mutual understanding of office policies that insure proper management of our professional relationship.  Therefore, I utilize the following rights, responsibilities and safeguards to provide clients with the best individual and relationship counseling possible.

Hours: I am available to meet with clients from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Fees: I charge $135 per 50 minute session, and $27 for every 10 minute increment beyond that time, payable by cash or check (online credit card payments are available). A limited number of reduced-fee therapy opportunities are available based on special circumstances. Although I don't provide services under any insurance or managed care plans, my services are often reimburseable under out-of-network benefits, and I want you to know the many benefits of paying privately for therapy services.

Appointment Cancellation: I charge $70 if you miss an appointment without canceling at least 24 hours ahead. Even if you cannot give me 24 hours notice, call me anyway – I may have someone wanting to see me that day and I will not charge you for the late cancellation if I can fill your time slot.

Communication Between Sessions: Telephone or e-mail communication that extends beyond 10 minutes is billed at $3 a minute. Routine messages left after 2:00 p.m. are generally returned the next business day. E-mail messages are considered part of your clinical record.

Emergencies: If you experience a crisis requiring my immediate personal attention, call my cell phone at (678) 773-3083 for quickest response. If I am unavailable a colleague will respond. Of course, in a life-threatening situation, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room

Record-Keeping:I maintain a modest clinical record that includes information that we discuss. You may see this record if you like.

Confidentiality: I will not release information that identifies you to anyone without your written permission. Exceptions include:

• I will release information necessary to warn or protect a person in imminent danger of being physically harmed.
• I will release to a court of law information required by court order.
• I will inform the Department of Family and Children Services about the possibility that a minor is being abused or neglected.
• I may consult with a colleague about your case, generally without sharing information that identifies you personally. I may also provide specific information about you to a colleague providing services to you when I am not available.

Your Dignity and Autonomy: You have the right to receive competent, ethical and respectful treament; to remain informed about all aspects of your service; to ask questions about my approach and methods; to decline any advice or suggestions I give; and to bring any questions or concerns to my attention.

I Value Your Feedback: Ongoing client feedback helps to assure the highest quality counseling experience. Although I love to hear such feedback in person, clients are welcome to complete a quick and anonymous survey to provide feedback about our work together.

Benefits and Risks of Treatment: There are no guarantees that any or all of your problems will be remedied by working with me. You may experience stress, strained relationships, or other difficulties as a result of our work together. At time, therapy requires the sharing of painful feelings and thoughts. You may experience anxiety as you face major life decisions. For couples, there is no guarantee that therapy will ensure the continuation of the relationship (although research has established that therapy improves the odds).  I encourage you to read my article "How To Gain The Most From A Counseling Session" prior to our first meeting.

There are many benefits to therapy that have been established by scientific research as well as by clinical experience. My philosophy is generally optimistic and hopeful. When your agenda is one of healing and problem solving, there is usually always something that has not been tried that will be helpful, even if you have consulted less than successfully with other therapists in the past. If your agenda is to control someone else, to collect evidence for court procedings, to seek revenge, to prove someone else is wrong, to remain a victim, or to pursue other non-healing goals, positive change is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.

Sometimes therapy can generate strong feelings toward the therapist -- angry, fearful, or even sexual feelings. It is my job to help contain these feelings in such a way that you feel safe in the therapeutic relationship. Such feelings can be a normal part of longer term psychotherapy and can actually help you shed old pains from the past as you re-experience them in a safe, current environment. While I may feel strong feelings with you, I will not act on these feelings in any way that could be destructive to your therapy experience. This means that any kind of acting out, especially sexual acting out, is not ever a possibility in your relationship with me.

Terminating Services: You can stop seeing me at any time, with no obligation to me other than to pay for services that have already been provided and to give me adequate notice of a decision to cancel an appointment as discussed above. You are free to schedule as infrequently as you like, depending on your particular situation and needs. Except in rare and/or potentially dangerous circumstances, I leave it up to you to contact me to request an appointment. I generally don't call or write to follow up with you unless you have requested this from me.

I may make a decision to terminate treatment under rare circumstances, such as if I am not able to provide therapy that fits your specialized needs, if you don't comply with the treatment goals we have established together, if you are not benefitting from our work together, if you don't pay your bill, if you become violent, abusive or litigious, or if the therapy relationship is compromised in any way due to unforeseen circumstances. If I terminate services with you I will provide an appropriate referral for you.

Thank you for reviewing these policies which will help insure that our work together is as meaningful and productive for you as possible.

Before our first meeting you may find it helpful to review these questions and thoughts for getting the most from our time together.

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Go to Bill Herring's home page for more information about enjoying the kind of life you deserve, or send a no-obligation inquiry right now.