Frequently Asked Questions

What is online counseling?

I offer online counseling using HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing for convenience and accessibility. I believe that everyone should be able to access the help and support they need. In-person counseling can be difficult to fit into a busy schedule! You might work long, varying hours that make it impossible to schedule appointments during regular office hours. You might be a new parent struggling to feed your baby and sleep, making in-person appointments seem like an impossible hurdle. Perhaps your or your partner’s career requires you to move frequently, making it difficult to find and continue seeing an in-person counselor. Maybe you are an at-home parent with a spouse in a demanding career and can’t access childcare to come to in-person sessions, but you could do online counseling when the kids are asleep. You might be homebound due to injury, illness, or another health concern and unable to go to in-person sessions. Whatever your reason for seeking online counseling, I can work with you! Research shows that online counseling is just as effective as traditional, in-office counseling.

How do I pay?

I currently accept Aetna, Cigna, Priority, Optum (United, Oscar, Oxford), and private pay. I am in the process of credentialing with Blue Cross Blue Shield. All payments and copays are automatically collected at the time of service using your card on file. I accept debit cards, credit cards, and HSA cards.

How long are sessions?

All sessions are 45-50 minutes.

How many sessions will I need? How frequent will sessions be?

It depends! For some situations, we can see results in just a few sessions. Other situations may take longer, or you may need the support of an ongoing counseling relationship. Some clients have sessions every week, every two weeks, or every month—it depends on your needs and goals. Even if therapy has ended or we have not had an appointment in a while, my door is open! You can always contact me to schedule an appointment.

Will our sessions be confidential?

Usually, yes! I will keep confidential anything you tell me, with the following exceptions:

• You direct me in writing to disclose information to someone else.

• You express or imply danger to yourself or others.

• You provide information that leads me to believe or suspect that a child, elderly person, or disabled adult is being or may have been abused or neglected.

• I am ordered by a court to disclose information.

In order to provide the best treatment, I sometimes consult with other counseling professionals. Consultation is limited to therapeutically relevant issues and is anonymous in nature. I will not share identifiable information about you.

What is purpose of the 15-minute initial consultation?

This gives us an opportunity to discuss your needs and goals for counseling so that we can determine if we are the right fit for each other. If not, I could help you with a referral to another therapist. This is not a 15-minute counseling session.

What is the first session like?

We’ll start talking about what brought you to therapy so that I can get to know you and your story. From there, we’ll talk about your struggles, goals, and strengths. This will help us to plan the best course of treatment for you, together. At the end of the first session, you will complete a biopsychosocial assessment to see what biological, psychological, and social/cultural factors may be affecting you, which we will go over in the second session. Throughout the therapy process, we’ll build rapport and trust. The more honest you are about your present and changing symptoms, struggles, successes, and other life events, the better I can help you and the quicker you’ll see results!

How do I get started?

Please email me at sarah@SarahNodaCounseling.com! If you are a resident of Michigan, we can schedule the free 15-minute consultation. From there, if we choose to begin a counseling relationship, I will send you some forms to get started before our first counseling session.

What is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)?

LPCs are Master’s degree-level mental health service providers trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and disorders. Licensure requirements in the state of Michigan include 3,000 hours of post-Master’s degree supervised clinical experience, graduation from a CACREP-accredited Master’s program (or specified equivalent course requirements), passing the National Counselor Examination (NCE), and adherence to a strict Code of Ethics. LPC education and licensure standards are comparable to the other two Master’s-level mental health providers, clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists.