Frequently Asked Qustions

You will meet with your provider as per the agreed date and time. The duration of your session will depend on the professional you see, but usually sessions are 50-minutes long. During the session, your provider will discuss your concerns and review the information that was gathered during your initial consultation. With the help of our professional team, clients can identify the best solutions to resolving emotional turmoil, get assistance in improving communication and coping skills, strengthen self-esteem, and obtain insight on how to reach optimal mental health. While your psychiatrist or counselor is there to help guide you, you should not expect to receive advice or be instantly “fixed”. Counseling is most effective when there is a collaborative and mutual effort between the provider and patient.

Mount Vernon Counseling Center’s mental health services are currently only being offered online. However, our team’s physical office is McLean Counseling Center.

Our fees range from $225 to $425 per session, depending on which professional you see and how long your appointment time is. All fees are due in full at the time of service. We accept all major credit cards and HSA. We will collect your credit card information before your first appointment and your card will be automatically charged after each appointment. Please note that it is the patient’s responsibility to inform us of any change in credit card information (such as expiration date, etc.), to avoid declined charges.

As for insurance, we are “out-of-network” providers, do not have contracts with insurance companies, and thus are not “preferred providers.” Nevertheless, our services are almost always reimbursable. Please check with your insurance company directly to determine your out-of-network benefits. Mount Vernon Counseling Center does not accept reassignment of benefits from any insurance company and does not bill insurance companies directly. However, Mount Vernon Counseling Center offers patients assistance with submitting claims to their insurance. If you have Medicare or Medicaid, please inform us during your initial consultation, as we do not participate with these plans and patients seen at our center cannot submit our receipts to these companies for reimbursement.

When we schedule an appointment for you, we set aside that block of time for you exclusively. To make our practice viable, we require 48-hours’ notice for a cancellation. Otherwise, you will be charged the full price for a missed appointment.

Many mental health issues can be successfully treated without the use of medications. However consulting a counselor for psychotherapy does not necessarily mean you will need to take medications. You need to keep your counselor informed of the medications you’re already taking. When there’s agreement between you and your counselor that medication should be taken, the counselor will discuss best referral options with you. For any medication prescriptions a psychiatrist will have to be consulted.

There are many types of mental health professionals. Finding the right one for you may require some research. We’ve listed some examples here. There are mental health professionals who can provide psychological assessments and therapy such as a clinical psychologist.

There are also another set of mental health professionals who can provide counseling with proper training and assessments. This may include Individual and Marital Counselor, Substance Abuse Counselor and Therapists. In addition there are mental health professionals who can prescribe medication. These include Psychiatrists or Child/Adolescent Psychiatrists. Check Mount Vernon Center’s well experienced team of mental health professionals here .

It can be very difficult when someone you care about is suffering. You will find yourself feeling helpless, frightened or angry. Find more details about how you can support them here It can be very hard to make a person seek help if they don’t want to or don’t feel they need it, and counseling with an unwilling client is usually not very effective.

Having a mental disorder can interrupt a person’s life in many ways such as his ability to focus and complete certain tasks. Therefore having a productive daily routine can support to normalize that person’s day to day activities which can ultimately result in greater satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.

A couple should know that whether or not a marriage can be saved lies in a variety of considerations that the two individuals in the marriage bring to counseling. Marriage can have ups and downs and marriage therapy involves hard work, and determination from the couple to make things work. It also takes a skilled therapist to help manage the crisis to make sure that the couple don’t make a bigger mess than what has already been made.

In almost all instances, counseling and therapy sessions are absolutely confidential. Confidentiality is a key part of psychology’s code of ethics. Your counselor/therapist is required to maintain confidentiality about everything said in sessions between the two of you.  At our center, your counselor will understand that in order for you to feel comfortable sharing openly with them, you need to know your information is safe. Always talk to your therapist before the session and come to a confidentiality agreement between the two of you.

Although there is no cure for ADHD, the treatments available may help reduce symptoms and improve functioning. ADHD is commonly treated with medication, education or training, therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Yes you should. There are medical and physical symptoms that can be related to mental and emotional health issues such as chronic headaches & stomach aches, muscle tension & joint pain, tiredness & fatigue, neurological symptoms (muscle weakness, paralysis, loss of sensation), irritable bowel syndrome and issues related to the gastrointestinal system. For more information visit our blog

Lack of sleep or having sleep disorders can definitely have an impact on your mental health. Sleep problems can lead to many mental health related issues. However there are treatments available. Learn more here