Common Questions

Is therapy right for me? 

Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with negative experiences or traumas, or long-standing psychological issues, or problems with anxiety or depression. Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in one's life such as a divorce or work transition. Many seek the advice of a therapist as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including unresolved trauma, depression, anxiety, conflict, grief, stress management, body-image issues, and general life transitions. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change in their lives.

Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems. 

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 taking a short-cut and 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. And with advancements in treatment, therapy need not be uncomfortable or long-term to be beneficial.

How can therapy help me? 

A number of benefits are available from participating in psychotherapy. Therapy can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, bereavement, stress management, body image issues, and creative blocks. Many people also find therapy to be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, and the hassles of daily life. Therapy can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

    • Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
    • Developing skills for improving your relationships
    • Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
    • Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
    • Managing anger, depression, and other emotional pressures
    • Improving communications and listening skills
    • Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
    • Discovering new ways to solve problems
    • Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

What is therapy like? 

Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. It is standard to talk about the primary issues and concerns in your life during therapy sessions. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts around fifty minutes. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors. It is important to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life between sessions. For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during and between the sessions. People seeking psychotherapy are willing to take responsibility for their actions, work towards self-change and create greater awareness in their lives.

Is medication a substitute for 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.

Do you accept insurance? How does insurance work? 

I do accept funding from Victim Compensation. 

I do not accept insurance. However, I can always provide you with the needed documentation and billing so that you may be reimbursed by your insurance carrier, IF they will reimburse you for my services as an out-of-network provider (often, such insurers like United or Anthem/BCBS do; others, like Aetna, Cigna or Kaiser, do not). 

I caution people about using insurance for mental health services, because most insurance companies require you to authorize me to provide them with a clinical diagnosis . Sometimes I have to provide additional clinical information such as treatment plans or summaries, or copies of the entire record (in rare cases). This information will become part of the insurance company files and will probably be stored in a computer. Though all insurance companies claim to keep such information confidential, I have no control over what they do with it once it is in their hands. In some cases, they may share the information with a national medical information databank. While insurance makes treatment more affordable, you often end up paying more by losing your privacy rights . It is important to remember that you always have the right to pay for my services yourself to avoid the problems described above (unless prohibited by contract).

To determine if you have mental health coverage, the first thing you need to 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 much is my deductible? How much is my co-pay?
    • How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
    • Is the therapist I want a provider for my specific insurance plan?
    • Will I be reimbursed (and if so, how much) if I use an out-of-network provider?
    • Is approval required from my primary care physician?
    • What is my authorization number for treatment services?

Is therapy confidential? 

Please refer to the Disclosure & HIIPPA forms that you may download on the Appointment Forms page.

Generally speaking, the information provided by and to a client during therapy sessions is legally confidential if the psychotherapist is a Licensed Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Certified and Licensed Addiction Counselors, or a Registered Psychotherapist. If the information is legally confidential, the psychotherapist cannot be forced to disclose the information without the client’s consent or in any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Colorado in which a subpoena has been served.

 There are exceptions to this general rule of legal confidentiality. These exceptions are listed in the Colorado statutes, C.R.S. §12-43-218. You should be aware that provisions concerning disclosure of confidential communications shall not apply to any delinquency or criminal proceedings, except as provided in C.R.S § 13-90-107. There are additional exceptions that your primary therapist will identify to you as the situations arise during treatment or in our professional relationship. Some of those exceptions are:

·      your primary therapist is required to report suspected child abuse or neglect situations;

·      required to report the abuse or exploitation of an at-risk elder, or the imminent risk of abuse or exploitation;

·      if your primary therapist determines that you are a danger to yourself or others, including those that can be identified by their association with a specific location or entity, he/she is required to disclose such information to the appropriate authorities or to warn the party, location, or entity you have threatened; 

·      if you become gravely disabled, your primary therapist is required to report this to the appropriate authorities;

·      your primary therapist may also disclose confidential information in the course of supervision or consultation in accordance with Jay D Fellers LCSW PC’s policies and procedures;

·      in the investigation of a complaint or civil suit filed against your primary therapist or Jay D Fellers LCSW PC;

·      if you communicate any information involving a threat to yourself or to others, your primary therapist may be required to take immediate action to protect you or others from harm; or

·      if your primary therapist or Jay D Fellers LCSW PC is ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction to disclose such information.

 If you have been court-ordered to receive services from Jay D Fellers LCSW PC, there are additional exceptions to confidentiality. For example, you must sign a release of information for us to communicate with your probation officer, the Court and/or other members that are part of a Multidisciplinary Team.

 In addition, there may be other exceptions to confidentiality as provided by HIPAA regulations and other Federal and/or Colorado laws and regulations that may apply.

 Additionally, although confidentiality extends to communications by text, email, telephone, and/or other electronic means, your primary therapist cannot guarantee that those communications will be kept confidential and/or that a third-party may not access your communications. Even though your primary therapist may utilize state of the art encryption methods, firewalls, and back-up systems to help secure your communication, there is a risk that your electronic or telephone communications may be compromised, unsecured, and/or accessed by a third-party. Please review and fill out Jay D Fellers LCSW PC’s Consent for Communication of Protected Health Information by Unsecure Transmissions. 

While this written summary of exceptions to confidentiality should prove helpful in informing you about potential problems, it is important that we discuss any questions or concerns that you may have. I will be happy to discuss these issues with you if you need specific advice, but formal legal advice may be needed because the laws governing confidentiality are quite complex, and I am not an attorney.

The financial part of our relationship also imposes some confidentiality limits. If you are using insurance or another third party payer, I must share certain information with them, including (but not necessarily limited to) your diagnosis and the times of your visits, symptoms, progress, etc. You should also understand that insurance and managed care information is often stored in national computer databases. If I find myself in a dispute with you over billing, I may only provide the information necessary to clarify and collect any outstanding balance.

Contact Me

Office

Office Location

Appointment Availability

Jay D Fellers LCSW

Monday:

10:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

10:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

10:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

10:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

10:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed