FAQ

Our offices are located inside a comfortable, restored Victorian house.  Upon arriving simply let the receptionist know that you’re here.  Enjoy a coffee or tea while you fill out a little paperwork or hand in the paperwork already completed at home.

Your therapist will usually meet with you for 50 minutes at the first visit.  At this first meeting, you should already feel heard and understood—and this experience alone often provides some initial relief.

Your therapist will want to help you develop a counseling plan that fits you individually.  The goal is to choose a direction or strategy that feels comfortable to you and that is known to be effective.  During counseling, you are encouraged to set your own pace and feel supported, while still being challenged to grow.

The therapists at Jefferson Street share some specialty areas (ADHD, marriage and family therapy), and are unique in others (EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Parenting, Codependency, therapeutic Journaling and Hypnosis).  Several of these specialties are rare for the Treasure Valley and are underserved locally.

Professionally, we maintain our expertise through continual training, so you can take advantage of the most recent information and research available.  In addition to the many conferences we attend, we additionally dedicate an hour every week for staffing and our ongoing professional education.

Additionally, Jefferson Street Counseling & Consulting offers a variety of low-cost groups that can either supplement individual counseling or provide a less expensive alternative to individual services.

This question largely depends on the extent and nature of the problems you wish to address, but generally, your needs fall into three categories.

Some clients come in with a single, straightforward concern like consulting on a parenting issue, brushing up on existing coping skills for mild depression or anxiety, or wanting a second opinion after meeting with another therapist or medical provider.  These clients may find their needs met in only a few sessions.

Other clients may have more than one concern to address, or need to create more extensive coping strategies.  Research shows that developing completely new strategies or skills can take up to 12-16 meetings to reach lasting success.  This type of counseling could last 3 to 6 months depending on how often you want to meet.  Examples in this category include mastering healthy communication in a distressed marriage or family relationship, providing sufficient relief for more chronic anxiety or depression, or parenting through a more complex situation like alcohol/drug use or chronic, defiant behavior.

Finally, some of our clients find they are still gaining a tangible benefit from counseling after a year or more.  Typically these longer-term clients are no longer coming in on a weekly basis, but they may continue to appreciate the periodic emotional support, structured time, or assistance in maintaining hard-fought gains.

Your therapist is bound by both legal and ethical standards to keep your information private and confidential.  The only common exceptions to this confidentiality are if:

1. you explicitly give written permission to exchange information (e.g. with your family physician),
2. the therapist believes you are in immediate danger of committing suicide or otherwise seriously injuring yourself, or you are in immediate danger of physically assaulting another person,
3. you share information about the abuse or neglect of someone still under 18 years old or who is handicapped, and
4. if you give permission for occasional professional consultation.  Extremely rare exceptions to confidentiality involve legal proceedings, including if a judge (not just an attorney) orders the therapist to disclose information.

The cost for professional services is as follows:

• $ 170.00 per 50 minute session for intake interview.
• $ 160.00 per 50 minute session for individuals.
• $ 300.00 per 50 minute session for couples and families with a co-counselor.
• $ 30.00 for copying and mailing of patient records to another professional.
• $ 160.00 per hour for written reports and prepared documents.
• $ 350.00 per hour for prep and attendance at court proceedings, including calls by another party.

Jefferson Street Counseling & Consulting accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, Check/Debit Cards, and personal checks.

The therapists at Jefferson Street Counseling & Consulting are not contracted with any insurance company and are therefore considered out-of-network providers. At your request, your counselor will provide a Superbill that you may submit to your insurance provider. If your services are covered, your insurance company will reimburse you directly. Payment is always due at the time of service, and we do not carry account balances. If you have questions about whether or not your therapy services will be covered, please contact your insurance company directly.

At this time, we are unable to bill Medicare or Medicaid for services.

Please call (208) 385-0888 to make an appointment.  Your therapist will return your call within 24 hours.  He or she will talk with you briefly to be sure he/she feels like the right therapist for you.  Afterward, you’ll be transferred to the front desk to choose a convenient time to meet.  Appointments are usually available within a few weeks, depending on which therapist you are meeting with and how much flexibility you have in your schedule.

Please note that an email is never a secure form of communication.  To protect your confidentiality, the professionals at Jefferson Street Counseling & Consulting prefer you contact them by telephone where you can leave a confidential voice mail message at your therapists’ extension.