7721 Southwest 62nd Avenue, South Miami, Florida 33143, United States
Frequently Asked Questions - PsychoTherapy Related Questions
Please reach us at info@PivotalTherapy.net if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Psychotherapy, like all relationships, takes time to develop. The first few sessions are usually focused on gathering information, history, and treatment goals. I will tend to ask questions and get to know your life during these early sessions. We will also discuss if we think therapy together is a good fit and how the sessions should progress.
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. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.
Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:
- Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.
- If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.
At Pivotal we strive to collaborate across providers and caregiver to provide the best continuity and consistency in care for our clients. It's important for us to work with school counselors, pediatricians, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, etc. With written notice, therapist can provide treatment plans and answer questions thet other professionals may have. If you need our therapist to collaborate with other professionals please do not hesitate to ask!
As mental health therapists / counselors the scope of treatment is talk-therapy. Typically therapists have their masters degree, and yearly continuing education. While, psychologists also provide counseling services they also conduct research. Psychiatrists tend to limit their talk therapy / counseling services and are typically available for medication management. If your therapist feels that you may need medication, they will provide you with a referral to doctors that they may recommend. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specializes in mental health. If medication is necessary, typically in these clients, medication and talk therapy are used together. Medication therapy is not a replacement for talk therapy.
Therapy session range from 45-50 minutes, while group session run from 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the group size and age. Clients typically meet with their therapist on a weekly basis or bi-weekly depending on the needs of the client. Length of treatment varies on progress and individual circumstances. This is determined collaboratively by the therapist and client.
Frequently Asked Questions - Financing Related Questions
Please reach us at info@PivotalTherapy.net if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Yes, we are happy to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss fit and goals. In some instances, it may be beneficial to set up a brief in person meeting to better assess fit.
To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them:
- What are my mental health benefits?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
- How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Here is a List of Insurance we accept, please call us for a free insurance verification
During your initial consultation let us know you need us to verify your eligibility and benefits. You will need to provide a copy of the first and back of both primary and secondary insurance, basic information such as name of the insured, date of birth and address.
please call us for a free insurance verification
Yes. A sliding scale is offered for mental health counseling services only: biopsychosocial, treatment planning, individual and family sessions. Sliding scale is determined by the person's income. If you are interested in a sliding scale fee please let the therapist know during the initial consultation. Book a free 15 minute consultation with one of our therapist.
All clients of insurance companies we work with (BCBS, Cigna, etc.) will need to pay any applicable co-pays and co-insurance. During the admissions process, we’ll provide a fee schedule with an estimate of your expected out-of-pocket expense for therapy. Our experience working with insurance companies will allows us to help you understand what to expect regarding your deductible, maximum out-of-pocket expense, and co-pays.
Our clients will be billed through client portal powered by Stripe for co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance, and private pay fees.
Frequently Asked Questions - ABA/Autism Related Questions
Please reach us at info@PivotalTherapy.net if you cannot find an answer to your question.
ABA services are often initiated in the home setting as this the most familiar to the client, depending on the goals, session may occur in other settings such as in the school or community. The initial session a registered behavior technician (RBT) alongside board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) will be present and working on building rapport through trust building and avoiding placing any instructions initially. The RBT and BCBA are currently strangers to the cleant and therefore direct interaction is increased gradually throughout the initial session(s). By engaging in client's preferences the team begins the process of pairing which means by combining the learning environment to already established reinforcers (tens that are rewarding).
If your insurance does not cover ABA. Please contact us for our self-pay fees. We understand that some families do not have the necessary funds to cover these services. We will work with you and your family.
1. Autism Diagnosis
Before your child can begin ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, you must obtain an official autism diagnosis. We offer thorough autism screening, autism testing, and autism diagnosis. If your child is showing signs of autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, or even a lack of verbal or social interaction skills, our autism center can help.
2. Autism Testing & Screening
At your appointment, our clinical team will meet with you and your child. The tests, including the ADOS-2, the current gold standard in autism assessment, are all play/activity based in a warm, friendly setting. The typical autism screening appointment involves several components and lasts two to four hours.
3. Follow up Appointment
At a second appointment, we will share our findings and any diagnosis with you, including a written report and recommendations on the treatment of autism, if needed.
4. ABA Assessment (Functional Behavior Assessment)
Most insurances require pre-approval and supporting documentation to be submitted before scheduling ABA assessment. Once approved, our treatment begins with a BCBA getting to know your family, learning what behaviors you’re interested in improving and conducting an assessment to measure skills and abilities.
5. Treatment Planning & Goal Setting
Using the results from the assessment, our BCBAs collaborate with the family to create specific, reachable objectives to address desired behavior, new skills and recommended goals.
6. Treatment Implementation
Once plan is approved by insurance, implementation of written program will begin through direct therapy by Registered Behavior Technician under the supervision of BCBA/BCaBA.
7. Monitoring & Oversight
The BCBA and RBT work together, measuring targeted skills and making changes to the program if necessary.
The ADOS-2 is conducted by one of our knowledgeable clinicians. Depending on the child’s age and how much they’re talking, the parent might join the assessment. Each one of our centers is equipped with all necessary materials and stimuli required to run the assessment with accuracy. There are 4 different ADOS testing modules. The clinician will select the appropriate module based on the child’s age and communication level. Observation period of task completion. The clinician will work through a series of structured and semi-structured tasks to observe the child’s social interactions, play skills, and communication. After assessment, scoring begins. Following the assessment, the clinician completes a scoring process, and results are summarized and sent to the doctor for use in diagnostic determination.
Plenty of clinical research has demonstrated that children who start ABA therapy as early as possible (~2 years old) make the most significant improvements. We serve children on the autism spectrum from 18 months to 21 years and offer personalized programming for their unique needs.
At Pivotal we strive to collaborate across providers and caregiver to provide the best continuity and consistency in care for our clients. It's important for us to work with school counselors, pediatricians, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, etc. With written notice, therapist can provide treatment plans and answer questions thet other professionals may have. If you need our therapist to collaborate with other professionals please do not hesitate to ask!
ABA therapy sessions will range from 2 to 5 hours based on the particular child and the treatment objectives developed by you and your BCBA. Recommended hours range anywhere from 10 to 40 hour per week determined by medical necessity and level of treatment.
Pivotal Therapy LLC
3081 Salzedo Street, Coral Gables, Florida 33134, United States
Copyright © 2024 Pivotal Therapy - All Rights Reserved.
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¡Bienvenidos! Estamos encantados que nos hayas encontrado. Si desea obtener más información sobre nuestros servicios de salud mental o terapia ABA, llámenos al 305-707-1600.