FAQ
Do I have to be a doctor, lawyer, business executive or any other professional you mention on your website to be able to work with you?
Absolutely not! Although I’ve specialized in working with people in specific careers, many of my clients work outside of those mentioned on this website.
Regardless of what you do for a living, if you have a desire to improve certain aspects of your life, I’d be honored to work with you as your therapist or coach.
I offer a free initial 15-minute consult to see if we are a good fit for one another. If we’re not the best fit, I’m committed to helping you find the therapist or coach that is.
You can set up a free 15-minute consult now.
How long are sessions?
All initial therapy and coaching sessions are 2 hours. After that:
- Individual therapy sessions are 50 minutes.
- Couples therapy sessions are 100 minutes.
- Coaching sessions can range from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Some coaching engagements can take place over several days. Then length of Coaching sessions are dependent on what we are working on and the type of coaching agreement we have.
What are your rates?
Individual therapy: $150 per 50-minute session
Couples therapy: $300 per 100-minute session
Coaching and/or Strategic Thinking Partnership: $2000-$10,000 per month. Please set up a free 15-minute consult for details.
Do you take insurance?
I currently do not take insurance. I am considered out-of-network by all insurance providers. This means that you can submit your receipts to your insurance provider to see if they will reimburse you for a certain percentage of what you paid for your sessions. This amount is entirely dependent on the provider and type of plan that you have.
If requested, I will provide you with receipts for your sessions.
Are therapy and coaching as effective online as they are in person?
Please follow the link to read more about online therapy and coaching.
How do I set up an initial consultation or appointment?
Call or text (303) 808-4617 or email matt@mattmcneilandassociates.com. My voicemail and email are completely confidential, so feel free to leave a message with whatever information you are comfortable with disclosing to me.
I will respond within 24 hours where we can set up a time for either your complimentary 15-minute consultation or your initial 2-hour session.
If you don’t want to call, text, or email, you can always set up a free 15-minute consult now.
What’s the difference between Coaching and Counseling?
Counseling, often called therapy or psychotherapy, is a process by which a client works with a state-licensed mental health professional (psychologist, counselor, social worker, or marriage and family therapist) to resolve traumas of the past that are causing problematic beliefs, behaviors, feelings, physical responses, and other issues.
Counselors often utilize specific diagnostic criteria to evaluate and conceptualize their clients. Through a process of introspection and analysis, clients work toward resolving their issues.
In contrast, Coaching primarily works with clients to help them clarify goals and identify obstacles and problematic behaviors that prevent them from achieving their objectives.
Where Counseling often looks into a client’s past, Coaching utilizes a client’s current situation as the starting point to work from.
Unlike Counselors, Coaches are not required to be (and usually are not) state-licensed mental health professionals.
Although there are currently no educational or training requirements for Coaches (Life Coaches, Relationship Coaches, Executive Coaches, or Career Coaches), I, and all Coaches associated with Matt McNeil and Associates, have passed a national coaching exam and have received a Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential.
When should you seek Coaching or Counseling?
The fundamental presumption I have about you as a potential coaching client is that you’re healthy mentally and emotionally, and are ready to receive action-based guidance and instruction on how to make the necessary changes that will help you achieve your goals.
If you do not feel emotionally healthy, are suffering from past traumatic events, or have a history of mental health issues (anxiety, depression, and addictions), then counseling may provide a better benefit to you.
To get the right kind of professional expertise, it’s crucial to know which kind of guidance will serve you best.
One of the easiest ways to determine which service is best for you is to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me.
What type of therapy modalities do you use with clients?
I use whatever works! Okay, seriously speaking, for those interested in the theoretic aspects of psychotherapy, I integrate elements of Acceptance and Commitment, Existential, Psychodynamic, Solution Focused, and Cognitive Behavioral therapy modalities in my work with clients.
I am also specialized in several approaches for treating complex trauma.
How long should I plan on being in therapy or coaching? How long will it take for me to improve?
Therapy – Throughout my experience helping people, I’ve learned psychological healing that results in sustainable change in one’s life occurs differently for each person. I’ve seen people improve in a single session, and I’ve seen people take months to notice any significant level of improvement.
Coaching – In most cases, I suggest that the engagement (especially business coaching) be a minimum of a year. I have observed that helping my clients to develop and transform the leadership skills necessary produce a tangible and extraordinary result within their business and their life takes time. These transformations do not happen in a three day training program or a three month consulting agreement.
There are many factors that contribute to the duration of our work together (severity of issues, motivation to change, frequency of services, and many other factors). Despite these unknowns, the one thing I’m certain of is that people have a tremendous capacity to change, no matter how challenging their situation may be. I simply wouldn’t be able to do this work if I didn’t see people improve their lives through our work together.
We will work together to define your goals for therapy or coaching and work at a pace that you are comfortable with.
Will you inform my licensing board (or any other professional association I belong to) that I am receiving counseling or coaching services from you?
Absolutely not. Many professionals, such as airline pilots, physicians, and attorneys, are concerned that their careers will be negatively impacted if their respective governing agencies find out that they are receiving mental health services.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) ensures that your medical information, including any counseling that you receive, remains confidential. Unless I receive a signed release of information from you that gives me permission to discuss our work together with another party (and you specifically designate who that person or party is), what we talk about remains between you and me.
The only exception is if you indicate to me that you have clear intention to harm yourself or someone else. In those cases, I am required by law to break confidentiality.