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INFORMED CONSENT AND OUR POLICIES
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About Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is based on conversations between you and your therapist. We may work on clarifying your goals and guiding principles. We might work on identifying your personal strengths as well as destructive tendencies you might have.
The outcome of therapy depends largely on how you engage with the process (e.g., being upfront and honest with your therapist, completing readings or other “homework” between sessions). Therapy isn’t easy - we may discuss unpleasant events/memories and other topics that can be uncomfortable or scary. Therapy isn’t quick - identifying and working on behaviors developed over years/decades takes time and effort.
We can’t promise that psychotherapy will change your behaviors or your circumstances - there are no miracle cures. But we promise to support you throughout the therapy process - to do our very best to help you.
EMDR (used with some clients)
For some clients, psychotherapy will include EMDR, a technique used to treat trauma. EMDR involves revisiting/reprocessing traumatic memories while incorporating side-to-side eye movements or tapping on your hands to engage your body. Your therapist will explain EMDR in greater detail if they think it’s a good fit for you - and EMDR will only be used if you agree.
In-person and tele-therapy sessions
In-person sessions are offered at the discretion of each therapist. In-person meetings involve risk of illness transmission, so please let your therapist know if you need/want to mitigate risk (e.g., wearing face masks). If you or someone you live with is feeling unwell, you must let us know so we can switch to a tele-therapy session (similarly, your therapist will reach out if they are feeling unwell).
If inclement weather makes traveling hazardous, we may switch your in-person session to tele-therapy.
Patient Bill of Rights
You have the right to expect that a therapist has met the minimal qualifications of education, training, and experience required by state law;
You have the right to examine public records maintained by the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy that contain the credentials of a therapist;
You have the right to report complaints to the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy;
You have the right to be informed of the cost of professional services before receiving the services;
You have the right to privacy as defined and limited by rule and law;
You have the right to be free from being the object of unlawful discrimination while receiving services;
You have the right to have access to their records as provided in Minnesota Statutes, sections 144.291 to144.298, except as otherwise provided by law or prior written agreement;
You have the right to be free from exploitation for the benefit or advantage of a therapist.
Non-Discrimination
We believe in giving considerate and respectful care to our clients. We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, national origin, immigration status, or source of payment.
By receiving services, you agree to pay all amounts due
Therapy sessions for individuals are 50 minutes long and are billed at $190.
Therapy sessions for couples and families are 50 minutes long and are billed at $190.
Your first session includes additional diagnostic work and is billed at $240.
Therapy sessions with young children and EMDR sessions are billed with an additional $50 per session.
The mandatory MinnesotaCare Tax is included in our psychotherapy session fees.
Non-therapy work done at your request or on your behalf (e.g., writing letters/reports, preparing records, responding to subpoenas, giving testimony) is billed in 15-minute increments at $190 per hour. When the work is completed, we will bill you for the time spent.
For couples therapy, for family therapy, and for therapy for a minor, all adults who sign these policies are jointly and severally responsible for all amounts due (this means each signer is responsible for the full balance - we don’t get in the middle if one of you doesn’t want to pay).
If you refuse to pay amounts due, we reserve the right to pursue remedies with collections agencies and/or the courts.
We work with your health insurance company to cover your therapy costs, but you’re responsible for amounts unpaid by your insurer
We submit a claim to your insurer after each psychotherapy session. When your insurer responds to a claim, they inform us of your patient responsibility amount and that amount (if any) is added to your balance.
If your insurer denies/rejects the claim, we try to resolve the issue and resubmit the claim (e.g., perhaps you switched insurers). If your insurer won’t pay the claim, the full session fee is added to your balance.
To avoid unpleasant surprises, you should confirm your insurance benefits before starting therapy (e.g., Is Both Sides in-network? What are your out-of-pocket costs?). Please contact us for suggested phrasing to use when talking to your insurance company.
Clients on medical assistance need to ensure there are no breaks in coverage
Clients on medical assistance must complete all paperwork requested by your insurer (by your insurer’s deadlines) to make sure there are no breaks in coverage.
If your medical assistance ends or if there’s a pause in coverage, your future sessions will be immediately paused until your coverage restarts.
All clients (except clients on medical assistance) must keep a valid payment card on file
You can use the client portal to add a new payment card and/or to designate the default card. (To remove a card, please contact us - for some reason our software won’t remove cards via the portal.)
Each month you must pay the prior month’s balance
Your account balance at the end of each month must be paid in full by the end of the following month.
On the 1st, we email an invoice and a statement to you, detailing the prior month’s amounts due. A weekly reminder is sent, beginning on the 15th.
If the invoice hasn’t been paid in full by the last day of the month, we’ll charge any unpaid portion of the invoice to the default card on your account.
If you disagree with or don’t understand amounts in the invoice or the statement, you must raise those issues with us by the 25th (disputed amounts won’t be charged until they are resolved).
If you are experiencing a financial hardship, you must inform us by the 25th so we can make arrangements.
If payment fails, your future sessions will be paused until the invoice is paid in full.
No-show and late-cancel fees
A $95 no-show/late-cancel fee applies if you don’t show up for your appointment or if you cancel less than 48 hours before your appointment.
If you cancel (a) because of a medical emergency, (b) if another client takes that last-minute opening, or (c) if you’re able to take an empty spot within 48 hours of your original time, the no-show/late-cancel fee isn’t charged.
Clients on medical assistance are not charged the no-show/late-cancel fee, but if two no-shows/late-cancels occur in a 12-month period, you will be referred out to a therapist outside of Both Sides.
Emergencies
We are not an emergency services provider. Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know is having an emergency or is contemplating suicide/self-harm.
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The effective date of these policies is January 1, 2024.
These policies can be revised at any time. Revised policies are effectively immediately after they are emailed to you (using the email address you provided). If you don’t wish to be bound by updated policies, you must inform us before your next therapy session so we can begin transitioning you to a new provider.
