Our Approach

At IMF Counseling, we believe in a collaborative approach to therapy and improving mental wellness.

We encourage active participation from both you and your therapist.

Our main goal is for you to feel safe and seen in our office and by our staff. Whether we are working together to process present-day challenges or addressing sensitive memories from the past, you are not alone. Sometimes there will be a lot to say, and sometimes we will sit together in quiet moments; both are valuable times for us to relate to each other and decide where to go next.

How We Practice

Our therapists use a variety of models and strategies to facilitate growth. These are drawn from attachment, cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, and family systems theories. One week you will reflect on what was discussed in session. Another week you may be encouraged to journal, draw, or breathe through a particular topic. Your experience in therapy will determine if it’s helpful for you. In this way, as we build safety and trust in our relationship, you will be able to transfer those skills to relationships outside our office.

Financial Transparency

Counseling is expensive in the financial sense and also in the sense of time and mental energy. We live in a busy, complex society and are often pulled in two directions at once. Because you are investing in your holistic well-being by working with us, we aim to be transparent and simple regarding our rates and offerings.

Rates

Each therapist sets their rates and will discuss this with you before your first session. Rates for 50-60 minute sessions range from $60-$140. We also provide group therapy and other supplemental services, which have their own rate. You can find a detailed listing of services offered and associated costs here. Each therapist also has their rate listed on their biography.

We believe in client-directed care; insurance companies often require documentation and information that conflicts with the concept of autonomous decision-making. If you are interested in being reimbursed for counseling services, we encourage you to contact your insurance company and ask them to define your Out-of-Network benefits for IMF Counseling. Then, talk with your therapist about receiving a receipt of services, called a Superbill, to provide to your insurance company. Finances can be a vulnerable topic to discuss with those close to you, especially someone you barely know. We aim to make this conversation as comfortable as possible.

You may be wondering about the length of therapy so you can know what to expect as the total cost. You and your therapist will determine how often and for how long therapy will be most beneficial, and your session cost will remain the same for the duration of our working time together. We understand your schedule and situation may change. If adjustments need to be made to the original therapeutic plan outlined by you and your counselor, those adjustments will be made swiftly and efficiently. We welcome honesty and openness and will provide the same in the areas of billing and financial commitment.

Common Questions and Concerns

After you schedule an appointment, you will receive a link to our online portal, Simple Practice, to complete the necessary paperwork. Filling out these forms ahead of time will allow us to jump right into why you’re here at your first appointment. We are interested in getting to know you and what brings you to IMF Counseling, and we will talk at a pace you are comfortable with. We understand first sessions are nerve-wracking and maybe a little exciting, too. We’ll get through it together. Your first session, and most following sessions, will be 50-60 minutes long.

We all know those movie depictions of therapists, “So…tell me…how does that make you feel?” While we care deeply about how you feel, we want to talk about what is important to you and on your mind the day you visit. Your therapist wants you to be comfortable in the office and will go at your pace.

You may want to dive into your life story, or you may want to stick with what happened yesterday. There is no “right” or “wrong” place to start in therapy, and we’ll follow your lead. As you become more comfortable with your therapist, the conversation may deepen, but once again, to the degree that feels safe for you. Progress and growth happen regardless of the topics we discuss. No pressure.

At IMF Counseling, we believe in a non-pathologizing approach to mental health. You are not a “case” to us. You are a person. Regardless of why you’re here, you are deserving of acceptance, a high standard of care, and a non-judgmental approach from everyone in our office. If you want to pursue reimbursement for services with your insurance companies, we will give you a diagnosis code from the DSM-V as required by your insurance provider. In any other case, you will not necessarily receive a diagnosis. If we think you have a mental illness that needs to be addressed, we will discuss it with you.

We appreciate you reaching out, even if you’re unsure what you need. Maybe somewhere in your past, someone called you “dramatic” or said you were “overreacting,” making it difficult to know when to ask someone else for help. Let’s explore this together. It’s a big deal to even explore the idea of counseling. Hopefully, we will help make this a hopeful and relaxed process for you. People often seek counseling to support changes they have made or because they are interested in personal growth.

No. We do not prescribe medication. We trust our community of general and specialist providers in the medical field and will help you find someone to work with if needed. If you are interested in taking medication for your mental health, we can have an open conversation about this and decide, together, how to move forward with an assessment from a medical provider.

There is no right answer to this question, and we get asked it all the time. The short answer is, you don’t have to be in therapy forever if you don’t want to. Many of our clients come for a while, take a break, come back when they need to, take a break, etc. Some clients find comfort in having a counseling session on the calendar regularly for a longer period of time. Both are valid, understood, and accepted here at IMF Counseling. Several of our therapists provide shorter-term, brief counseling; others see clients for an extended time. We can talk about what is best for you.

Our Community

At IMF Counseling, we maintain a connection to a large and varied network of providers with whom we can consult and to whom we can refer in mid-Missouri. We maintain collaborative relationships with therapists and groups in St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as with national treatment centers.

Each month, we distribute an e-newsletter to those interested in staying up-to-date with what is happening in the mid-Missouri mental health community.

We welcome job postings, upcoming seminars or training, new therapy groups, and other practice announcements. If you provide information about consultation or supervision groups, we are happy to spread the word regarding those professional development opportunities. Click here to sign up to receive our monthly newsletter, or submit a posting for the following month.

Referrals

After two or three visits, you and your therapist will have a good idea of your working relationship. You may begin to set goals and talk about what your counseling journey will look like. If at that point, or any point in the relationship, you are interested in seeking another opinion or talking with a different therapist, we welcome your thoughts and feelings.

It is our goal that you find the best person for you, and if we can help you in that process, we welcome that opportunity.