FAQs

1. How long does therapy last?

It depends. We offer one-time assessments and ongoing counseling and life coaching services.

• Brief counseling consists of one consultation meeting about a discrete issue, or three to five sessions that focus on a straightforward problem.
• Short-term counseling involves five to 12 sessions and addresses one specific issue with very focused markers of success.
• Long-term counseling extends to 30 sessions and beyond, and provides ongoing support and treatment for issues that are very complicated or long lasting or for issues that require ongoing maintenance and support. In long-term treatments, the frequency of sessions will ebb and flow according our client’s needs.
• Couples counseling – research shows that using the EFT model of couples therapy, most couples experience lasting results in 12 to 20 sessions.

2. Do you accept insurance?

Our practice has chosen not to directly participate in managed care. This means that we are not in-network providers for insurance. However, if you have an HSA, flexible spending account, or medical savings account you may use these funds to pay for therapy.  Another option is to contact your insurance company and ask if you have benefits for an “out-of-network provider”.  If you have out of network benefits, you pay for sessions at the time they are provided and then we provide you a “superbill” to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement according to the benefits of your plan.

There are a variety of reasons we do not work directly with insurance companies. Our highest priority is to serve you with the best possible care.  Many people do not realize that when you use your insurance to pay for your therapy your insurance company must be provided information on you and your treatment. This includes such things as:

• the nature of your issues for counseling
• a psychiatric diagnosis (you must be given a diagnosis for your insurance company to pay benefits)
• your treatment plan
• the notes taken during your therapy sessions

By paying directly for your therapy, you maintain your privacy and protect your confidential information. This is a decision many consumers make in order to know that no one else will have access to any information that is revealed in the context of therapy.

Life Coaching is not considered health care so it is not covered by insurance.

3. What is different about The Relationship Center?

ACCESS: You can expect to have access to your counselor or life coach thru text, phone and email for questions or a check-in between appointments.

TRAINING: Beth and Sam have both completed extensive training in treating sex addiction. Did you know that only 12% of mental health practitioners have actually gotten specialized training in couples therapy, even though 80% of therapists advertise that they see couples?  We have extensive training in EFT (Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy).

EFFECTIVE: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is proven to de-escalate conflict and repair and strengthen the connection in a couple relationship. In fact, research shows that 90% of couples improve after a brief period of EFT guidance and 75% have maintained their improvements when we check back in two years later. We have extensive training in this effective form of couples therapy. There are only 5 other providers with this level of  EFT training in Jacksonville.

PERSONAL: Not just a business-our practice is our passion. We believe in using our knowledge and experience to make a difference in our community, one relationship, one person at a time. 20% of our practice is offered at a discounted rate or pro-bono rate.

4. Can a relationship recover from an affair?

As a therapist who works extensively with couples who have experienced infidelity in their relationship I hold great hope for the people who call us following the disclosure of an affair. Having experienced this in our own relationship and recovered, we are in a unique position to help you repair the pain caused by betrayal and repair the broken bonds in your relationship. Many couples find that their relationship, following the repair and recovery after an affair, is more intimate, vulnerable and stronger than it ever was.

5.  If I am coming for couples/marriage counseling who comes to the first appointment?

We prefer that both partners come to the first session. The second and third sessions are individual sessions for each partner. These initial 3 to 4 sessions provide us an opportunity to assess your relationship to see if EFT is the right next step for you.

6. How do I set up an initial appointment and or phone consult?

Please call, text, or email us. You will find our contact information at the bottom of every page on our website. We do our very best to return all calls and emails within 24 business hours, and there is no pressure to schedule an appointment right away. We are happy to answer any questions you have.

7. Sex/Love Addiction and Pornography

Of course, sex and love are at the heart of life itself. Were it not for sex, none of us would even be here. Were it not for love, none of us would want to stick around. Yet, as we all know, even good things can get misused and become hurtful. In fact, the better something is, the more it can hurt when it gets twisted or abused. Sex and love are no exceptions.