Q: How do I make an appointment?
A: Simply call (708) 422-2898. Our receptionists answer our phones during business hours (M-F, 9-5 CST). If you happen to call outside of these hours, you will have the ability to leave a message that our receptionists will receive the following business day. There are also directions to reach us via an after hours message system, which is to be used in the event that you need to cancel an appointment that is occurring before the following business day.
Q: Can I request a particular therapist or a type of therapist?
A: When you call to make an appointment, you can certainly leave any of those requests with our receptionists. You may have heard good things about a particular therapist from family or friends, so you would like that specific counselor. If that therapist has openings and is accepting new clients, we will absolutely do our best to accommodate your request.
On the other hand, you may want to request to be assigned, or not assigned a kind of therapist. Again, please share this when you call to make your appointment. You may say, "Can I please have a male therapist?" or "Can I see someone who works well with young children?"
Q: What if I cannot make a scheduled appointment?
A: We understand that you lead a busy life and that you may need to cancel an appointment if something comes up. Please make every effort to call your therapist to cancel at least 24 hours in advance. Failure to do so may result in a late cancellation fee.
Q: For what kinds of issues do your clients seek counseling?
A: Clients at Shere & Associates seek counseling for a wide variety of reasons. Our therapists have clinical specialties and we do our best to match you with the therapist best suited to your particular situation. The following is by no means a complete list, but rather a list of the most common presenting issues.
-Partner relational problems
-Issues in childhood
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
-Learning problems
-Parenting
-Stress management
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Adjustment problems
-Divorce
-Family counseling
-Grief and loss
-Low self-esteem
-Employee assistance: short-term intervention to improve functioning at work
-Substance abuse issues
-Women's issues
-Childhood abuse
-Domestic or dating violence
-Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Q: What if my insurance provider is not on your accepted list?
A: Please contact us! We accept several insurance plans, so it is likely one of our therapists is in network with yours. If not, it is possible that we may be able to join your insurance company's network.
Q: How do I know what my insurance benefits are?
A: The easiest way to find out your mental health benefits with your insurance plan is to call the Customer/Member Service phone number located on the back of your card. A representative from your insurance company will be able to tell you your plan's deductible, copay/co-insurance, if there is a limit on the annual number of covered sessions, and if a pre-certification is necessary. If you need assistance with this, please contact us.
Once you are told your benefits, you might still have questions about what those benefit quotes actually mean. The following is a brief definition of benefits you might be quoted.
Deductible: This is the amount of money that you need to pay before your health insurance plan will begin to pay for sessions. It is renewed annually (usually on the calendar year, 1/1-12/31), so you will need to meet your deductible when your plan's cycle renews.
Co-pay/Co-insurance: After your annual deductible has been met, your plan will pay at a rate that has been contracted with Neil D. Shere & Associates. Of this rate, your plan may require a co-pay or co-insurance. A co-pay is a flat fee that you pay each time, for instance $20. A co-insurance is when your plan requires that you are responsible for a percentage of the rate, for example 20% of the contracted rate of $75.60 (which would be $15.12).
Number of sessions: Some insurance plans have a limit on the number of mental health sessions that can be billed each year. For instance, if your plan allows 30 sessions each year, if you exceed that number, you will need to work out a private pay on our sliding scale with your therapist.
Pre-certification or Authorization: Your insurance plan may require an authorization or pre-certification for services be in place prior to seeing one of our therapists. Our therapists will handle this end of your insurance, however, your plan may occasionally wish to speak with you in order to authorize more sessions, if needed.