Frequently Asked Questions
Our Common FAQS:
The Counseling Center Group™ is an out-of-network provider. We don’t work directly with insurance, but our services may be covered by out-of-network benefits for mental health if that is part of your plan. Check the details of your individual plan to see what your coverage is for out-of-network services.
We have a 48 hour cancellation policy, which means if you contact us to cancel a session 48 hours or more before the appointment, you will not be charged for the session. If you cancel within 48 hours of your appointment, you will be charged the same amount for the session as if you attended.
No, CCG does not prescribe medication. However, we can recommend prescribers if needed and would be happy to work collaboratively with your prescriber.
DBT Questions:
Adherent to the Linehan DBT model, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment program that consists of weekly individual therapy, weekly DBT Skills Group, phone coaching between sessions when needed, and your therapist’s weekly participation in a DBT Consultation team. To learn more about DBT, click here.
Our therapists at CCG would conduct an assessment for you and determine if it is possible for you to continue with your individual therapist while participating in the DBT program. In most cases, clients who are already working with another therapist are good candidates for our EFP program. In the EFP program you will learn DBT skills in a group setting, and you will be able to utilize sessions with your individual therapist for additional support in conjunction with the skills taught in EFP. The first step is for a therapist to conduct an assessment to determine the best treatment for each client.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment that was originally designed to help individuals create a life worth living. Comprehensive DBT programs are complex and require full adherence to the Linehan model, which demands extensive training, time, effort, and dedication to the adherent model. A true DBT program requires participation in all four components of comprehensive DBT:
- Weekly Individual Therapy
- Weekly DBT Skills Training in a group setting
- Phone Coaching between sessions
- Therapist participation on a Consultation Team
The Emotion Fitness Program (EFP) is a lower-intensity alternative to DBT that combines psychotherapy and DBT skills work, and doesn’t require commitment to a full DBT program. This program allows for skills to be taught based on individual needs instead of moving through specific stages of treatment. Everyone can benefit from learning DBT skills and principles. EFP is a great option for individuals who do not fully meet the criteria for requiring DBT and do not have suicidal and/or self-harming behaviors. Individuals who are experiencing suicidal and/or self-harming behaviors should seek comprehensive DBT instead.
DBT Skills Group takes 25 weeks to cover all 4 modules, which translates to about 6 months. We consider this one full “cycle” of DBT. Some clients benefit from completing two cycles of DBT Skills Group in order to fully master the skills. We will help you determine the best timeline for your treatment.
Phone coaching is a component of comprehensive DBT that focuses on providing clients with the opportunity to call their individual therapist in between sessions in order to be coached on skills needed in the present moment. Phone coaching helps clients effectively cope or manage difficult situations or crises when urges to engage in harmful behaviors are extremely high.
No, this can be a common misconception before understanding the way phone coaching truly works. When you begin working with your individual therapist, you will be provided a phone coaching agreement with specific boundaries for phone coaching in thorough detail. Phone calls are brief, typically 10 to 15 minutes max. Once the current situation is briefly described by the client, the therapist will converse about skills that have been tried and review other possible helpful skills to try. It is important to remember that phone coaching is not meant for solving or analyzing a crisis, but to assist clients in getting through a crisis without utilizing ineffective or harmful behaviors.
Group Therapy Questions:
In order to enroll in a group, you will complete an intake session with the group leader and will receive an orientation to the group before joining. To enroll in a group, please email info@ccgrouptherapy.com, or call: 1-888-604-6776
Our groups meet once a week for 90 minutes.
Each of our groups are offered at different days and times in order to accommodate scheduling needs for our clients. To learn about our group schedule, please e email info@ccgrouptherapy.com, or call 1-888-604-6776
The Counseling Center Group™ offers adolescent groups, adult groups, and multifamily groups. There are typically about 5-10 participants in one group at a time. The feedback we receive from group participants is that they most appreciated being part of a group with people from different backgrounds and life stages. We also believe that the experience is most beneficial for our clients when there is diversity in all aspects of identity.
General Questions:
Anxiety can present differently for everyone. A general definition of anxiety is when you experience excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Anxiety can also present through physiological symptoms, such as a tight chest, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, sweating, fatigue, or a lump in your throat. If you’re experiencing anxiety, our therapists are here to help. To get started, contact us via email info@ccgrouptherapy.com, or call us at 1-888-604-6776
Depression can present differently for everyone who experiences it. Clinical depression is a mental health disorder that is characterized by having consistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy. Depression can cause a number of symptoms, including a change in sleep, appetite, energy, ability to focus, self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. Depression can lead to a significant impairment of daily life, and we’re here to help. If you’re experiencing depression and seeking help, email info@ccgrouptherapy.com, or call us at: 1-888-604-6776
Depression can present differently for everyone who experiences it. Clinical depression is a mental health disorder that is characterized by having consistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy. Depression can cause a number of symptoms, including a change in sleep, appetite, energy, ability to focus, self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. Depression can lead to a significant impairment of daily life, and we’re here to help. If you’re experiencing depression and seeking help, email info@ccgrouptherapy.com, or call us at 1-888-604-6776
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder that influences the way an individual feels and thinks about themselves and others, which can lead to difficulty with activities of daily living. Some symptoms of BPD include:
- Patterns of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships
- Fear of abandonment
- Identity disturbance/instability/distortion
- Self-damaging impulsivity
- Feelings of emptiness
- Intense anger/lack of control of anger
- Stress-related dissociation or paranoia
- Recurrent self-mutilating behavior, suicidal ideation, or suicidal behavior.
BPD typically develops by early adulthood. DBT has been proven to be a highly effective treatment for individuals diagnosed with BPD. If you have been diagnosed with BPD or experience some of the previous symptoms and are seeking a more fulfilling life, CCG is here for you.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that may develop after an individual experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. PTSD can also occur from learning a close family member or friend experienced a traumatic event, or from experiencing repeated/extreme exposure to aversive details of a traumatic event. Not everyone who witnesses or experiences a traumatic event develops PTSD.
Triggers from the traumatic event can bring an individual back to the memories of that moment with extremely intense physical and emotional symptoms. PTSD may also lead to nightmares, anxiety, depression, and avoidance of triggers. More specific symptoms are listed below:
- Recurrent and intrusive memories of the event that are involuntary and distressing
- Recurrent distressing dreams with either the content or affect of the dream are related to the event
- Dissociative reactions, or flashbacks, in which an individual feels as if the event were reoccurring in real time.
- Psychological distress from exposure to internal or external triggers symbolizing or resembling the event
- Avoidance of triggers; either by avoiding distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings or avoidance of external reminders (people, places, conversations, objects, activities, situations) that may cause distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings associated with the event
PTSD may last for a few months or years. Our therapists at CCG offer various effective trauma-based therapies to help you heal.
Individuals with emotional dysregulation experience intense emotions frequently and for long periods of time. This can inhibit one’s ability to have full control over their emotions, ability to problem solve in order to reduce anger or anxiety, and use of proper coping skills. Emotional dysregulation can lead to behavioral problems that may interfere with interpersonal relationships at home, school, or work.
Individuals who experience emotional dysregulation can develop behavioral dysregulation due to having difficulties accepting their emotional responses. Behavior dysregulation may include:
- Self-harm behaviors
- Suicidal ideation
- Suicidal attempts
- Substance abuse
- Impulsivity
These dysregulatory behaviors aim to temporarily decrease current emotional distress in the moment. However, these behaviors are not efficient for long-lasting positive change.
