Susan L. Roberts, MA NCC LCPC
Counseling for Adults
815.754.9777
Counseling for Adults
815.754.9777
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What benefits can I expect from working with a counselor or psychotherapist?
People experience many benefits from their participation in counseling. To list a few:
There is no guarantee that your experience will be exactly like any of the above.
However, positive life change usually comes about through willingness and some
effort on your part. Once in a while counseling can open up old suppressed feelings
and you might feel worse for a while until these have been processed and worked
through.
It’s important to me that you experience positive benefit from our working together and I
will ask you for feedback on our process.
What if one of my family members or a friend calls you on the phone? Counseling is
a completely private situation. I cannot legally speak with anyone about you or even
admit that you are my client without your specific written and signed consent, an
"Authorization to Release Information". The only times when I may speak about you
without your permission are if you threaten harm to yourself (suicidal) or another
person, or if you admit to abusing a child or an elderly person.
My doctor wants to talk with you. Can I just give him your phone number? I would
be happy to speak with any health professional with whom you are a patient. However,
before I can do that, you will need to sign an “Authorization to Release Information”
form permitting me to do so.
What if we see each other out in the community? It’s true, I do have a life outside of
my office and we might see each other at the grocery store or the post office…
Because the relationship between client and counselor is a unique one and only takes
place within the environment of the counseling session, it is important that I maintain
appropriate professional boundaries with my clients. Out of respect for your privacy
and right to confidentiality, I will acknowledge you only if you initiate contact with me. I
will gladly respond to a smile with a smile, a hello with a hello, etc. It is okay, however,
to not acknowledge that you see me, especially if you are with others and do not want
them to know who I am or that you are seeing a counselor.
What is your policy on cancellations and/or rescheduling of appointments? I ask for
at least 24 hours notice when you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. If you
cancel within less than 24 hours or just don’t show up for an appointment, I may
charge a late cancellation fee. Of course I will be flexible on this when there is a true
emergency.
What if I have an emergency and need to talk with you right away? I return calls as
soon as possible, but I often have other client appointments or might be away from the
office During regular business hours (M-F, 8am-5pm), if I am not in the office, I check
my voice mail about every 2 hours. When I am in session with clients, I do not answer
the phone. You may always leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I am
free to do so. I usually will not check for voice mail messages after 8:00 PM in the
evening and will check less frequently during weekends and holidays. If you are
experiencing an emergency that requires immediate assistance, please call 911 or
go to your local hospital emergency room. You can also call the Ben Gordon Center
Response line at 866-242-0111 to speak with a crisis counselor. I do not generally
provide counseling over the phone and if there is a need for this, a prorated fee will be
charged. Also, If I plan to be away on vacation for a week or more, I will let you know
well in advance so that we can make arrangements for your care, if needed, during my
absence.
May I email you with questions, information, or an appointment change? For
potential new clients click on Contact Susan Roberts. I cannot use email to
communicate with current clients because I cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any
information we might exchange via email. I’m always happy to answer questions or
manage appointments over the telephone.
What is all that “alphabet soup” after your name? MA is my degree from Argosy
University: Master of Arts in Professional Counseling. I am not a “doctor” of any kind. I
am a “master’s level” counselor/psychotherapist/therapist. Those three words are
interchangeable. NCC (National Certified Counselor by the National Board for Certified
Counselors) is a national certification: meaning that I meet certain national mental
health counseling standards through taking an examination. LCPC (Licensed Clinical
Professional Counselor) is my license granted by the state of Illinois allowing me to
engage in the private practice of mental health counseling, or in other words, to provide
psychotherapy/counseling without any supervision. The LCPC license is obtained
through meeting certain educational standards, a minimum of two years of post
graduate supervised full time employment as a counselor, usually in an agency
setting, and the passing of two licensure exams given by the state of Illinois. It is
equivalent with LCSW, the license held by social workers who are in private practice
and, also in Illinois, LMFT, the license held by marriage and family counselors who are
in private practice.
So you are not a psychologist or a psychiatrist? That’s true. I am neither. A clinical
psychologist has a doctoral degree, PhD or PsyD. They may see clients for counseling
or therapy, and in addition, can provide formal psychological testing and assessment,
sometimes teach in university/college settings and/or engage in research. A
psychiatrist is always an MD, a medical doctor, a physician. All MDs, including your
primary care doctor, are currently the only health professionals who can prescribe
psychiatric medications.
What exactly is a Professional Counselor? The American Counseling Association
includes in its definition of professional counseling: “The diagnosis and treatment of
mental, emotional and addictive disorders, and psycho-educational techniques aimed
at the prevention of such disorders... Consultation to individuals, couples, families,
groups and organizations, and research into the most effective therapeutic treatment
modalities… Counselors are trained in the provision of counseling and therapy, as
well as the etiology of mental illness and substance abuse disorders.” The American
Mental Health Counselors Association states that “Professional Counselors combine
traditional psychotherapy with a problem solving approach that creates a dynamic and
efficient path for change and problem resolution.” Professional counselors also aid
their clients with relationship issues, career and employment concerns, furthering
personal growth, behavior changes and many other life stressors.
How often and/or how long will I have to come see you? There is not a specific
answer to this question. Generally, people see me once a week. If a person is in
crisis, we may meet more than once a week. Depending on the simplicity or complexity
of the situations we are working on, counseling/therapy can take as little as 1-4 weeks,
or continue for a few months or longer. A very general average is 6-12 weeks. We will
meet every week for the first month or two and then taper off to every other week or
monthly appointments as situations improve in your life. We will talk about how the
counseling process comes to a closure. Sometimes people return to counseling for a
session or two to work on a new problem or just engage in a “tune up” on long-
standing issues.
People experience many benefits from their participation in counseling. To list a few:
- Just knowing that someone understands your situation;
- Obtaining a fresh perspective on a difficult situation that can lead to problem
resolution; developing coping strategies to diminish depression or anxiety; - Assistance in managing career, personal or spiritual growth;
- Positive shifts in family or relationship problems;
- Improved decision making;
- Development of life skills and coping strategies for awkward or difficult
situations; better ways to manage anger and other emotions; - Learning how to listen and communicate better with others;
- Replacing old unhealthy patterns with new positive behaviors;
- Increased self-esteem.
There is no guarantee that your experience will be exactly like any of the above.
However, positive life change usually comes about through willingness and some
effort on your part. Once in a while counseling can open up old suppressed feelings
and you might feel worse for a while until these have been processed and worked
through.
It’s important to me that you experience positive benefit from our working together and I
will ask you for feedback on our process.
What if one of my family members or a friend calls you on the phone? Counseling is
a completely private situation. I cannot legally speak with anyone about you or even
admit that you are my client without your specific written and signed consent, an
"Authorization to Release Information". The only times when I may speak about you
without your permission are if you threaten harm to yourself (suicidal) or another
person, or if you admit to abusing a child or an elderly person.
My doctor wants to talk with you. Can I just give him your phone number? I would
be happy to speak with any health professional with whom you are a patient. However,
before I can do that, you will need to sign an “Authorization to Release Information”
form permitting me to do so.
What if we see each other out in the community? It’s true, I do have a life outside of
my office and we might see each other at the grocery store or the post office…
Because the relationship between client and counselor is a unique one and only takes
place within the environment of the counseling session, it is important that I maintain
appropriate professional boundaries with my clients. Out of respect for your privacy
and right to confidentiality, I will acknowledge you only if you initiate contact with me. I
will gladly respond to a smile with a smile, a hello with a hello, etc. It is okay, however,
to not acknowledge that you see me, especially if you are with others and do not want
them to know who I am or that you are seeing a counselor.
What is your policy on cancellations and/or rescheduling of appointments? I ask for
at least 24 hours notice when you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. If you
cancel within less than 24 hours or just don’t show up for an appointment, I may
charge a late cancellation fee. Of course I will be flexible on this when there is a true
emergency.
What if I have an emergency and need to talk with you right away? I return calls as
soon as possible, but I often have other client appointments or might be away from the
office During regular business hours (M-F, 8am-5pm), if I am not in the office, I check
my voice mail about every 2 hours. When I am in session with clients, I do not answer
the phone. You may always leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I am
free to do so. I usually will not check for voice mail messages after 8:00 PM in the
evening and will check less frequently during weekends and holidays. If you are
experiencing an emergency that requires immediate assistance, please call 911 or
go to your local hospital emergency room. You can also call the Ben Gordon Center
Response line at 866-242-0111 to speak with a crisis counselor. I do not generally
provide counseling over the phone and if there is a need for this, a prorated fee will be
charged. Also, If I plan to be away on vacation for a week or more, I will let you know
well in advance so that we can make arrangements for your care, if needed, during my
absence.
May I email you with questions, information, or an appointment change? For
potential new clients click on Contact Susan Roberts. I cannot use email to
communicate with current clients because I cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any
information we might exchange via email. I’m always happy to answer questions or
manage appointments over the telephone.
What is all that “alphabet soup” after your name? MA is my degree from Argosy
University: Master of Arts in Professional Counseling. I am not a “doctor” of any kind. I
am a “master’s level” counselor/psychotherapist/therapist. Those three words are
interchangeable. NCC (National Certified Counselor by the National Board for Certified
Counselors) is a national certification: meaning that I meet certain national mental
health counseling standards through taking an examination. LCPC (Licensed Clinical
Professional Counselor) is my license granted by the state of Illinois allowing me to
engage in the private practice of mental health counseling, or in other words, to provide
psychotherapy/counseling without any supervision. The LCPC license is obtained
through meeting certain educational standards, a minimum of two years of post
graduate supervised full time employment as a counselor, usually in an agency
setting, and the passing of two licensure exams given by the state of Illinois. It is
equivalent with LCSW, the license held by social workers who are in private practice
and, also in Illinois, LMFT, the license held by marriage and family counselors who are
in private practice.
So you are not a psychologist or a psychiatrist? That’s true. I am neither. A clinical
psychologist has a doctoral degree, PhD or PsyD. They may see clients for counseling
or therapy, and in addition, can provide formal psychological testing and assessment,
sometimes teach in university/college settings and/or engage in research. A
psychiatrist is always an MD, a medical doctor, a physician. All MDs, including your
primary care doctor, are currently the only health professionals who can prescribe
psychiatric medications.
What exactly is a Professional Counselor? The American Counseling Association
includes in its definition of professional counseling: “The diagnosis and treatment of
mental, emotional and addictive disorders, and psycho-educational techniques aimed
at the prevention of such disorders... Consultation to individuals, couples, families,
groups and organizations, and research into the most effective therapeutic treatment
modalities… Counselors are trained in the provision of counseling and therapy, as
well as the etiology of mental illness and substance abuse disorders.” The American
Mental Health Counselors Association states that “Professional Counselors combine
traditional psychotherapy with a problem solving approach that creates a dynamic and
efficient path for change and problem resolution.” Professional counselors also aid
their clients with relationship issues, career and employment concerns, furthering
personal growth, behavior changes and many other life stressors.
How often and/or how long will I have to come see you? There is not a specific
answer to this question. Generally, people see me once a week. If a person is in
crisis, we may meet more than once a week. Depending on the simplicity or complexity
of the situations we are working on, counseling/therapy can take as little as 1-4 weeks,
or continue for a few months or longer. A very general average is 6-12 weeks. We will
meet every week for the first month or two and then taper off to every other week or
monthly appointments as situations improve in your life. We will talk about how the
counseling process comes to a closure. Sometimes people return to counseling for a
session or two to work on a new problem or just engage in a “tune up” on long-
standing issues.
| If you have questions about the following, or any other concerns, please feel free to call my office and I will be happy to speak with you. You may also ask a question by clicking on Contact Susan Roberts. At the first appointment, we will go over an Informed Consent document that explains in greater detail the many parameters of the counseling relationship, including your rights as a client. |
Counseling FAQ
Copyright: 2008 Susan L. Roberts
