No Cancellation Policy

An appreciable change occurs when your appointments are consistently scheduled and regularly attended.

Please note that we implement a “No Cancellation Policy.” Your standing appointments are what we call “your time” meaning that we will honor “your time” in expectation of rendering you professional and courteous service for your scheduled appointment. With this policy, rescheduling is preferred over cancellation.

Since scheduling of an appointment involves the reservation of time specifically for you, a minimum of 48-hours’ notice is required to reschedule your appointment.

If you miss or do not show up at “your time,” please be aware that you will be charged the full-fee for each missed/no-show therapy session including missed rescheduled appointments. 

Please note that insurance health plans do not pay for missed appointments; these charges will be entirely your responsibility.

We understand that on rare occasions, true emergencies may arise. We will do our absolute best to assist with rescheduling paid missed sessions due to true emergencies. Rescheduling appointments are highly dependent on availability that mutually converges for the client and counselor.

Rescheduled sessions DO NOT replace already scheduled weekly appointments. 

Our collaboration is purposeful and significant; because it bridges the gap between your vision and evolution towards a flourishing and meaningful life. 

Moreover, our appreciation of money and time reflects our professional self-worth and how we value the therapeutic alliance between our clients and ourselves. Therefore, we humbly request your empathetic perspective to imagine going to work and not getting paid. Our counselors and coaches possess similar sustaining responsibilities as well. Consecutive missed appointments can be offered to clients who could benefit from a session. Unlike other medical professions, psychotherapy isn’t one that can be rapidly scheduled with a short waiting period.   The cost of this professional investment is driven by the creation of value of our empowered psychological properties. It is the price whom one contributes towards one’s evolving change….and we are both worth it.

Billing and Payment Policy

Counseling sessions usually last 45-50 minutes, and we must end each session promptly. Payment for services may be rendered by cash, check (payable to “BN Counseling”), credit cards, HAS/FSA Cards or via Apps like VENMO, ZELLE, Cash App, at the time of service, unless an alternative payment arrangement has been negotiated prior to services. Our office charges a $35 fee for any check returned for any reason.

At BN Counseling we respectfully request for your credit card information to ‘hold’ your reserved appointment, similar to when reservation agents ask for a credit card to hold a hotel room or a table at a restaurant.

This helps reduce no-shows, ensures the appointment is paid for late cancellations & missed appointments, because insurance health plans do not pay for missed appointments.

Please be informed that there is a 3.5% fee on all credit card transactions.

Payments with a Flexible Spending Card are exempted from the fee.

Periodically, fees will be increased; no more than once per year for cost-of-living adjustments with the courtesy of advanced notice where you are encouraged to express any financial concerns with your therapist.

In addition to your weekly appointments, please note that we charge an hourly rate for other professional/legal services you may need such as report writing, mental health assessments, telephone conversations longer than 15 minutes, teleconferences with other professionals you have authorized, preparation of records and/or treatment summaries, etc.

If there is a request letters to be written for any reason (school letters, clearance letters for court proceedings, DCP&P, etc.) you will be billed at a rate of $100 per letter; that rate also pertains to revisions at your request and $50 for any email transactions.

Please keep in mind that while we are dedicated to offering you a pleasant and rewarding therapeutic experience, we do this with the expectation that you will render us that same respect and professional courtesy by honoring our payment policies.

Confidentiality & Privacy Policy

With some exceptions, the highly sensitive material that is discussed between you and your BNC therapist will not be shared with anyone else without your written permission. Please note the following exceptions:

• In the case of suspected child abuse, dependent adult or elder abuse, we are mandated by law to immediately report this type of behavior to the appropriate authorities.
• If a client threatens serious bodily harm to an identified individual(s), we are mandated by law to contact the police and inform the identified victim of potential harm.
•  If a client intends to harm him or herself, we are mandated by law to assist that person with receiving appropriate assistance that will ensure their safety.
• The financial part of our relationship also imposes some confidentiality limits. If you are using insurance or another third-party payer, our office must share certain information with them, including (but not necessarily limited to) your diagnosis and the times of your visits. If there is a managed care company, they may require us to provide additional information, such as your symptoms and your progress.
• You should also understand that insurance and managed care information is often stored in national computer databases. If we find ourselves in a dispute with you over billing, our office may provide the collection company with information necessary to collect any outstanding balance.

Social Media Policy

The well-being of our clients is our first priority. The use of social media for BN Counseling, LLC functions as a good-faith attempt to educate and promote mental health. Please be informed that choosing to ‘follow’, ‘like’, comment on a statement or leave unsolicited testimonials, raises the risk of confidentiality because the information is visible to others.

Due to privacy concerns, there will be NO personal treatment discussions, consultation or advise sharing. The appropriate method for clients to discuss a concern is to schedule an appointment; and for potential clients to reach us via our  Contact Us page or by telephone at 201-668-1001.

Telephone and Email Communications Policy

As we value your time and mental health needs, all attempts to contact us via telephone or email will be reciprocated within 24 hours with the exceptions of weekends and holidays. Due to privacy concerns, we will only use these methods of communication for logistical purposes such as scheduling appointments and/or noting cancellations.

If experiencing an emergency or crisis, please call 911 or visit your local emergency room immediately.

When we are out of the office for several days, the messages you leave may be answered by another counselor. We will probably not have discussed your case with that person, but he or she will make every effort to be helpful to you in our absence. If we have another professional taking calls while we are away, please realize that we have confidence that that professional is properly trained to be helpful to you. To the extent possible, we will keep you informed about when we are away from the office and when we will return.

Termination Policy

Termination is often shunned or hurried. It’s hard to say good-bye, to someone who has intimately collaborated with you. Another phase of individuation that may bring up an assortment of emotions like sadness, regret,  anger and loss. With the sudden realization at the shortness of time, unconscious repressed emotions may emerge.

Typically, we require at least 4 sessions for closure. We encourage clients to set an end date to reflect the following:

• Your growth and evolution
• Unfinished business [if any]
• Your sustainable self-care plans
• To celebrate & mourn the therapeutic closure

With some cases we require an advanced written notice for termination. The duration of this process is dependent on the inter-dynamics between the therapist and client.

Termination may be the end of a therapeutic process, but not the end of a relationship, because we continue to hold the existential meaning in our hearts.