What to Expect

Therapy, also called psychotherapy or counseling, is the process of talking to a trained professional about a wide range of life challenges: emotional distress, anxiety, family difficulties, trauma, mood problems, grief and loss, or relationship problems. It can also be used to aid in personal growth, meet personal goals, and improve the ability to cope with stress and everyday problems.

Currently we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare. We also offer a self-pay rate for those not wanting to use their insurance or who have an insurance we do not accept. Our self-pay rates are $150 for initial intake appointments and $125 for each additional session. For those needing more affordable care, we offer appointments with a graduate counseling intern completing their internship hours at Good Life Therapy, under direct supervision of a fully-licensed therapist at our office. Rates to see an intern are $50 for intake and $30 each additional session. To discuss your options further, please contact our office at 515-679-3947.

Once you’ve confirmed an appointment you will receive information and access to a secure HIPAA compliant patient portal. There you’ll complete the necessary forms to begin treatment. When you arrive at your first appointment we ask that you bring a copy of your insurance card and a credit/debit card to keep on file for co-pays or unmet deductibles. You can also upload images of your insurance card and input credit card information into your patient portal.

At a first appointment you and your therapist will take some time getting to know each other. Your therapist will ask a variety of questions in order to get a comprehensive picture of  your background, experiences, stressors, relationships, symptoms, etc.

You will also spend time identifying what you hope to get out of your counseling experience. The first session also provides a good opportunity for you to decide if your therapist is a good fit for you. From there, you and your therapist will work to set individually tailored goals for therapy moving forward.

Each individual and situation is unique. Some people will find resolution after a few sessions. Most people find that they benefit from multiple sessions.

Each session will range from 45-53 minutes.

As you and your therapist begin to work together and build a therapeutic relationship we typically recommend starting with weekly sessions. As you work towards meeting goals and experiencing decreased distress and symptoms, we often encourage tapering to bi-weekly sessions. However, we know that weekly sessions may not be feasible for everyone. We encourage you to talk with your provider to make a plan that best fits your schedule and in some cases your financial circumstances.

Taking medication is voluntary, but it may be indicated for certain disorders or problems. This will be part of the discussion with your therapist. We have a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner on staff who is available for evaluation and consultation, and who can prescribe medication.

Yes. We understand that not everyone is able/ or always wants in-person appointments due to commute times, work schedules, illness, bad weather, or just personal preference. All of our therapists offer the option of doing a secure telehealth session. Telehealth is a secure, electronic way to connect with your provider and hold your appointments via a secure video system. To ensure your privacy, and ability to fully utilize your session successfully, you need to be in a private, secure area. Although you can be in a car for privacy, you may not be driving the vehicle while on the session. Additional information regarding telehealth will be provided in your initial paperwork once you schedule an appointment and further questions can be addressed with your therapist or our administrative staff.

If you are not in the state in which your provider is licensed to practice, then your clinician will be unable to meet with you. You may review this information with your provider. If you are going to be traveling outside the state of Iowa you will need to let your provider know in order to schedule accordingly.

We follow strict HIPAA guidelines to ensure that your personal information is always kept secure. When you make your appointment you will receive documents outlining the protections of your privacy under current law.

Request an appointment below, email us at info@goodlifetherapy.com, or give us a call at (515) 679-3947.