Frequently Asked Questions
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We normalize and honor your individual experience. There is not a “one size fits all” approach. We view your identities as important and relevant to what will make you feel most comfortable and supported in therapy. We work hard to honor and create space for all aspects of your identity. We are also knowledgeable about correct language and LGBTQ+ history. We are committed to hearing your feedback about what you need from therapy. We are also committed to our own self-work and actively participate in learning opportunities (e.g., workshops, consultation) to not only stay informed, but to expand the ways we provide affirming therapy. If you have more questions about this, please ask!
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You are welcome here! All bodies, all genders, all expressions are welcome here at Rooted Acorn Counseling!
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We provide therapy to anyone seeking personal growth and strive to be inclusive not exclusive. We concentrate on working with LGBTQ+ folks and we enjoy working with allies too! If you are a straight ally or in a straight relationship and you support equal civil rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ social movements, then please reach out to talk more with us.
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Ready to start therapy? Great! The first step is to send us a message to schedule an initial consultation. Message us here!
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We return inquiry emails within one to two business days, Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. Inquiries received Friday late afternoon or evening as well as inquires received on weekends will be returned on Monday. Please check your junk mail or spam folders if not hearing from us within the time frame previously noted.
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The initial consultation is a great opportunity for you to meet briefly with one of our therapists. This is a brief conversation where your therapist will ask you questions about you and what you're looking for in therapy. There will also be time for you to ask questions about logistics, therapeutic methods, and your therapist's experience. Read more here.
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Our standard fee for individual therapy is $165 per session. Our standard fee for relationship therapy, sometimes referred to as "couple's therapy" is $195 per session.
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If you are concerned about your ability to afford counseling, let's discuss your situation. Depending on availability, as well as genuine and sincere financial need, we may be able to offer you a reduced price.
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We accept credit cards and/or HSA cards for services. For your convenience, our secure portal uses Stripe for all payments and will securely save your card for auto-payments. Through our portal, you will be able to change cards at any time or pay late payments should there be an issue with your card.
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We request at minimum 24 hours advanced notice if you wish to cancel or reschedule your session. For any no show or late cancellation, you will be charged the full session fee. We are aware that life happens and Colorado winters are unpredictable! We are always willing to offer make-up sessions in the case of emergency, illness and dangerous driving conditions.
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We are out-of-network (OON) with all insurance and unable to bill your insurance. You may see us listed in your insurance portal. This is because we were previously in-network at a different therapy practice. However, Rooted Acorn Counseling is not in-network.
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There are many reasons we do not accept insurance. Not contracting with insurance companies allows us freedom as therapists to focus on providing quality services to you. We have the time and resources to be fully focused on each individual. Insurance companies reimburse private practice therapists at a rate that is not sustainable without therapists making choices to overbook their calendars. The latter impacts therapists and the folks choosing to work with them. When therapists are overbooked, they are less effective, less present, and more prone to burnout, which then negatively impacts the quality of care you are ultimately receiving. We know this scenario never serves anyone involved. It sucks! So, we have made the difficult choice to not contract with insurance companies. We do offer a limited number of sliding scale spots to offset this and know this is only a small way we can impact this much larger scale issue.
Another reason we do not accept insurance is confidentiality. A priority we hold is protecting your privacy as a client. You can expect more privacy and control over your therapy when not using insurance. Insurance companies require a psychiatric diagnosis for insurance reimbursement. Most people do not realize that this diagnosis may become part of your permanent health records. Working with therapists out-of-network allows you to choose a therapist on your own and to attend therapy meetings as much as you choose. There may be limitations regarding frequency and duration of therapy when choosing in-network providers.
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If you have out-of-network benefits, it is possible you may be eligible for partial reimbursement from your insurance. We are happy to provide a Superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. We cannot guarantee any out-of-network coverage. So, we do recommend contacting your insurance provider ahead of time to determine any out-of-network coverage.
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Insurance plans can be complicated. It is always best practice to contact your insurance customer service representative to learn about what is covered and what is not covered. Here are some questions to ask your insurance company:* 1) Do I have Mental Health benefits?; 2) What are my Out of Network benefits?; 3) Is there a deductible before I am reimbursed?; 4) Can I submit my own claims?; 5) What is your reimbursement rate?; 6) Do I have a maximum amount of money or visits that are allowed? *This list is not comprehensive, but a starting point to understanding your coverage.
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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. Read the full notice here about the Good Faith Estimate to understand your rights.
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Yes, we offer Telehealth, video appointments to residents of Colorado! No need to drive through traffic across the Front Range for appointments any more. Telehealth is also a great option for folks in Colorado who live outside of Denver in the mountains and the Western Slope.
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Telehealth has been found to be an effective modality for therapy and helps make it more convenient and accessible.
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Yes, we do offer Telehealth appointments for couples therapy. Telehealth has been found to be an effective modality for therapy, including relationship therapy. However, individual modality preferences are important to consider too, and we understand that. However, at this time, we do not provide in-person couples therapy.
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We use Microsoft Teams for all Telehealth, video appointments. This is a secure and HIPAA compliant platform. For each appointment, we will send you a meeting invitation to your email. Each meeting invitation has a purple or blue join link that says, "Click here to join the meeting." If you have Gmail, please accept the invitation. This makes it easier to find it on the day of your appointment. If you are using a device like a phone or tablet to join your appointment, you will need to download the Microsoft Teams app from your device's app store. If you are using a laptop or desktop computer, you can join through your browser. We find that Chrome works best. Be sure to give Chrome permission to use your microphone and camera for your appointment. You are welcome to test your setup before your appointment using the join link we send you for your appointment. If you have any issues, please text, email, or call us.
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In-person appointments are determined per therapist. Currently, both Sharon and Lindsay have limited availability for in-person appointments. Sharon is in office on Thursdays and Lindsay on Tuesdays.
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Our office is conveniently located at 789 Sherman Street, Denver, CO 80203, near Cap Hill neighborhood.
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To protect our therapists, all in-person clients must upload their Covid-19 vaccination cards to the portal. For your health, the health of other in-person clients, and our therapists, please do not come to your appointment if you have any symptoms. Even if you are confident your symptoms are allergies, in an abundance of caution, please do not come to the office. Those with symptoms of cold, flu, or covid-19 will be asked to leave and your appointment rescheduled. We are happy to switch your appointment to Telehealth. However, if you are too ill to attend your appointment in-person or via video, we are happy to reschedule your appointment. Please text, email, or call your therapist directly to work out a plan.
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There is limited free visitor parking, free 2 hour street parking, and metered parking. Details will be included in your appointment reminders.
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There is a secure/bolted bike rack on the south side of the building under the awning of the building. If a bike is already there, it is challenging to fit another bike, and we often lock it to the metal railing. We value carless transportation and are bugging building management for sufficient bike/scooter parking.
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Yes, our office is located in a building that follows Denver ADA accessibility requirements.
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Yes, we have a gender-neutral restroom! Information will be included in your appointment reminders.
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Read our guide on what to expect in your first therapy appointment!
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Homework will not be a requirement of your therapy unless it is helpful to you and your growth. We recognize that for some folks that accountability and tangible objectives are motivating, so if you are thinking this is you, let’s work together to set-up targeted at-home practice. Please know you are empowered to grow and approach therapy in a way that is unique and beneficial to you. Homework will never be something we will require, or insist that you complete as part of your therapy.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy that assists a person with reprocessing traumatic memories and feelings. It can be very structured or can be weaved into your existing therapy work by building coping skills to manage emotions and retriggering events.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) consists of behavioral interventions and is based on principles of behavioral science. The goals are to help people live a life that has vitality and that is aligned with what matters the most to them. ACT is about making space for those parts of life that are painful, so that the fullness of life can be experienced. ACT interventions involve learning new ways of coping with painful thoughts, feelings, painful memories and/or physical sensations. Some of the skills cultivated and/or outcomes in therapy may include: values exploration and identification, learning more about emotions and how they show up for you/your child, skills in mindfulness and emotional regulation, development of compassion for self and others, and more meaningful connections with others.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based model of psychotherapy specifically focused on healing internal wounds. IFS views the self as containing parts that are in conflict and works to develop self-leadership skills to heal wounds and care for the different parts of the self.
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The gold standard of couples therapy is Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). This model of treatment goes beyond practicing skills and goes to the heart of relationship stress—attachment, belonging, and connection. Studies have shown, that after completing EFT therapy, couples show excellent follow-up results and that progress for the couple continues long after sessions have concluded. That means that EFT not only works while doing the work in sessions, it continues to work after you end therapy. Read more about Relationship Therapy here.
