Frequently Asked Questions

We know getting started in therapy can be daunting and it often comes with a lot of questions! If you have a question you don't see the answer for here, please reach out to us at info@serenityhousecounseling.com or call/text us at 936-259-2119 and we will answer your questions as quickly as possible!

Are you open late hours or weekends?

We have virtual therapy appointments available 7 days a week with appointments as late as 7pm.

In the Livingston office, we currently have in-office appointments available Monday-Friday from approximately 8AM until 7PM and Saturdays from 9-4.

In the Arlington office, we currently have in-office appointments available Monday through Friday and Saturday/Sunday from 2-5.

Does your office write Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Letters?

At this time, our office does not write ESA Letters. There are a variety of reasons for this, including legal and liability concerns, and the need for specialized training. At this time, we do not have any staff members who have this specialized training.

If you are in need of an ESA Letter, you can contact USServiceAnimals.org and make an appointment with a clinician trained specifically in this domain.

Can I use my insurance?

In most cases, yes. Serenity House Counseling is in-network with Aetna, Beacon, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, First Health, 90 Degree Benefits, TRICARE West, TriWest, CHAMPVA, and VA Community Care, and we can submit claims directly to your insurance company on your behalf.

If you plan to use out-of-network benefits, we can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement, depending on your plan.

At times, we may not be able to immediately accommodate your preferred insurance plan, office location, or appointment time due to availability with in-network therapists. If this occurs, we will do our best to offer alternative options, including therapists who provide reduced-cost cash-pay services.

Some clients also choose to pay privately rather than use insurance in order to limit the sharing of mental health diagnoses or treatment records with insurance companies.

Can everyone in your office take insurance?

No, unfortunately, due to insurance credentialing rules, not all staff are able to take insurance. Our fully licensed staff (LPC, LPC-S, LMFT) are credentialed with *most* insurance plans but not all.

I'm in deductible right now, what should I expect to pay for services?

This is not an easy question to answer as every insurance plan has different contracted rates and different allowances for what applies toward the deductible and what is not impacted by the deductible.

If your plan does require you to pay the deductible amount for your therapy services, it can range from $50-$115 a session depending on your insurance for plans we are in-network with.

All quoted amounts are estimates based on information provided by your insurance. We cannot guarantee the actual charges until your insurance confirms the official amount owed after receiving your initial claim.

What does it cost to see someone for therapy without insurance?

We have 3 different rates that we see clients at.

Our interns see clients for $30 a session (45 minutes). (cannot accept insurance)

Our LPC Associates see clients for $75 a session (45 minutes). (can only accept Cigna, Aetna, BCBS)

Our LPCs, LPC-S, and LMFTs see clients for $100 a session (45 minutes) or $150 a session (60 minutes). (can accept most insurances)

I (or my child) have Medicaid, will it cost me to see a therapist?

It depends on the Medicaid plan and the provider you choose to work with. Our interns and associates cannot take Medicaid and the cash prices will apply.

We will try to first match you with a provider that can accept your plan, along with your preferences for in-office versus virtual therapy. If we are not able to match your preferences of insurance and location, then you will be offered alternative providers at a cash-pay rate.

Most of our LPCs, LPC-Ss, and LMFTs can accept some versions of Medicaid but several are still pending acceptance from the specific plan's credentialing teams.

Currently, we accept Amerigroup, Community Health Choice, Molina, Superior, Texas Children's Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare Medicaid plans.

My child needs play therapy and they have Medicaid, can you see them?

Possibly! At present, only one of our two play therapists can accept Medicaid plans, so her schedule remains full. We accept most commercial plans for play therapy. We also offer reduced-cost access to play therapy through our interns and associates. If this changes, we will update that here!

You mentioned my therapist might be an intern, what does that mean?

Great question! We are a training site for up-and-coming therapists and we often accept counseling student interns to help meet the needs of the community while giving them a rich internship experience. Counseling Student Interns are in the final semesters of their graduate program and are completing their residency requirements for graduation. They are provided with ample supervision weekly (a minimum of 3 hours!) to ensure that they are learning and meeting their client's needs effectively. As this is a learning opportunity for them, we are able to provide reduced-cost therapy services for our local community. Don't mistake the reduced cost for lower quality!

You mentioned my therapist might be an LPC Associate, what does that mean?

LPC Associates have graduated with their Master's Degree and are working on the requirements from the state for full unrestricted licensing. They are required to do an additional 3000 hours of supervised experience before they can practice without supervision.

What payment methods do you accept?

We can accept cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and HSA or FSA cards.

What commercial insurance plans do you take?

We currently accept the following commercial plans:

Aetna

Beacon

BCBS

Cigna

UnitedHealthcare

Optum

First Health

90 Degree Plans

Tricare East

Triwest