Taking the first steps to receive counseling can seem overwhelming and uncomfortable.  Four Peaks Counseling Services wants to make beginning this process as smooth and as comfortable as possible for you.  To begin, we would like to discuss common points of concern or questions that many clients experience.  If we fail to address any of your questions or concerns below, please feel free to contact our office for more information.

The next step will be to call our office at 480-840-7467.  Please make sure to leave a message if we do not answer your call.  It is very possible that we will be in a session when you call, and won’t be able to answer the phone.  If you leave a message with your name, phone number, the best time to reach you, and if it is safe to leave a message on your voicemail, we will make sure to call you back as soon as possible, typically within 24-48 business hours.

During your first phone call, basic information will be collected including: your name, contact information, and reason for seeking counseling.  Our fees will also be discussed with you during this call.  At this time, our practice is only contracted with United Health Care/Optum, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and Magellan insurance companies.  However, if you have other insurance, we will provide you with receipts that you can submit for your own reimbursement per your health plan.  We understand that insurance can be complicated and confusing, so if you have any questions about this, please just let our office know.  We will do our best to help facilitate this process with you.  After all of the necessary information is obtained and discussed, your first session will be scheduled. 

After you schedule your initial appointment, we will email you a confirmation of your appointment time and paperwork to be filled out, similar to what you might normally fill out at a doctor’s office. Please bring your completed paperwork and your driver’s license or ID to your first appointment.  If you are unable to complete the paperwork ahead of time, please arrive 5 – 10 minutes early to ensure you have ample time to complete the forms, as the counselor cannot see you until the paperwork is completed.

When you arrive for your first session, you will be asked to complete the necessary paperwork, if you were not able to do so prior to the appointment.  Your therapist will also collect payment at this time.  The therapist will discuss the therapy process and answer any questions that you may have prior to beginning.  The therapist will help facilitate the conversation to obtain important information about the issues you would like to be addressed in counseling.  Together, you and the therapist, will then set out to establish some goals that you would like to work on in counseling.  If you feel like your therapist is a good fit for what you are looking for, your next session will be scheduled at the end of the first appointment.  If for any reason, you or your therapist feel that it would be best if you were to see a different therapist, a referral will be provided to you.  Sometimes, your needs may not match up with the expertise of our therapists; therefore, we may need to provide you with a referral to another therapist in the community. Our goal is to make sure that you feel comfortable and confident in the services that you are being provided. 

Due to the fact that every client has their own goals and concerns that are bringing them to counseling, it is very difficult to say exactly how long the process will take.  While some presenting concerns and goals can take as few as a handful of sessions, others may much longer.  A reasonable expectation is roughly 10-12 sessions.

It is important to note that we do not prescribe medication at Four Peaks Counseling Services.  Should you or our therapist feel that it would be a significant benefit to your treatment plan, your therapist will provide you with a referral to a psychiatrist in the area.  The psychiatrist will conduct an evaluation and determine whether or not to prescribe medication for you. It is our belief that ongoing talk therapy should be used in conjunction with medication for mental health.