TELETHERAPY
Virtual “face-to-face” sessions, or VC (Video Conferencing), is a real-time, interactive audio and visual technology that enables In Step clinicians to remotely provide mental health services. For some clients, treatment delivery via VC may be a preferred method due to convenience, distance, or other special circumstances.
Your face-to-face sessions may move to teletherapy when circumstances prohibit meeting in person.
We offer individual, parenting, family, and group therapy services using teletherapy. Psycho-educational testing is done in-person, not through teletherapy.
How Teletherapy Works:
- You don’t have to purchase a plan or provide your name when you “join” an online meeting.
- Confidentiality agreements, which are always integral to your care, are the same for teletherapy services.
- Recording of sessions is NOT permitted.
- A webcam or smartphone needs to be used during the session.
- It is important to be in a quiet, private space free of distractions (including a cell phone or other devices).
- No family member or friend must be in hearing or visual proximity to you or to your electronic device during the session.
- It is important to have a secure Internet connection rather than public/free Wi-Fi.
- To be punctual, please set up for the appointment at least 5 minutes before it is due to begin. You will be admitted to a virtual waiting room.
- A back-up plan in the event of technical problems may include restarting the session or, more likely, supplementing with a phone for audio.
- If you are not an adult, your parent or legal guardian’s permission and contact information are required for you to participate in teletherapy sessions.
Additional Information
- It is recommended that you confirm with your insurance company that video sessions will be reimbursed; you are responsible for full payment if they are not reimbursed.
- Your therapist may determine that teletherapy is no longer appropriate for you due to certain circumstances and that we should resume our sessions in person.
- Billing will be processed within one business day using your credit card on file. If you have not completed a credit card authorization form, please do so now.
How To Get Started
Contact us at info@insteppc.com or 703-876-8480 to schedule an appointment.
We strive to return your inquiry within 24 hours, if you do not speak with us directly. Our caring and knowledgeable administrative staff will work to get your initial evaluation scheduled and client portal activated prior to your first appointment. If you have a particular therapist in mind when you call, we will work to schedule you for a first appointment with your chosen therapist (if their schedule allows).
Before your first appointment, you will be contacted via email by our staff with directions on how to activate your client portal. Once completed, you will then be sent the required patient forms to be completed through your client portal.
Please provide us with any collaborative reports (i.e., psycho-educational testing reports, psychiatric reports, IEP reports, and/or educational reports). These will help us get to know you or your child more holistically.
The clinician who sees you for your appointment will be a therapist who is familiar with all aspects of therapy offered at In Step. Our clinicians are comfortable and familiar with treatment services for individuals, couples, and families, as well as the full range of group therapy services offered at the practice. Your therapist will answer any questions you may have about therapy and/or the services at In Step.
The initial evaluation session provides In Step with the information we need to formulate a thoughtful, clinically sound treatment plan and determine which of our services are the best fit for you and/or your family.
If you seek services for your child, you will bring your child to this first session so that the therapist can spend time with you and your child. During the first session, your clinician will gather information about your history, present concerns, and discuss therapy goals and expectations. Most initial evaluation sessions last between 60 and 90 minutes. Some clients may require additional assessment sessions to determine the best next steps.
FAQS
In Step is committed to providing the best clinical care to all clients without the limitations imposed upon us by insurance companies (i.e., number, length, and modality of sessions required). For this reason, we are out-of-network and do not participate in any insurance plans. Many of our clients can get reimbursed from their insurance carriers for out-of-network benefits. We are happy to help our clients access their insurance benefits. We also do our best to work with families when they reach out to us with certain financial restrictions, but we recognize that our program is just not possible for everyone. In those cases, we make referrals and act as a resource for other programs available in the community.
If you are interested in being reimbursed by your insurance company, contact the customer service number on the back of your insurance card and ask the customer service representative about your out-of-network provider benefits. We will provide you with a monthly receipt that includes all of the necessary documentation you need to submit to your insurance carrier. If your employer provides you with a Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), you are eligible to use these for mental health treatment as well.
Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Please check your coverage carefully by asking about the following procedure (CPT) codes: 90791 (initial evaluation); 90834 (individual therapy), 90853 (group therapy), and 90847 (family therapy)
Yes, all therapists are willing to fill out treatment plans as needed for clients at the practice.
Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Please check your coverage carefully by asking the following questions:
- Do I have mental health insurance benefits?
- What is my deductible, and has it been met?
- How many sessions per year does my health insurance cover?
- What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
- Is approval required from my primary care physician?
Teletherapy fees are determined by our clinicians’ credentials, level of training, and experience in the field. Our fees are commensurate with other mental health practitioners in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
Meet Your In Step Team
Stay Informed
We publish helpful resources to support our clients. If you would like to stay informed when we publish new information, please provide your first name and email below. We will not share or sell your data.