If you are considering discernment counseling to help navigate relationship ambivalence or a potential divorce, these are some of the most common questions people ask. I offer discernment counseling as a short-term, structured process to help couples gain clarity and confidence about the future of their marriage. Below are answers to the most frequent questions about working with me. You can find more detailed information about the service here.
I have an entire page with LOTs of answered questions about Discernment Counseling. Find it here.
Seeing couples for discernment counseling is a priority in my practice and I am committed to getting started with you within one week of our first contact.
No. I am contractually obligated to follow all rules outlined by the insurance companies I work with. My contracts state that services are covered ONLY if they are part of medically necessary treatment plan for a verified psychiatric diagnosis. While discernment counseling may have therapeutic effects, it does not meet these criteria for insurance coverage. Neither partner will be given a diagnosis, nor is there a recognized CPT (procedure code) for discernment counseling.
Note: For these same reasons, you will not be getting a superbill for your own submission to insurance companies.
Discernment counseling costs $250 per hour. The first session is always 2 hours. Follow-up sessions, if any, are 1.5- 2 hours each.
All clients are required to have a credit card on file and this is the default form of payment. Note that there is a 3% credit card fee added. We are also set up for electronic check/ACH payments which can be made without extra service fees. NOTE: HSA and FSA cards cannot be used because discernment counseling is NOT treatment for a medical condition.
I am a participating provider with PsyPact which is an inter-jurisdictional agreement between states that allows for telehealth to be provided between clients and providers of participating states.
Each discernment counselor must follow our own contracts with insurance companies (if any) and our own ethical guidelines for diagnosing and billing. For me, insurance coverage is not available for discernment. What I see, in fact, is the insurance companies often pay for a service (including discernment) and then “claw back” the payments when the claims are more closely audited. It is my belief that insurance companies are likely to demand refunds for payments made for discernment counseling.
My fees are not the highest, but they are definitely higher than the majority of discernment counselors. Why? A few reasons. First, I am a PhD psychologist; services provided by psychologists are billed at higher rates. Second, I bring over 30 years of clinical experience and I have invested in attaining the highest possible level of training in discernment counseling. As a master practitioner, I am one of fewer than 10 professionals endorsed to provide clinical consultations and training for other discernment counselors.
All that said, I greatly respect my fellow certified/trained discernment counselors. If your situation is such that seeing me is not an option, I encourage you to find a Certified Discernment Counselor (or fully trained through the DRI). There are many professionals who state that they offer discernment counseling but have not completed any formal training.
Please fill out the online form and I will respond quickly (usually in 24 hours or less). If you prefer, you can email me directly at dr.wright@lwapsych.com.
We start with (free) phone screenings which I am usually able to schedule within one week of your inquiry. If we decide to proceed with Discernment Counseling, I try to get that scheduled within one week of the calls. Bottom line: when couples are in crisis, I try to respect the sense of urgency you probably feel.
Ginny is a highly respected discernment counselor with many years of experience and a full year of advanced training with Dr. Doherty. As one of only nine Master Practitioners worldwide, you can rest assured you are in good hands. She is a member of the Doherty Relationship Institute’s Clinical Support Team and was named a Trusted Divorce Professional by the respected group, Divorced Girl Smiling. You can watch her guest appearances on a number of related podcasts here.