Holistic-based therapy for individuals seeking healing & restoration

Not at all. People who ask for help know when they need it and have the courage to reach out. Everyone needs help now and then. In our work together, I’ll help you explore and identify your strengths and how to implement them to reduce the influence of the problems you are facing.

The difference is between someone who can do something, and someone who has the training and experience to do that same thing professionally. A mental health professional can help you approach your situation in a new way– teach you new skills, gain different perspectives, listen to you without judgment or expectations, and help you listen to yourself. Furthermore, counseling is completely confidential. You won’t have to worry about others “knowing my business.” Lastly, if your situation provokes a great deal of negative emotion, and you’ve been confiding in a friend or family member, there is the risk that once you are feeling better you could start avoiding that person so you aren’t reminded of this difficult time in your life.

Medication can be effective but does not always work and it alone cannot solve any specific problem. More often, medication is needed in conjunction with psychotherapy. Our work together is designed to explore and unpack the problems you are experiencing and expand on your strengths that can help you accomplish your personal goals.

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, it will be different depending on the individual. I tailor my therapeutic approach to your specific needs.

Unfortunately, this is not possible to say in a general FAQs page. Everyone’s circumstances are unique to them and the length of time therapy can take to allow you to accomplish your goals depends on your desire for personal development, your commitment, and the factors that are driving you to seek therapy in the first place.

I am so glad you are dedicated to getting the most out of your sessions. Your active participation and dedication will be crucial to your success.

You will need to contact The Chicago Stress Relief Center by either calling us at 847-412-0922 or emailing drhweissman@gmail.com and completing our Contact Form. We will get back with you shortly to answer any questions you may have, give you some information about treatment and help you get scheduled with your therapist. The therapist will also provide you with information regarding the process of completing intake paperwork. Please feel free to ask any other questions that you may have regarding your treatment.

Your initial session will last approximately 60-90 minutes. Your Provider will spend time going over the initial paperwork and making sure you feel comfortable with the treatment process. The remainder of the session will be devoted to you and your therapist getting to know one another, discussing your treatment goals, further assessing symptoms, and providing additional information regarding the types of treatments available. When meeting with children or young adults, we find that it is helpful to have parents or family members involved in the initial sessions to provide additional information and learn about treatment planning. Comprehensive assessment and detailed treatment planning are vital to successful treatment and can take up to three sessions to complete.

As mentioned above, you can expect your first session to last 60-90 minutes. Subsequent sessions will last approximately 45-60 minutes, with longer (and shorter) session times available if determined to be necessary to address your treatment needs.

You can expect to meet at least once weekly with your Provider, at least initially. More frequent (and longer) sessions may be recommended in order to address your treatment needs. As your symptoms start to improve, and you become more confident with your treatment approach, you will meet with your therapist less frequently in order to give you the opportunity to experience success with implementing your treatment strategies on your own. The goal is to cut down sessions as quickly as possible and to help you become better equipped to be your own therapist.

We have found that it is very helpful to involve family members and other important support systems in treatment, as oftentimes the environment can accidentally make anxiety and OCD worse. We often meet with parents in order to provide parent training in order to make sure that treatment is being implemented consistently at home, which can greatly speed up the course of treatment. We are also happy to work with school psychologists and social workers, teachers, churches, synagogues and other treatment providers.

This is a very difficult question to answer. It depends on many factors, such as severity of symptoms, time available to devote to treatment, family accommodation of symptoms, life events and other stressors, etc. A fairly realistic expectation of treatment duration is around 12 sessions, with some people moving through treatment more quickly, and others more slowly. Treatment progress can be expedited with more frequent sessions (up to five days weekly) of longer duration (two or more hours per session). This treatment approach is known as “intensive” treatment, and it is available at The Chicago Stress Relief Center, Ltd.

The initial 90-minute intake appointment is billed at $400. Subsequent sessions are billed at the following rates: $195 per 45-minute appointment for Senior Level Clinicians and $135 per 45-minute appointment for Associate Level Clinicians. $250 per 60-minute appointment for Senior Level Clinicians and $180 per 60-minute appointment for Associate Level Clinicians. Sessions lasting longer (or shorter) than 45 minutes will be pro-rated according to the hourly rate in 5-minute increments. There are options available to help you reduce the costs associated with treatment; these options are addressed in more detail below.

Additionally, beginning January 1, 2022, You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

• You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services.
• Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
• If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
• Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 847-412-0922.

Your insurance policy should reimburse at “out-of-network” rates for your sessions, meaning that part or all of your session costs may be covered. You may have deductibles to meet, co-payments/co-insurance payments, limitations on number of sessions covered, etc. that may affect your expected financial contribution during treatment. It is recommended that you contact your insurance company to verify your out-of-network benefits prior to entering into treatment at The Chicago Stress Relief Center, Ltd.

The Chicago Stress Relief Center, Ltd. will submit insurance claims on your behalf once you sign our Financial Policy & Agreement Form providing permission for us to submit claims on your behalf. You may have the option of requesting an “in-network exception” or “single case agreement” through your insurance provider. If this request is approved, this means that your insurance company will reimburse you at in-network rates for services rendered at The Chicago Stress Relief Center, Ltd.

Insurance companies can impose limitations on the type and duration of treatment, and these limitations can adversely affect treatment outcome. For example, many of the treatments offered at The Chicago Stress Relief Center, Ltd. are more effective if they can be implemented through multiple sessions per week, and for multiple hours per session; this is referred to as “intensive treatment.” Furthermore, treatment is more effective if treatment can be offered outside of the office setting (e.g., in the home, at school/work, public places, driving). Some insurance companies do not reimburse for intensive treatments or treatment provided outside of the therapist’s office, and as a result, you may not benefit as quickly or as fully in treatment. By not contracting with insurance companies, our therapists can make treatment decisions with your best interests in mind, thereby increasing your chances of reaching your treatment goals in a timely manner.

Payment is expected at the time of service. However, we do understand that intensive treatment in particular can create financial stressors. If this is the case for you, you may speak with your therapist about arranging a payment plan that will allow you to pay an agreed-upon monthly amount until your balance is paid in full. In addition, we do not want cost to deter you from getting the effective help that you may need and are able to reduce fees for qualified patients.

We realize COVID-19 may have impacted people’s job and finances and will work with you to discount rates to make treatment affordable. We do not want finances to be a barrier for receiving effective care. Ask about our discounted rates.