FAQ’s

You can either contact me via phone at (708) 435-9224 or email me at kristypadilla@padillacounseling.com to schedule your first session.

I offer a complimentary 20-30 minute consultation when you call allowing us to see if we are a good fit for each other. Just like a good pair of shoes, you might need to “try some on” before you find the perfect fit that feels comfortable! If I’m not the right fit, I will certainly help you find another provider by giving you referral sources.

I work with pre-adolescents (11-12), adolescents (13-18), and adults. I specialize in anxiety/panic disorders and depression. More specifically, I  work with clients suffering from grief and loss, women’s issues, poor stress management, and poor interpersonal skills.

Currently, I am available 2 days a week. Mondays from 4-8p (except for the 2^nd Mondays of the month with availability from 4-6p only). Thursdays from 11a-8p. Sessions outside of those listed hours may be considered. Ask for availability.

Beginning October 3rd, my availability will be changing to and remain as the following:

Thursdays 2p-8p

After entering the building, you are welcome to treat yourself to complimentary tea or coffee until I come out to meet you. First sessions typically proceed in the following manner:

* We will discuss what brings you into therapy

* Review information you provided in your Initial Intake Form to conduct initial psychological evaluation

* We will establish treatment goals you would like to achieve

* Review terms and policies in treatment to ensure you understand the paperwork you read and signed

* Determine the frequency of sessions and schedule future sessions

* Answer any questions you have about me, treatment I provide, what to expect moving forward

Trust-building during treatment is a vital component to a successful outcome. I am expected by law to maintain confidentiality. Information can only be shared with your written consent. Even though I would have your consent, only relevant information is shared with whomever you have given me permission to speak to. This information will be reviewed with you prior, if possible, to disclosing it to make certain you are comfortable with it.

Children ages 12 and above are also protected by client-therapist privilege. This means that within this age range, children must consent to disclosing information to parents unless the information places the child in danger and/or is deemed clinically necessary. In which case, I can disclose information without the child’s permission. Parents are allowed to be given general information related to their child’s physical and mental health, treatment needs, and services provided.

There are 3 occasions in which confidentiality can be broken without the client’s consent. These limitations apply to ensure the client is kept safe and everyone around him/her safe. These include: any suspected physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect. During the initial session, I also inform clients that confidentiality does not apply if:

1. The client is physically hurting themselves.
2. The client is physically hurting someone else.
3. The client is being physically hurt by someone else.

Yes. You will need to have read, filled out, and signed the following forms: Patient Registration Form, Credit Card Authorization, and an Acknowledgment. If you wish for me to speak with someone about your treatment and coordinate services (e.g. parent, psychiatrist, doctor) you will also need to print out a Release of Information. All of these forms can be found under “New Client Paperwork”.

The duration of the initial intake session is dependent on whether or not you participate in the free 30-minute consultation via phone before your first visit. If you do not, then your initial intake session will be approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Following the initial intake session, your appointments will last between 45-55 minutes.

The frequency of sessions will depend on the recommended level of care. This will be determined at the end of your initial intake session. I typically recommend meeting at least 1x/week to start as we will be getting to know one another and determining your needs. In some cases, I have met with clients 2 times in a week while others attended every 2 weeks as determined by their clinical needs.

I do not prescribe any medication. If psychotropic medication is something you are considering, we can discuss this option together. If medication seems appropriate, I will provide you with referral sources to meet with a psychiatrist who is licensed to prescribe medication. If you provide written consent, your psychiatrist and I can work together to ensure proper medication management.

There are benefits to choosing fee-for-service. One major benefit is full confidentiality. When using insurance, I am required to provide the insurance companies clinical information including your diagnosis, your symptoms, treatment plans/goals, and in some cases, though rare, copies of your entire record. Insurance companies will claim to keep your information confidential as they will have it entered into their files and databases. However, it is to be noted I have no control over how your information is handled once it is released to them. Therefore, I will provide only the necessary information requested and required for the insurance company to pay your benefits.

Another benefit is freedom to manage your own treatment. Insurance companies can assess whether clinical services are necessary. This can result in the insurance company determining how many sessions you will be allotted and therefore setting a limit to how often you can be seen. Fee-for-service allows you to utilize services as often as clinically needed without authorization, which could be denied in some cases. Additionally, you are free to receive the type of service that is most beneficial to you. For instance, if a family counseling session is required, some companies will not cover this type of treatment despite its clinical necessity.