FAQ

Teletherapy: Most of the therapy I offer is done online, using a HIPAA-Compliant teletherapy platform through Simple Practice.

Once you set up an appointment with me, you will receive an email confirming the date and time of the appointment along with a link that will take you to our secure online room.

You will have the option of receiving an email reminder about appointments 72 hours before our session, as well as a text reminder 48 hours before the session. This way, if you need to cancel or reschedule, you can do so before the 48-hour cancellation policy takes effect and avoid paying a late cancellation or no-show fee equal to the amount of the session cost.

In-Person Options: I offer two in-person options, Walk & Talk Therapy and Concierge Therapy.

With Walk & Talk Therapy, I will meet you at an agreed-upon park or nature preserve within Chicago or NW suburbs.

With Concierge Therapy, I will meet you at your home or office within Chicago or NW suburbs. In both cases, the session rate will be the amount of the service with an additional fee that will be determined based on travel time and expense for me to get to your chosen location.

There is an additional waiver and consent form you must sign for these options. If you want to learn more, please see some of the questions below.

Mailing Address: Although I do not meet clients from this location, I maintain a virtual address for my business correspondence at:

Counseling with Maggie, PLLC
1 E Erie Street, Suite 525-4311
Chicago, IL 60611

Sure is! Therapy can be vulnerable and new, so it is natural to be nervous. Even folks in therapy before can still feel unsure about working with a new person or trying a different type of therapy like EMDR. It can be hard to talk about feelings out loud. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Taking action to seek help for our challenges is a huge step. It takes courage to realize we cannot face our issues alone.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and bring up whatever is going on for you, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible. Many clients enjoy introducing me to their pets or meeting my cats during the first session to break the ice. That is one of the perks of teletherapy!

I am here if you want to discuss your nervousness during a free phone consultation.

**In the case of having an EMDR session scheduled with me at 11 AM or 3 PM, we will conclude after 75 minutes or at 12:15 or 4:15 PM.

I work with you, not the insurance companies. In my practice, I only accept up-front, out-of-pocket payments for my services. This approach allows me to concentrate on offering you quality treatment and continuing to grow as a therapist and person.

Many insurance companies do reimburse members a certain percentage for appointments with out-of-network (OON) providers. If you are interested, you can inquire with your insurance about your OON coverage, and I can provide you with a superbill to help you get reimbursement.

I have a 48-hour cancellation policy. Unless you cancel 48 hours or more before your scheduled session, you will be charged the full rate of the service. To avoid paying the cancellation fee, you will have the option of receiving an email reminder about appointments 72 hours before our session, as well as a text reminder 48 hours before the session. This way, if you need to cancel or reschedule, you can do so before the 48-hour policy takes effect.

The purpose of my cancellation policy is threefold – to honor the importance of the work we are doing together; the time we set aside to meet with each other; and the personal and financial boundaries that I must set and maintain to be my best, healthiest, and happiest self as a therapist and a person.

If you are concerned that you must cancel a session less than 48 hours away, you may have the option to reschedule with me. If I have the availability to reschedule within the next week while also keeping any future scheduled appointments, I may be able to waive the cancellation fee. For instance, if I usually see you on Thursdays and you need to cancel late, and I can reschedule you for the following Tuesday, while also seeing you the following Thursday as usual, then I can waive the extra fee.

Additionally, if you have to cancel two appointments in a row, we will discuss what is going on for you and see if we need to make any changes in our schedules or relationship to get the most out of our time together.

Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on your reading, you can schedule a phone consultation by calling me or by sending an email or message through the website.

During the free phone consultation, you can ask me how I have helped others like you, what a typical session with me is like, or any other specific questions you may have. You’ll also be able to discuss what’s on your mind, and we can decide together how I can help.

The first few sessions are where we get to know each other to ensure we are a good fit to work together and figure out the best way forward. During the sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working with me. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What is most important to me is finding someone you think is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.

Overall, you can think of the first session as a two-way interview where we can ask questions to get to know each other. I will invite you to share more about yourself, and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.

Here are some questions that I like to ask during our first session.

• What brought you to therapy?
• What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?
• What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?
• What motivates you and makes you “come alive” in your life?

You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about why I am a therapist or how I have helped other clients like you.

The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel I am a good fit for you. We can discuss if you’d like to meet again if you feel safe, accepted, and comfortable with me.

It is normal if you are not ready to share everything. It will always be up to you during our sessions if you feel prepared to discuss something. My job is to allow you to work through the painful issues slowly. Gradually and at a pace that feels comfortable to you, you can share what you feel ready to share

You can also tell me that you are nervous about opening up about something, and we can talk about that, too. Our sessions involve whatever is present for you and what you are going through. Bring that to the session, and we can explore that together.

Additionally, EMDR can be an excellent therapy for processing and healing without putting your painful experience into words or sharing all the details. Because let’s face it, sometimes there are no words for what you went through or are going through.

I will not think you are complaining or feeling sorry for yourself if you open up to me. I will assume you are courageous and human. Many of my clients have had the same fear. I know what you are going through. Over the years, many of my clients have felt the same way. You don’t need to feel ashamed,  and it’s okay to admit it is hard. I’m here for you. Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you. We all struggle and may have normal reactions to abnormally challenging experiences.

After all, we are just humans trying to be human. Whatever you’re going through, I provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgment.

It can be concerning to feel like things you say or do in therapy could “get out.” So I want you to know that everything you share with me is confidential unless there is an imminent danger to yourself or someone else.

I highly respect your privacy and value your trust. You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out. If you have specific questions about confidentiality, you can ask during a free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.

You might ask how long therapy will take because you currently struggle and want relief fast. In my experience, there can be some relief, even from scheduling your first session and knowing that you are taking an active step to help yourself.

On average, my new clients start seeing positive effects after 3-5 sessions. By then, they feel a little more hopeful that there is a way to heal and not carry the heavy stuff alone.

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some clients find 8-16 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges and get relief from a single event trauma or issue, like a car accident.

Other clients feel more supported by longer-term therapy, especially when their pain concerns past and current relationships.

We will work together to find the span of time that works for you. I aim to make sure that the investment you are making in yourself achieves your desired outcomes.

I have three cats, which I can now officially refer to as a “clowder.” They are:

• Babbitt – gray, fluffy, dapper, regal, domestic long hair, eight-years-old, big brother type, acts too-cool and annoyed to play with his siblings but then usually gets into it and will alternate licking and nibbling their ears, likes to curl his head up into the palm of my hand, likes trying to fit into boxes, no matter how small, named after Warner Bros. cartoon based on comedic duo Abbott and Costello.

• Catstello or Stello – black, silky, domestic long hair, eight-years-old, littermate to Babbitt, sweet, middle child type, has morning routine of sitting on my chest and evening routine of catwalk between my husband and me where he gives us head boops, first of the cats to let the new kitten (Lucille) cuddle up with him, likes pets under the chin and behind ears, sometimes sleeps on his back stretched out, named after Warner Bros. cartoon based on comedic duo Abbott and Costello.

• Lucille – orange, striped, domestic short hair, six-months-old, goofy little sister type, playful, affectionate when in the mood, good at playing fetch, often chirping, often purring loudly, has terrible smelling farts, likes to be held on the shoulder while nuzzling my ear, only respects her boundaries, named after comedian Lucille Ball.

I love my cats and am happy to show pictures and let them make guest appearances in teletherapy, although they usually stay on the other side of the door when I’m working.

More importantly, I love hearing about your pets! I also like dogs, snakes, lizards, turtles, rabbits, ferrets, etc. It has been my experience that pets can play such a big role in our lives, offering nonjudgmental presence and unconditional love. They also bring out some of our best nurturing qualities and give us the purpose to get up to feed them, walk them, connect with other humans to talk about them, and more.

Some of my clients have spent whole sessions talking about their pets and the joy and grief that accompany their love for them. I welcome you to talk about your pets. I’m here for it!

No. Due to liability issues, my lawyer has advised me against doing this.

I recommend you look into organizations that specialize in evaluating and registering emotional support animals.

You tell me – I say it’s more yellow, and my husband says it is greener. He bases his reasoning on graphic-designer technicalities and color blindness. I base my opinion on a consensus that if he asks for green Gatorade, he will get the cucumber one. Please feel free to share your opinion with me, and I will add it to our field research.

I am here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can discuss what is on your mind and decide how I can help.

Call or message me today for a free phone consultation.

Everything changes. Change can happen to you, or you can make change happen. I invite you to be the change.