Megan Strange, M.A., LPC
Mental Health Counselor / Therapist
Fairfax, VA 22030
Therapy typically begins with a phone call or an email. Feel free to contact Megan either way, as she will respond within the same day unless specifically noted otherwise on voice mail or by "out of office" automated email response. The initial phone or email consultation is free of charge. Megan will most likely ask you some basic information over the phone, such as the following:
Referral Source (Primary Care Physician, Pediatrician, Psychiatrist, Friend/Family Member, Internet, etc...)
Presenting problem (Briefly, what brings you to therapy?)
If you are a parent of a child for whom you are seeking services, where does he/she attend school? What grade is he/she in currently? Is he/she receiving any special education services?
Demographic information, such as name, phone number, address, marital status, etc...
Any prior mental health treatment? Inpatient hospitalizations, rehabilitation, or outpatient services?
Insurance information (company, policy, your understanding of how your insurance covers or does not cover "behavioral health" or "mental health" treatment)
What information you would like to have prior to your initial session?
Megan will also provide you some information on what to expect and what to bring to your initial session. If you have been referred by a physician or other health care provider and would like her to have access to your records or other information, you may either sign a release upon the initial appointment or may bring a copy of your provider's release form signed by you.
The next step in beginning therapy is to schedule and participate an initial intake appointment in the office. The first session is 75 minutes long, as it usually involves further information gathering and treatment planning. Depending on your reason for coming to therapy, this initial session will provide an opportunity to get acquainted and for Megan to begin developing an understanding of how she can best be of help to you, your child or adolescent, or your family as a whole.
After the initial session, if you decide to continue therapy, you will have the opportunity to schedule the next session or two. Some people prefer to have a weekly standing appointment and others need more flexibility in scheduling ahead of time. Subsequent sessions will typically be 50 minutes in duration, unless requested otherwise or in more crisis-oriented situations.