Unfortunately, I do not. It is against the ethics and code of the Alabama Board of Counselors for a therapist licensed in the state of Alabama to provide mental health therapy to individuals who are non-residents of Alabama, in another state.

If you will be moving to Alabama in the near future and would like to establish services, then schedule a consultation call.

If you are not a resident of Alabama, will not be moving to Alabama, or you are not able to be seen in-person at the Alabama office location, then go to  Psychology Today and enter your zip code. Use the filters on the left that apply to you to narrow down options for insurance type, current issues, sexuality, gender, age, language, faith, types of therapy, and ethnicity served. By using the filters, you will be provided with a more defined option for therapists suited to fit your specific needs.

If you are only looking for the first available therapist in your area, then we probably are not the best fit to work together since I provide quality care for those who are invested in their therapy. Finding the first available therapist DOES NOT guarantee you will find a therapist who is a good fit for you.

To find the first available therapist, go to Psychology Today and enter your zip code. Use the filters on the left that apply to you to narrow down options for insurance type, issues, sexuality, gender, age, language, faith, types of therapy, and ethnicity served. By using the filters, you will be provided with a more defined option for therapists suited to fit your specific needs. 

1) Getting in touch with a therapist can be challenging. It's not that a therapist doesn't want to answer your call but many times, they aren't able to answer your call because they are in a session with a client, and/or they don't have a receptionist to answer their phone for them. Your time is valuable, you probably don't enjoy leaving a message, waiting for a callback, or playing phone tag when you're needing to schedule an appointment.

As a courtesy, and to avoid the waiting game or playing phone tag, please schedule a free consultation by clicking the "Request Appointment" button at the top of the page. The consultation will allow me to answer any questions you may have and are REQUIRED for all new clients.

2) Pick a day and time for your free consultation. Consultations are offered between 10 am to 3 pm. If you do not see any current available appointments, then my schedule is booked. Once you schedule your consultation, you will receive either a confirmation or denial email of your consultation. **IMPORTANT--If you do not see the email within 24-hrs of your request, please check your spam folder.**

3) If you receive a confirmation, add it to your calendar so you don't forget. There will also be a link to a brief consultation questionnaire that will need to be completed 24-HRS BEFORE YOUR CONSULTATION. This will allow me time to review any information, questions, or concerns you have before your consultation. If the consultation questionnaire is not completed 24-hrs before your scheduled consultation, then your consultation will be canceled without further notice. To avoid a cancelation, complete the questionnaire as soon as you click on the link and hit submit. If you receive a denial email, please don't take it personally. There was a conflict in my schedule for the time you requested. Please request another available time. 

If you are being referred from another provider (another therapist, psychiatrist, doctor, etc.) and do not see a time that works with your schedule, are needing something sooner, or don't see an available time, please contact me via email at info@liferecoverycounseling.com with your referring provider's name and the date/time you would like to schedule. If I have a cancellation or I am able to accommodate the date/time for you, I will. If I am not able to accommodate the date/time you are requesting, then I will offer you the closest time I have available.

For additional resources to find a therapist near you, use any of the sites below.
The American Psychological Association
The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
Good Therapy
Network Therapy
Theravive
The Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists

Absolutely NOT! Many people come to therapy when they have situations in life they struggle with or because they just need extra support, not because they are viewed as “crazy”.

Please be available 5-mins prior to your scheduled time in a private and quiet setting. I will be calling at your scheduled time and will be calling from 205-259-6838. If you do not answer, I will leave a message stating your name; my name and where I am calling from; the time of your consultation; and follow-up instructions.

During your call, we will discuss any concerns or questions you have. The purpose of the consultation call is to make sure you are comfortable talking with me and to make sure we are both a good fit to work together.

If you feel like we are a good fit, I will send you the intake paperwork. I will be sending you an email with a link to the secure client portal for your intake paperwork which will need to be completed prior to your appointment.

Once your intake paperwork is completed, you will be contacted to schedule your first appointment. Your first appointment will be scheduled within the next week. If you need time to think about what we discussed first before you schedule your first appointment, that is okay too. If for any reason either of us doesn't feel it's the best fit, then I can gladly provide you with some names of other therapists that would be a better option for you. It's nothing personal because sometimes people don't always mesh well together or sometimes people aren't quite ready to start counseling. It's perfectly okay to ask for some referrals but I may need a little more information so I can make sure I can provide you with therapists who are better able to meet your needs. 

Since you will complete your paperwork through the portal, you will not have to download or print off any paperwork to bring to your first appointment. You will need to bring your driver's license, insurance card (if using), and payment to your intake appointment.

Your intake paperwork will need to be completed before your intake appointment can be scheduled. The intake appointment is to cover as much ground as possible. Your intake paperwork will provide your therapist with as much information as possible about you, the reasons you're coming to therapy, any symptoms (physical, emotional, stress-related, etc.) which you may be having, and any situations both past or current that have taken place in your life. Forewarning, there are several documents that are part of the intake paperwork so allow yourself some time to complete the paperwork. Some of the documents are short. If you can't complete everything in one sitting, fill out what documents you can, and then come back to the portal later to complete the rest.

**Important, paperwork must be completed before the intake appointment can be scheduled.**

Your first therapy session will usually take longer because it is an intake session, and allows you and your therapists to become comfortable with each other.

During your first session, you and your therapists will spend time going over your paperwork to discuss your history, any concerning issues or symptoms you have, your family dynamics., and the goals you would like to reach.

If you are using your insurance, the length of your sessions will depend on what your insurance company will allow. Most insurance companies will allow between 45-53 minutes for a session.

If you are not using your insurance, then your typical therapy session will be 60-minutes. Longer sessions may be needed if having a longer session (i.e., 75-mins, or 90-mins) is found to be more beneficial and productive for you as a client.

How long you will need to come to therapy will depend on many factors. Long-term therapy is usually due to the severity of an issue and the length of time (i.e., years compared to months) the current issue has been a concern. Another factor is if you are using insurance, the allowed number of sessions per calendar year.

Because of the nature of the work in therapy, a client may feel worse before they begin to feel better. Think of the process of therapy as cleaning out a closed-up, infected wound. If the wound is deep and has been infected for a long time, then opening the wound to be drained will be painful. As the infection clears out, then the pain will lessen and healing will happen.

Since every client is different, it is ridiculous to use the exact same method of treatment for each client when each client does not have the exact same issues or exact same personality styles. Your therapist will use a therapeutic integrative approach that is designed specifically for you, and will best fit your needs as a client.

Absolutely! In fact, at Life Recovery Counseling you are encouraged to ask your therapist questions which are appropriate during the first session.

Some clients use this time to “interview” their therapist because they want to ensure their therapist is a good fit for them.

Yes, through Open Path. At this time, there is a limited number of sliding scale spaces available.

I am an approved provider and have agreed to reduce my rate for members who qualify. I have a limited number of available spots. You will need to become an Open Path member which has a one-time membership fee but gives you lifetime access to approved Open Path providers who have agreed to reduce their fee for Open Path members.

For those who are approved as an Open Path member, my Open Path rate is $60. To become a member of Open Path, go to the Open Path, complete the membership application, and pay the one-time fee. Once you are approved, you will email a copy of the approval email with your unique Open Path member number at info@liferecoverycounseling.com. The Open Path website can be found here, just click the "join open path" button.

If you would like to schedule a speaking engagement or consultation, please email me at info@liferecoverycounseling.com with your questions and contact information. I will contact you within 72-hrs. 

If you prefer in-person, there are 2 locations to serve you.

For Pell City: 1918 Cogswell Ave, Pell City, AL 35125. Inside the Stephanie Bain Law Office.

For Huntsville: 920 Weatherly Road Southeast, Huntsville, AL 35803. Located at the lower level of New Vision UPC.