Frequently Asked Questions

Once you contact us by phone or email…

• We will match you with the counselor that can provide the best care for you
• Once an appointment is made with that counselor, they will email you paperwork or have it waiting for you in our waiting room
• As soon as your counselor is ready they will greet you in our waiting room and escort you to their office
• The number of visits and treatment can be customized to each client and will be determined by you and your counselor
• Treatment can involve collaboration between primary care physicians, school counselors, other medical professionals, or others as necessary
• Our ultimate goal is for peace and restoration to be restored to your life

Please call us if you or a loved one is experiencing:

• Changes in personality or mood
• Crying spells or irritability
• Loss of interest/pleasure in daily activities
• Restlessness or decreased energy
• Excessive worry or anxiety
• Relationship difficulties
• Problems in work or school
• Conflicts with family or friends
• Difficulty with admitting obvious problems
• Confused thinking
• Problems with memory or reason
• Feelings of worthlessness or helplessness
• Inappropriate anger or hostility
• Substance use becoming unmanageable

How to Choose a Therapist and Why Credentials are Important

It is important to consider someone’s training, supervision, and experience when you are choosing a therapist. There are different levels of counseling professionals and not all counseling professionals are state licensed. Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) are required to earn a Master’s degree from an accredited school, pass national board exam, and undergo an extensive supervision process. LPC’s are required to obtain continuing education credits to maintain their license. At Alpha Omega Delta we strive to go beyond the required minimum, specializing in specific areas by earning advanced professional certifications. Here is an explanation of our credentials:

• Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Credential: The International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP) is setting the industry standard in addiction education. Our network of qualified practitioners have the knowledge to help and the resources to heal. IITAP offers premier training and cutting-edge educational resources for practitioners who treat people with addictive and compulsive sexual behaviors. Our CSAT® (Certified Sex Addiction Therapist) program is one of the most highly regarded programs of its kind.
• Trauma Narrative Credential: The Advanced Counseling Certificate from the Allender Center at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology provides a post-graduate addendum, utilizing Dr. Dan Allender’s methodology for working with abuse victims in individual, couple, family, and community contexts. Dr. Allender’s trauma-focused narrative therapy trains therapists to continue their personal integrative and self-discovery process in order to become a more effective clinician. In this year long program, Dr. Allender teaches his counseling theory while concurrently asking participants to engage in the personal growth necessary to gain a greater understanding of how to care for your clients by offering insight into how your own life story impacts who you are as a therapist.
• EMDR Credential: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a powerful psychotherapy approach that has helped millions of people of all ages relieve many types of psychological distress. Scientific research has established EMDR therapy as effective for post traumatic stress; however, clinicians also have reported success using EMDR therapy in the treatment of addictions, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, disturbing memories, stress reduction, panic attacks, and pain disorders. EMDR is designated as an effective treatment by the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and more. In 1987, psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro made the chance observation that eye movements can reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts, under certain conditions. Dr. Shapiro studied this effect scientifically, and in a 1989 issue of the Journal of Traumatic Stress, she reported success using EMDR therapy to treat victims of trauma. Since then, EMDR therapy has developed and evolved through the contributions of therapists and researchers all over the world. Today, EMDR therapy is a set of standardized protocols that incorporate elements from many different approaches.

Policies and Procedures:

Cancellations: There is no charge for cancellation if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance.  If you do not contact your therapist to cancel prior to the 24 hour deadline, you will be charged the entire session fee. 

Reports: At times it may be necessary for your counselor to prepare a diagnostic summary, at your written request, for a collaborating third party. This request must be made on an official Alpha Omega Delta Authorization to Disclose Confidential Records form. Disclosure is limited to dates of service, service code, billing information, and a diagnostic summary. Report preparation services will be billed at $20 per 10-minute period.

Legal Proceedings: You agree not to subpoena the counselor for deposition or as a witness, in any legal or administrative proceedings before, during, or after the counseling process. To the extent that you may have the right to call the counselor, that right is hereby waived. You agree not to subpoena or demand the production of any psychotherapy notes, records, summaries, work products, or the like of the counselor in any legal or administrative proceedings. You agree to make no request that any notes or records prepared by the counselor, before, during, or after the counseling process, be used or admitted as evidence in any legal proceedings. To the extent that you may have the right to demand these documents, that right is hereby waived. In the event that such subpoena is executed, you agree to pay any and all legal fees incurred by the counselor to enforce this agreement, quash any subpoena, or otherwise seek necessary legal representation. You further agree to pay counselors fee billed at $20 per 10-minute period for all time counselor devotes to enforcing this agreement.

Discrimination: Alpha Omega Delta will not tolerate any discriminatory procedures, as defined below, and immediate action will be taken if such an act occurs (Administration Code 8 CSR 60-3.010)(1): “Discrimination in public accommodations because of race, color religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, or handicap is prohibited by law in Missouri.”

Confidentiality Policy: As a client you have the right to confidentiality. Counselors are bound by ethical codes for their profession and under HIPPAA Privacy Practices. Information discussed in the therapy setting is considered and held sacred and will not be shared without your written consent except under the following conditions:

• Client threatens harm to self or others.
• Client is a minor and reports suspected child abuse/neglect.
• Counselor receives information which causes the counselor to believe the client is in a state of mind where the client poses a threat of harm to self or another person.
• Client gives information that causes the counselor to suspect a threat of harm defined as child abuse/neglect, elder abuse/neglect, or dependent adult abuse/neglect.

You acknowledge that thoughts of self-harm sometimes occur during the course of counseling. This document serves as a contract between you and your counselor, affirming that you are currently free from intention to harm yourself or others and commit to contact counselor or emergency medical services should these thoughts arise or intensify. Client further agrees to cooperate with recommended treatment including but not limited to inpatient care if indicated.

Alpha Omega Delta’s “No Secrets” Policy for Family Therapy and Couple Therapy

This written policy is intended to inform you, the participants in Family Therapy or Couple’s Therapy, that the counselors at Alpha Omega Delta Professional Counseling consider the couple or family as a treatment unit and considers that unit to be the identified patient. During the course of work with a couple or a family, your counselor may see a smaller part of the treatment unit (e.g., an individual or siblings) for one or more sessions. These sessions should be seen as a part of the work with the treatment unit, unless otherwise indicated. If you are involved in one or more such sessions, please understand that generally these sessions are confidential in the sense that confidential information will not be released to a third party unless required by law or with your express written authorization; however, it may be necessary to share information learned in a session with only a portion of the treatment unit being present with the entire treatment unit. Your counselor will use his/her best judgment as to whether, when, and to what extent to make disclosures to the treatment unit. If appropriate, your counselor will first give the individual the opportunity to make the disclosure. If you feel it necessary to talk about private matters, it may be necessary to consult with another counselor who can provide individual therapy. This “no secrets” policy is intended to allow the counselor to treat the family unit by preventing, to whatever extent possible, a conflict of interest to arise where an individual’s interests may not be consistent with the interests of the unit being treated. For instance, information learned in the course of an individual session may be relevant or even essential to the proper treatment of the couple or the family. If counselor is not free to exercise clinical judgment regarding the need to bring this information to the family or the couple during their therapy, the counselor may be placed in a situation resulting in termination of treatment. This policy is intended to prevent the need for such a termination.