At The Anxiety & Stress Management Institute, we strive to provide an outstanding clinical and customer service experience in an effort to reduce our clients' anxiety and stress, not add to it. In that spirit, we have comprised a list of frequently asked questions that we hope will assist those who may be seeking individual, couples, family, or group therapy and counseling services as well as those who may be seeking employment, internship, or supervision within our organization.
The links below will route you to the specific questions/answers:
Scheduling an Appointment
Information Regarding the Therapeutic Process
Psychotherapy vs. Psychiatry
Other Services
Employment, Internship, & Supervision Opportunities
Scheduling an Appointment
How do I schedule an appointment?
All appointments must be scheduled in advance by our Intake Department. You may call 678.831.0608, or you may email our Intake Department at info@stressmgt.net to schedule an appointment. If a member of our Intake Department is on another phone line, or if you are calling outside of the normal operating hours of Intake, you are encouraged to leave a voicemail. All voicemails are confidential and treated with priority. An intake coordinator will respond promptly (within normal operating hours) to ensure you are matched with the most appropriate therapist or service for your individual needs.
What are our Intake Department hours?
Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (excluding national holidays).
Are we accepting new patients?
Yes. With psychologists and professional counselors on staff, The Anxiety & Stress Management Institute is always accepting new clients. We strive to schedule you with the best and most appropriate mental health professional based on your presenting concerns as well as any preferences you have regarding the age, gender, licensure and degree level, theoretical orientation, fee, or schedule of availability for any given therapist on staff. The scheduling process is simple, fast, and free of charge. If you are interested in learning more about our therapists, you are welcome to visit our staff page prior to speaking with a member of our Intake Department. Here you may view pictures and read bios on any one of the psychologists and therapists you feel might work best with you or your child.
What days and hours are we available for appointments?
We work hard to be as accommodating as possible to fit our clients' schedules, and that is why therapists see clients 7 days a week with appointments beginning as early as 8:00 a.m. and ending as late as 8:00 p.m. (including national and religious holidays). All appointments are subject to availability and based on the specific therapist's schedule.
Information Regarding the Therapeutic Process
What ages and types of clientele do we see?
Ages 3 and up. Our diverse and highly trained staff provides individual, family, couples, and marriage counseling services to residents of all ages throughout Atlanta and its neighboring communities.
What presenting concerns do we treat?
Our services page lists many of the concerns presented by our clients; however, it is not a comprehensive list. Many of our psychologists and professional counselors on staff have additional training or certification in areas including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), emotionally focused therapy (EFT), hypnotherapy, mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), meditation, trauma, biofeedback, psychological testing, career counseling, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), exposure and response prevention (ERP), PTSD, trauma, couples counseling, and nutritional counseling. Having additional education, training, and/or certification in an array of treatment modalities allows our therapists to treat nearly all presenting concerns and mental health diagnoses, not just anxiety and stress.
How long is a typical therapy session?
Individual, couples, and/or family therapy sessions are typically 45-50 minutes in length. Depending on the needs of the client, shorter or longer sessions may be available and should be arranged in advance with the treating psychologist or therapist.
Are your Psychologists and Professional Counselors on staff licensed?
Yes. Our mental health professionals are licensed by the State of Georgia. Exceptions would be counselor interns, counselor externs, and post-doc students. These individuals are either in the process of completing or have recently completed their respective internships, practicums, and/or respective masters or doctoral degree programs. They either will apply or have already applied for state licensure and are under the supervision of Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Director, Dr. Christina Noble.
What is the difference between a Psychologist and a Professional Counselor?
Psychologists have completed a doctoral level degree program and obtained either a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in either Counseling or Clinical Psychology. Doctoral degree programs typically require 4 to 5 additional years of education beyond that of a Masters degree program. Psychologists are not medical doctors (MDs); however, they are doctors of their respective fields. Professional Counselors have completed a Masters degree program in mental health counseling, which is most commonly 2 - 3 years of additional education beyond that of a Bachelors degree program. In the State of Georgia, a Masters degree is the minimum degree level by which an individual can earn state licensure as a professional counselor.
What is the cost of a 45-50 minute therapy session?
A typical therapy session can cost between $60 - $200. The cost range varies based on the degree level, licensure level, tenure, and additional training/certifications your therapist has acquired during his or her professional career. Because The Anxiety & Stress Management Institute has psychologists and mental health counselors on staff, each with varying degree and licensure levels and tenure, we can provide a wide range of fee options to accommodate our clients' financial needs.
What forms of payment do we accept?
Cash, Check, & Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express).
I have a Health Savings Account (HSA). May I use this to pay for services?
Yes, provided the Health Savings Account has a major credit card logo (see above), you may use this as your form of payment for one or all of you or your family's therapy appointments.
I have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). May I use this to pay for services?
Yes, provided the Flexible Spending Account has a major credit card logo (see above), you may use this as your form of payment for one or all of you or your family's therapy appointments.
Do we have a cancellation policy?
Yes, we have a 24-hour cancellation policy. This policy is in place to ensure that your therapist has ample time to offer that time slot to another client who may be in need of a new or follow-up appointment should you need to cancel yours. Fees for late cancellations are outlined in Page 2 of the "Information, Authorization, & Consent to Treatment" document you completed prior to treatment.
Psychotherapy vs. Psychiatry
What is the difference between Psychotherapy & Psychiatry?
Psychotherapy is talk therapy, typically 45-50 minutes in length. Psychotherapy is typically provided by either a psychologist, professional counselor, marriage & family therapist, or clinical social worker. Collectively, these mental health professionals are commonly referred to as "therapists" or "counselors." All psychotherapists on staff are state licensed and have additional training or certification in specific areas of expertise, enabling us to assess and treat a myriad of presenting concerns and mental health diagnoses for clients of all ages.
Psychiatry involves assessment for and/or prescription of medications to manage any diagnosed mental health illness or behavioral condition. Psychiatrists examine the client to determine the type of medication, dosage of medication, and/or combination of medications best suited to treat any given mental health illness or behavioral condition based on the client's age and medical history. Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MDs), and this enables them to prescribe medications that clients may require in the treatment process. Generally speaking, psychiatric appointments are substantially shorter and range between 15 and 20 minutes in length, with the exception of the initial diagnostic interview.
Is Psychotherapy (talk therapy) recommended for those on medication?
Yes. While medication treats the symptoms of a mental health illness or behavioral condition, psychotherapy works to address and overcome the underlying causes associated with your presenting concerns. Whether it is focusing on the anxiety, stress, grief, depression, addiction, trauma, or past or present relationships, psychotherapy provides the skills, tools, and resources necessary to overcoming not only the symptoms of the issue but the issue itself. In fact, most psychiatrists recommend that a patient sees a therapist and integrates routine psychotherapy into his or her treatment. Psychotherapists and psychiatrists can and often do--with your written consent--speak to one another for the coordination of your care, even if the therapist and psychiatrist belong to different practices.
Other Services
Do we offer any FREE therapy services?
Yes. We offer multiple therapy and support groups free of charge and open to the general public. Currently we offer a free Anxiety & Stress Management Support Group, a free OCD Self-Help Support Group, and a free Mindfulness Practice Therapy Group. The following link will allow you to view further information regarding the group facilitator(s) and meetings days and times of all of our therapy groups.
Do we offer services for other mental health professionals?
Yes. At The Anxiety & Stress Management Institute we offer continuing education workshops, hypnotherapy certification courses (via the NBCCH), professional supervision, business consultation. All of our continuing education workshops are approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Please visit our dedicated page to Mental Health Professionals for more information regarding services
Employment, Internship, & Supervision Opportunities
Are we hiring?
Whether you are a mental health professional or an administrative professional, know that we are always looking to diversify our practice to accommodate our clients' needs. Applicants for clinical or administrative positions may email their resume, curriculum vitae, and/or cover letter to the Business Manager.
Do we provide internship/practicum opportunities?
Yes. We provide a 12-month internship/practicum for Masters and Doctoral students from universities across Atlanta. Our program fulfills the internship/practicum requirements necessary to completing one's degree program in either Mental Health Counseling (Masters) or Counseling Psychology (Doctorate). Previous internship/practicum students have attended Georgia State University, Emory University, Mercer University, and Argosy University; however, we are open to accepting applicants from all universities, state and nationwide.
Our 12-month long program runs from August through August of the following year. The application process is simple in that it consists only of emailing your resume, curriculum vitae, and/or cover letter to the Buissness Manager.
Please note that we begin accepting applications on January 1, and all applications must be received by February 10. Selected applicants will undergo a series of group and/or individual interviews in mid-to-late February. Final decisions will be made ensuing the completion of all interviews, & applicants awarded internships will be notified in the month of March.
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If you are interested in making an appointment with one of our therapists, or if you have further questions, please contact our Intake Coordinator at: |