Access Counseling

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Providing mental health services to children and their families of our community since 2005

Your Tuesday morning client texted at 7am. “So sorry - can’t make it today, family stuff.”That’s your third same-day can...
12/23/2025

Your Tuesday morning client texted at 7am. “So sorry - can’t make it today, family stuff.”

That’s your third same-day cancellation this week. You’ve lost $450. And you don’t know if you’re allowed to charge it.

Your brain tells you charging is mean. So you absorb the loss. And silently panic about rent.

Here’s what sometimes happens: New therapists lose 20-30% of December income. Not just because clients cancel. But because they don’t enforce their own policies.

But here’s what that actually costs you: You’ll work 15 extra sessions in January ($2,250) to recover. You resent every client text notification. Your partner stops asking if you’re coming home on time. And you feel like a doormat in your own practice.

Your cancellation policy isn’t mean. It’s the business boundary that protects your time.

Here’s what your policy probably says: “Cancellations within 24 hours are charged the full session fee.”

That means if they texted at 7am today. For a 9am session. You can charge them.

Try this: Send this exact text. “I understand things come up. Per our agreement, cancellations within 24 hours are charged the full fee. I’ll process that and look forward to seeing you at our next session on [date].”

Then actually charge it.

You’ll stop losing $2,000+ every December to last-minute cancellations. You’ll respect your own business policies. Clients will start giving you actual notice. And that knot in your stomach when you see “can’t make it” texts? Gone.

Follow for more scripts that protect your boundaries.

What’s the shortest notice you’ve gotten for a cancellation this month?

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12/22/2025

Client texts at 8pm December 23rd. “Can we meet tomorrow?”

Your stomach drops. You stare at your phone. Your family is waiting for you in the living room.

Your brain thinks saying no makes you a bad therapist. So you start typing. Delete it. Rewrite it.

Your partner walks in. Asks if you’re coming. You say “one second” for the third time.

Here’s the pattern I see:

New therapists think boundaries require a perfect moment. Two weeks notice. A carefully worded email.

But boundaries work when you need them. Even on December 23rd at 8pm.

Sarah got this exact text last year.

She was wrapping presents when her phone buzzed. Spent 45 minutes crafting the “perfect” response. Missed putting her kids to bed.

She finally sent: “I can try to move some things around.”

Spent Christmas Eve resentful. Barely present for dinner.

This year?

Same text came. She took a breath. Sent this:

“I’m out of office December 24-26. If you need support, contact [crisis line number]. I’ll see you at our regular appointment on December 27.”

Put her phone down. Went to the living room.

She told me: “My daughter said ‘Mommy you’re here.’ First time in three years I actually was.”

The script:

“I’m out of office December 24-26. If you need support, contact [crisis line number]. We’ll resume our regular schedule on December 27.”

Copy it. Send it tonight.

You’ll actually be present tomorrow. Your family will have you back. The guilt you’ve carried every holiday? Gone.

What’s the worst boundary-breaking text you’ve gotten this week?

socialworklife mentalhealthprovider documentationtips newtherapist therapyintern newgradtherapist clinicalsupervision therapyinternship therapistboundaries therapistburnout privatepracticetips therapistcommunity holidayboundaries

12/18/2025

You need 40 sessions a month at $100 each. That’s $4,000.

Your brain thinks that sounds doable. 10 sessions a week. Easy math.

You’re only billing 3 weeks a month. Because clients cancel. Take vacations. Ghost after two sessions.

So you actually need 13-14 sessions per week. To hit 40 billable sessions per month.

And that $4,000? That’s before taxes. Before overhead. Before student loan payments.

New therapists calculate break-even wrong. They count total sessions. Not billable sessions. Not actual collected revenue.

After self-employment tax (15.3%). After liability insurance, EHR, and overhead. You’re netting $2,400. Maybe less.

Try this: Calculate your real overhead first. Not just rent. CE credits. Website hosting. Scheduling software.

Add 30% buffer for cancellations. That’s your real break-even number.

You’ll stop underestimating what you need to earn. You’ll price your sessions realistically. And you’ll actually know if you’re profitable. Not just busy.

What surprised you most about private practice finances? (Comment below - we’ve all been there)

Applied for insurance in June. It’s December. Still waiting.Your brain panics when months pass. You think you did someth...
12/17/2025

Applied for insurance in June. It’s December. Still waiting.
Your brain panics when months pass. You think you did something wrong. So you check the portal obsessively. Refresh your email 40 times a day.

You can’t tell potential clients when you’ll be in-network. You turn away people who need insurance. You lose $8,000 in potential revenue while waiting. And you lie awake every Sunday night wondering if it’s ever happening.

Here’s what I notice in supervision: New therapists think credentialing takes 30-60 days. Because that’s what the panels say. But the reality? 4-6 months is normal. Sometimes longer.

Here’s the realistic timeline I use with supervisees:

Month 1-2: Application submission + initial review
Month 3-4: Background checks + verification (slowest phase)
Month 5-6: Final approval + effective date
Month 7: First payment arrives (yes, really)

This is from my Insurance Credentialing Guide. $27 total.

You’ll stop checking the portal 40 times a day. You’ll have honest answers when clients ask about insurance. You’ll plan your cash flow realistically instead of hoping. And you’ll actually sleep on Sunday nights because you know what to expect.

This guide isn’t magic that speeds up bureaucracy. It’s just the real timeline no one tells new therapists upfront.

And that’s exactly what you need. When you’re drowning in uncertainty.

Still waiting on credentialing approval? Tap my bio before you refresh that portal again.

P.S. Free Insurance Decision Flowchart also in bio.

How long have you been waiting for panel approval? (Comment below - let’s talk about it)

Insurance panels? Self-pay? Hybrid? You keep changing your mind.Your brain wants a simple yes or no answer. But here’s t...
12/15/2025

Insurance panels? Self-pay? Hybrid? You keep changing your mind.

Your brain wants a simple yes or no answer. But here’s the thing. It depends on where you are right now.

Some therapists need the stable referrals. Others can’t handle the admin load yet. Some should wait 6 months to build their foundation.

The question isn’t “Should I join panels?” The real question is “Which panels, when, and why?”

I created the Insurance Credentialing Guide to help you decide.

Here’s what’s inside:

Decision framework - Should you join panels or stay self-pay? Financial planning - Calculate your break-even point Step-by-step checklists - Before, during, and after you apply NC Medicaid example (adaptable to any state) Credentialing tracker page - Keep everything organized

You’ll know if panels align with your practice goals. You’ll have clear next steps instead of googling at midnight. You’ll stop second-guessing yourself every Sunday.

This is 15 pages of mentor-style guidance. Not generic advice from a billing company.

$27. Link in bio.

Also: Free Insurance Decision Flowchart in bio to start.

What’s your biggest insurance question right now?

12/15/2025

Week 3 in private practice. Caseload: 2 clients. Panic level: 11/10.

Your brain tells you you’re failing. Everyone else filled their caseload in 30 days. You must be doing something wrong.

But here’s what actually happens: Most therapists take 6-12 months to fill a caseload. You start with 4-5 hours a week of clients. That’s normal. That’s the pattern.

Here’s what I notice in supervision: New therapists try everything at once. Psychology Today. Instagram. Networking events. Google ads.

They burn out in 6 weeks. Still have 3 clients.

But the therapists who actually build full caseloads? They pick ONE marketing channel. Go deep for 90 days. Track what works. Double down on that.

So if you’re in week 3 with 2 clients? You’re not behind. You’re right on schedule.

Try this: Pick one channel this week. Commit to 90 days. Track every referral source.

You’ll stop spinning your wheels. Actually see what’s working. And build momentum instead of exhaustion.

What’s your biggest struggle finding your first clients right now? (Be specific - let’s talk about it).

A parent in a custody case hands you a letter from their lawyer. Asks you to document their side of things. You panic.Yo...
12/10/2025

A parent in a custody case hands you a letter from their lawyer. Asks you to document their side of things. You panic.

Your brain thinks helping will keep the parent happy. But documenting “their side” crosses an ethical line. So you freeze. Spend hours trying to figure out neutral wording. Miss your next session prep time. And still submit it feeling unsure.

New therapists don’t know how to set boundaries in custody documentation. So they get pulled into parent battles they never meant to enter.

Here’s an option to consider from my Court Documentation Template:

“This report summarizes the counseling services provided to [Client Name] from [Start Date] to [End Date]. This documentation is provided in response to [court order/subpoena] and focuses on information relevant to the client’s individual treatment goals.”

See what it does? Focuses on the child’s treatment goals. Not parent drama. Sets the boundary in your structure.

This is from my Court & Legal Document Templates. $19 total. Less than $7 per template.

You get 3 professional fillable forms:

Court Documentation Report
HIPAA-Compliant Release of Information
Legal Document Submission Cover Sheet
You’ll respond to custody requests in 20 minutes instead of agonizing for 6 hours about whose “side” to document. You’ll maintain clear therapeutic boundaries without having to explain them to angry parents. Your stomach won’t drop when you see “attorney” in your client’s file. And you’ll protect the child’s treatment from being weaponized.

These templates aren’t legal advice. They’re just professional formatting that keeps you neutral when parents push you to take sides.

Reading this on your phone right now? Do you counsel kids in custody situations? Tap my bio before the next parent hands you a lawyer’s letter.

P.S. Free SOAP audit also in bio.

What custody documentation stresses you out most? (Comment below - let’s talk about it)

12/09/2025

Your clients can talk to an AI chatbot for $30/month. You charge $150/session.

Here’s the fear that keeps you up at night: Am I about to be replaced by technology?

Your brain panics when you see these headlines. Makes you question your value.

But here’s the truth:

AI can give information. You offer transformation.

AI can respond to words. You notice what they don’t say.

AI can suggest coping skills. You hold space for pain that has no words.

AI follows algorithms. You adapt in real-time to what’s happening in the room.

Here’s what that actually looks like: Your client texts their partner after session saying “She just gets me.” Not “The AI gave me good advice.”

They come back week after week. Not because you’re cheap. Because you see them.

That’s worth $150. Every single session.

What makes YOU irreplaceable as a therapist? (Comment below - I want to hear it)

Been waiting 6 months for insurance credentialing.Still not approved.Still not getting paid.This is normal.And it’s infu...
12/05/2025

Been waiting 6 months for insurance credentialing.

Still not approved.
Still not getting paid.

This is normal.
And it’s infuriating.

Your brain panics when the approval doesn’t come.
Makes you question if you submitted everything correctly.
Keeps you refreshing your email at 11pm.

Here’s what I notice:
Most panels take 3-6 months.
Some take even longer.

It’s not you.
The system just moves this slowly.

One thing that helps:
Call weekly.
Document every conversation.

Write down:
- Name of person you spoke with
- Date and time
- Reference number
- What they said

Here’s why this matters:

When you finally get approved (and you will), you’ll know exactly who helped you and when.

If there’s a dispute about your effective date, you have proof of when you first applied.

And when another therapist asks “How long did yours take?”, you can give them real data instead of saying “Forever, I think?”

Most importantly: You’ll stop feeling helpless.

Because you’re not just waiting.
You’re building a paper trail.
You’re protecting your practice.
You’re taking control of the one thing you can control.

This won’t speed it up.
But it will help you sleep better.

Are you stuck in credentialing hell right now?
(Drop a 🙋 below - you’re not alone)

Address

804 S Garnett Street
Henderson, NC
27536

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 1pm

Telephone

+12529158966

Website

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