Frequently Asked Questions
A F.A.Q., or Frequently Asked Questions, page offers answers to common questions that we encounter frequently. If you have a question that is not addressed below please contact us
1. Why should I seek counseling?
2. Why should I seek counseling at CHARIS?
3. What is CHARIS? 4. What about a crisis?
5. What is counseling?
6. How much does counseling cost?
7. How do I get started? 8. What is confidentiality? 9. What are my rights as a client?
10. How and when does counseling end?
11. What about HIPAA and the Notice of Privacy Practices?
 Why should I seek counseling?
People seek counseling for a variety of reasons.
- to be better, to go beyond surviving to thriving, to find what they've been missing.
- to experience the joy and hope that God intended.
- relief from prolonged feelings of being overwhelmed, loneliness, depression, anxiety, or hopelessness.
- reconcile their connections with others.
- need hope and support through great sadness due to death, separation, divorce, or other losses.
- to make sense of confusing, traumatic, and/or abusive relationships. They hope for healing of deep wounds.
- to obtain direction in responding to their children's troubling behavior.
- seek freedom from unhealthy patterns of eating, habitual behaviors, and sexual addictions.
- to discover strengthens and overcoming the obstacles to a full life.
If any of these are true of you, counseling may be helpful.
Why should I seek counseling at CHARIS? DISCOVER:
Joy,
Hope,
Fullness,
Calm,
Skills,
Ideas,
Reconciliation,
Forgiveness,
Confidentiality,
Strength,
Relief,
Acceptance,
Peace,
Safety,
Freedom,
Identity,
Comfort,
Self-control,
Communication,
Understanding,
Restoration,
GRACE.
What is CHARIS? CHARIS (pronounced “care us”) is a non-profit (501c3) Christian ministry that provides tens of thousands of hours of discounted services to needy children, adolescents, adults, and families. The word CHARIS is Greek for grace. Grace is unmerited (undeserved) favor (support, act of kindness). In brief, it means that God desires the best for us so He unconditionally provides what we do not have and cannot supply for ourselves.
Since beginning in 1997, our goal is to extend grace to hurting people. We provide counseling, support services, and resources to individuals, groups, churches, schools, and the community in general. We are an association of Christian professional counselors. CHARIS offers services to all people regardless of age, race, religion, color, national origin, or gender. The cost of services may be discounted based on financial need.
What about a crisis?
If you are in need of emergency services, please call or do one of the following: Call the crisis line at (360) 696-9560; or (800) 626-8137; in Oregon call (503) 215-7082; call 911; and/or Go to the closest emergency room.
What is counseling? Counseling is a caring and collaborative process between you and your counselor. This journey begins with identifying your goals, what you want to have happen, and how you will know when you make progress. Counseling then helps you objectively look at your feelings, thoughts, behaviors and what God intended so you can develop more effective ways of dealing with life struggles, traumas, and emotional pain.
Change can happen! Nine out of ten Americans surveyed by Consumer Reports said that counseling had helped them. In other studies, 50 percent of the clients were making improvements after only eight sessions of therapy, 75 percent after six months of therapy.
Even when we make healthy changes there are some challenges. When an individual changes, their interactions with others also change. Often relationships become healthier and stronger. Sometimes, other people do not understand the changes or know how to respond. Many find help and new hope early in treatment. Sometimes, however, treatment seems emotionally difficult before there is a sense of relief, direction, freedom or healing. Medical or psychiatric consultation during periods of depression, agitation, or other emotional difficulties may be needed.
How much does counseling cost?
The fee for the initial intake is $45. The counseling fees at CHARIS are $50 for interns, $95 for Master level clinicians, and $140 for Doctorate level clinicians. Group rates are $40 per hour. These fees cover a 50 minute session. These rates can be discounted in cases of financial need. You may talk with the intake counselor about this discount. Sometimes your church or a family member may be willing to help pay for some counseling. Many health insurance plans have benefits for counseling.
How do I get started?
Call CHARIS at 360-891-2000 and our office staff will be happy to schedule an intake appointment for you with a counselor.
During the intake appointment you and one of our counselors will discuss the reasons you are coming to counseling and the various business forms you will need to complete. You will discuss which counselor would be the best match for you and your concerns.
What is confidentiality? Confidentiality means that information about you is never released to others without your written permission. Everything said in therapy is confidential and will not be disclosed except when reporting is required or permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Standard (see below) or Washington state law. Exceptions to confidentiality include the following:
- suspected abuse of a child, developmentally disabled person, or a dependent adult;
- potential suicidal behavior;
- threatened harm to another, which may include knowledge that the client is HIV positive when there is an unwillingness to inform individuals with whom the client is intimately involved; and
- when required by compulsory process.
Information may also be disclosed if you sign a written authorization or in the event that you file a complaint against your counselor. Payment by check, bank or credit card allows bank employees to view names of CHARIS clients. If you have caller identification on your phone, the name of the agency may appear on the monitor. Further, if you seek insurance reimbursement, you will need to sign a form allowing CHARIS to release confidential information to the insurance company in order to facilitate payment.
In keeping with generally accepted standards of practice, supervision and consultation may be made regarding the management of your treatment with other mental health professionals, including other counselors in the center, who are bound by the same rules of confidentiality.
In some situations cell phones may be used by counselors to contact clients. Please note that e-mail is NOT a confidential means of communication.
Client Rights, Responsibilities, and HIPAA
What are my rights as a client? Therapy is a choice made by you, among available options. The options include other counselors, counseling centers, therapies, support groups, self-help resources, and other modes of treatment. Medical treatment may also be a viable option. You may also choose not to seek treatment at this time.
Most people experience significant improvement with counseling. Sometimes symptoms may worsen before improving. On some occasions symptoms fail to improve, or continue to worsen. Some clients need only a few sessions to achieve their goals, while others may require months or even years of counseling. You have the right to terminate at any time, however, it is understood that premature termination may result in the return or worsening of the initial problems and symptoms.
It is appropriate for clients to raise questions about the counselor’s orientation and training, diagnoses, fee policies, and course of treatment. We try to answer these questions during the intake. All communication between you and counselor is considered to be part of the clinical record, which is accessible to you upon written request to view or to obtain copies. Records are maintained for a period of seven years from the date of your last appointment.
You are encouraged to talk with the counselor directly if dissatisfied with services received, desirous of a second opinion or referral, or if intending to discontinue appointments. You may contact the Executive Director of CHARIS if the counselor is not able to resolve your concerns. If you believe the counselor has acted unprofessionally, a complaint may be filed with the Department of Health, Health Professions Quality Assurance Division, PO Box 47869, Olympia, WA 98504-7869 (360) 236-4902.
Each of the counselors at CHARIS are registered or certified with the State of Washington. The purpose of the Counselor Credentialing Act is to provide protection for public health and safety and to empower the citizens of the state of Washington by providing a complaint process against those counselors who commit acts of unprofessional conduct. Registration of an individual with the department does not include a recognition of any practice standards, nor necessarily implies the effectiveness of any treatment.
How and when does counseling end?
Stopping treatment is usually a mutually agreed upon ending of the therapeutic relationship but some circumstances may result in premature termination. You may discontinue services whenever you choose, for whatever reason you choose. Some examples of circumstances that a counselor may stop treatment may include but are not limited to: nonpayment for services; not following treatment recommendations; three missed appointments; no appointments in three consecutive months unless advised by the counselor; threats to the counselor, the counseling center, or others associated with the counselor or the center; the counselor leaving CHARIS; and/or some problem emerges that is not within the scope of practice or competence of the counselor.
What about HIPAA & Notice of Privacy Practices? For more information click here
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