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Welch Private Counseling Practice
 QUALIFICATIONS
Dr. Welch received his B.A. from Point Loma College, M.A. from Point Loma
College, M.Div. from Nazarene Theological Seminary, the M.S. in Family
Therapy from Friends University, and the Ph.D. in Education from the
University of Kansas. He is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family
Therapist in the state of Kansas and is also a clinical member and approved supervisor
candidate of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
The type of therapy you will receive is a problem solving systemic
approach. This means that the focus of therapy will be to understand your
goals for treatment and working together to solve these problems in a
focused, planned way. This may include assignments to be completed between
sessions. Also treatment will look at the system in which you and your
situation exists including family, work, religion, society, etc., and seek
to understand how these factors effect your situation.
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
There are many different theories and approaches to counseling and each
therapist will have his/her own personal style. It is important that there
is a good fit between you and the services being offered. Other approaches
might be more insight oriented, behaviorally oriented, or experientially
oriented. If it appears that you would prefer a different therapeutic
approach than the one being offered, please discuss this with Dr. Welch
and he will help in making an appropriate referral.
FEES
My standard fee for therapy services is $140.00 per 50-55 minute hour. Payment is expected at the time of service. Any services received by phone or in emergency situations will be billed as follows:
- Brief telephone calls (less than five-minutes) will not be billed to
your account
- Extended calls (more than five-minutes) or multiple brief calls will
be billed at the same rate as our face-to-face sessions.
Sometimes correspondence with other agencies (insurance, courts, other
professionals, etc.) is required and most phone contact or brief letters
related to your case will be a complementary part of my services. Extended
letters or contact may result in a moderate charge. In all correspondence
you will need to sign a release of information.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Except for emergency situations, if a cancellation occurs less than 24
hours prior to a session or if you fail to show up at the scheduled
appointment time with no notice the full fee will be charged to your
account.
SESSION FORMAT
Research has shown that the nature and severity of the client’s presenting
problem usually determine the length of therapy. Treatment can range from
a few sessions to several months of therapy. The estimated length of your
treatment will be determined in a collaborative discussion between you and
your therapist. Regular reviews of your progress and continual need for
therapy will be discussed with you. You may leave therapy at any time, but
I ask that you agree to discuss the termination of therapy at a regular
therapy session, rather than by phone.
RECORD KEEPING POLICY
A file is kept for each client including consent for treatment, any
release of information forms, financial record keeping, progress notes,
and any other correspondence of information related to your case. Records
are stored in a locked cabinet for confidentiality purposes and will be
held for at least seven (7) years after termination.
 CONFIDENTIALITY
The information you provide in therapy is confidential. Your therapist
will not reveal any information about you or your issues, except for
professional consultation, without your written consent. Any written
records of your treatment are also confidential. Because of our legal
mandate to report some issues, confidentiality may be broken if you are
to be in clear and imminent danger to yourself or others, or if you
report current abuse of a child or dependent adult or if your therapist
receives a court order to release your records.
BENEFITS AND RISKS
Any time you seek therapy to work with the difficulties in yourself or
your relationships there are benefits and risks involved. The benefits can
include the ability to handle or cope with your specific concerns and/or
your interpersonal relationships in a healthier way. You may also gain a
greater understanding of personal, interpersonal, or family goals and
values. This new understanding may lead the way to greater maturity and
happiness as an individual, couple, or as a family. There may also be
other benefits that come as you work at resolving your specific concerns.
However, therapy can be challenging and uncomfortable at times and there
are no guarantees to the outcome you desire. Remembering and resolving an
unpleasant event may cause intense feelings of fear, anger, depression,
and frustration. As you work to resolve personal issues or issues between
family members, marital partners, and other persons, you may experience
discomfort and an increase in conflict. There may be changes in your
relationships, which you had not originally intended.
I will discuss with you the benefits and risks involved in your particular
situation. I encourage you to discuss with me any concerns you have as you
progress.
PHONE CONTACT & EMERGENCY POLICY
You may contact me at my office (913) 219-9050. I check my messages
regularly. I am not available for 24-hour emergency care. A client cannot
assume I will be available at all times. In case of an emergency and the
inability to reach me, immediate contact should be made to one of the
following crisis hotlines:
Domestic Violence (816) 995-1000
Johnson Co. Mental Health (913) 782-2100
Child Abuse 1(800) 392-3738
Rape Crisis Line (618) 531-0233
Suicide (913) 831-1773
Battered Women’s Shelter (816) 861-6100
CONSUMER BILL OF RIGHTS
- Be informed about the qualifications of your counselor: education,
experience, and professional
licensure.
- Receive an explanation of services offered, your time commitments,
and fees and billing
policies prior to receipt of services.
- Be informed of limitations of the counselor’s practice to special
areas of expertise.
- Have all that you say treated confidentially and be informed of
any state laws placing limitations
on confidentiality in the counseling relationship.
- Ask questions about the counseling techniques and strategies and
be informed of your progress.
- Participate in setting goals and evaluating progress toward
meeting them.
- Be informed of how to contact the counselor in an emergency
situation.
- Request referral for a second opinion at any time.
- Request copies of records and reports to be used by other
counseling professionals.
- Receive a copy of the code of ethics to which your counselor
adheres.
- Contact the appropriate professional organization if you have
doubts or complaints relative to
the counselor’s conduct.
- Terminate the counseling relationship at
any time.
CONSUMER RESPONSIBILITIES
- Set and keep appointments with your counselor. Let him/her know
as soon as possible if you
cannot keep an appointment.
- Help plan your goals.
- Follow through with agreed upon goals.
- Keep your counselor informed of your progress toward meeting
your goals.
- Terminate your counseling relationship before entering into
arrangements with another
counselor.
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