Frequently Asked Question’s
How long are counseling sessions?
- Our sessions last between 45 and 55 minutes. The rest of the hour is used to complete required documentation of our work together, and to provide our staff with time to transition well from one client to another.
How often will I come to counseling?
- We ask all of our clients to start with weekly sessions, if at all possible. After getting started and gaining momentum, some clients choose to move to biweekly sessions.
How long will it take?
- Because every client’s story is different, we can’t predict how long treatment will take. Our average tends to be around six months, but we have clients finish their work more quickly than that, and clients who continue to work in counseling for over a year.
Do you offer sessions on weekends?
- Currently, we do offer sessions on Saturdays. Please use the ‘Contact Us’ page, click ‘Schedule Today’ at top of page, or reach out via phone to learn more about the providers that have Saturday sessions.
How much does it cost?
- Please see our Rates and Insurance page for information.
Do you offer testing for adults
- We offer testing for children, teens, and adults. Please see our Psychological Testing pages under the Services tab in the menu.
Do you prescribe medication?
- We do not prescribe medication, as our staff consists of psychologists, mental health counselors, clinical social workers, and marriage & family therapists. We are happy to consult with your psychiatrist or primary care doctor regarding medication, with your consent.
Qualifications
What is a PsyD?
- PsyD means Doctorate of Clinical Psychology. These therapists have a doctorate degree in professional clinical counseling and are licensed through the State of Florida.
What is LCSW?
- LCSW means Licensed Clinical Social Worker. These therapists have a master’s degree in social work and are licensed through the State of Florida.
What is an LMHC?
- LMHC means Licensed Mental Health Counselor. These therapists have a master’s degree in professional counseling and are licensed through the State of Florida.
What is an LMFT?
- LMFT means Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. These therapists have a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and are licensed through the State of Florida.
What does the “intern” mean?
- Typically, it means that the intern has completed their counseling degree and will be are completing the required hours of supervised counseling and the exam before being licensed through the State.
Parents
If my child is your client, how will I know what is going on in therapy?
- Our counselors usually start with a parent session, to gather information and set goals for therapy. For younger children, they will update you through additional parent sessions every 4 to 6 sessions. For teens, counselors will typically give general updates as counseling continues, but we ask for a little more discretion in what we share with you so that we may build a trusting relationship with your teen. We will alert you if there are immediate safety concerns, no matter what your child’s age.
Do you help with supervised visits, custody evaluations, or other divorce-related services?
- We offer counseling to children whose parents are divorcing or divorced, with appropriate consent from their parent(s), and with the understanding that we will not appear in court.
- We do not offer supervised visits, custody evaluations, or any services designed to be used in court proceedings.
Faith
Are you a Christian counseling center?
- All of our clinicians are Christians who integrate their faith with their work as best fits the clients’ wishes and needs. We receive many referrals from local churches seeking to help their members in the areas of mental and emotional health or psychological testing.
What if I’m not a Christian?
- We serve clients of all religious faiths, as well as those of no faith. We do not proselytize in our work, but work for the flourishing and well-being of each individual, couple, or family.
Ready to Schedule an Appointment for testing or therapy?
We know how difficult it can be to take the first step to ask for help. You also may have questions! Our team of mental health professionals are available to help you through this process. Call today and we will get you scheduled with one of our therapists or testing psychologists. If you have questions before you begin, we're here to answer questions about therapy, testing, our counselors, or anything else. Please fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch with you soon!
Contact Us Today! Click here to fill out our contact form >>
Other Mental Health Services at Sheltering Oaks Counseling
Your family may need help in more than one way. At Sheltering Oaks Counseling, we want to meet the mental health needs of every member of your family. Therefore, we offer a number of mental health services at our Wesley Chapel, FL based therapy clinic. For example, our therapists offer Christian counseling, counseling for young adults, therapy for cancer survivors and trauma therapy. We also have marriage counseling, family therapy, play therapy, and counseling for ministers. Not only can we help you in our Tampa area counseling offices, but we can also work with you anywhere in the state with online therapy in Florida.
Additionally, we offer several types of testing services, including neuropsychological testing, ADHD testing, psychoeducational evaluation, Gifted testing, and more. Finally, our specialty services for veterans and parents as IEP advocates can help you too! We would love to connect when you are ready to reach out.