Counseling is usually a shorter-term support option that helps you deal with specific issues, like handling grief or fixing a relationship problem. On the other hand, therapy is a longer-term approach that digs deeper into the root causes of your challenges. Counseling often zeroes in on particular problems, like managing stress or overcoming an addiction, and teaches you skills to handle those issues right away. It's great if you need quick help for something urgent. Psychotherapy (a.k.a “therapy”) looks at emotional, behavioral, social, or relationship problems over a longer time and aims to help you manage difficult thoughts and feelings. It's beneficial if you're dealing with ongoing mental health issues like depression, trauma, chronic stress, or anxiety disorders.

How long counseling lasts can vary based on a few things, like the kind of counseling, the person's needs, and what the therapist thinks is best. Usually, each therapy session lasts about 50-60 minutes. Many people begin by seeing their therapist once a week and then may choose to alter their frequency based on their needs as treatment progresses. The overall length of treatment depends on the individual’s circumstances, how serious their issues are, the effort they put in between sessions, and what they want to achieve. After finishing regular sessions, some people like to have occasional follow-up sessions to help keep up their progress.

You might notice that you're doing things in new ways or acting differently in certain situations. For example, you may find it easier to set limits with others, take care of your own needs, or resolve disagreements. You could also be kinder to yourself and recognize new qualities within you. You might feel more in the moment, enjoy your time more, and spend time on activities you love. You could sleep better, feel less stressed, or have more energy. It usually takes about 12 to 16 sessions to see real improvements. If you think you’re not working well with your therapist or making progress, moving on from your therapist is perfectly okay. After all, it’s all about your health and finding the best treatment for you.

We are located in the Greater St. Louis, Missouri area, and all our services are available online. Currently, we can only see clients based in Missouri and Illinois.

You can book sessions from Monday to Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Most sessions last one hour, except for the free 15-minute call.

You can contact us by emailing contact@clscounselingandconsulting.com, sending a text, or calling 618-515-5890. If you're already a client, use your secure portal to set up appointments or send us messages. New clients can book a free 15-minute call by clicking the link on our website. If you are in a crisis or emergency, please call 911, text/call 988, or go to your nearest emergency room.

Yes! We partner with Alma and Headway to work with some insurance companies. We are in-network with Aetna and Cinga in Missouri and Aetna, Cigna, Oscar, Oxford, United Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. For all other insurances, you may have out-of-network benefits, which means that insurance will reimburse you for a portion of our session cost. We have partnered with Thrizer to handle the out-of-network process automatically for you. With Thrizer, you will only have to pay a copay for your sessions instead of paying my full fee and waiting for reimbursements. During our intake process, we can help you verify if you have out-of-network benefits and how much your co-insurance would be.

Your insurance plan may have out-of-network benefits, which will reimburse you for some of our session costs. We can help verify if you have out-of-network benefits. We use Thrizer, which automatically submits superbills for you and allows you to pay only a copay for your sessions.

Payment is due when your session ends. We will collect your payment based on your insurance benefits during the session. The amount you owe will be charged automatically after you finish.