Steps to Becoming a Client with The Phoenix Center
We understand that taking the step to reach out for help can sometimes feel scary, especially if you don’t understand the process or feel like you might have to share sensitive information. The Phoenix Center is a trauma-informed therapy clinic, and we value and prioritize transparency. Below is an overview of what to expect when reaching out to our center for an initial intake call to begin therapy.
- In-Person: Our office is located in Media, Pennsylvania
- Telehealth: We have therapists licensed in PA, NJ, and DE. Due to licensing regulations, we can only provide virtual therapy for individuals residing in these states. We can offer virtual coaching to outside states.
- Explore our costs and rates here.
- Schedule Intake Call Online (Phone and Virtual Options)
- Call Us: 484-440-9416 (our staff members can assist you with getting scheduled)
- E-Mail Us: support@phoenixtraumacenter.com
- Talk about what’s bringing you therapy and your goals
- Review history and evaluation level of care
- Discuss preferences for your care, costs, and important considerations
- Get matched with a therapist
- Clients can select to schedule a first session during the intake call or receive a free consultation call from their preferred therapist.
- First sessions are usually scheduled within a few days to a week after the initial intake call, depending on the availability of the therapist.
These documents are sent via our portal and should be completed prior to your first session.
Whether coming in-person or logging in remotely, the first few sessions are used as history-taking sessions and evaluating appropriate level of care and goodness of fit. At times, it’s recommended to schedule a 90-minute initial session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Initial Intake Call
Our Intake Calls are scheduled with Chris Klem, Manager of Community Relationships, who is available to guide you through the process every step of the way. These calls typically last 15-30 minutes and are completed over the phone or virtually through our Scheduling Portal.
Intake and Level of Care Assessment
Prior to scheduling your intake call, you will complete a brief, 14-question prescreening form, which will help us identify whether we are the appropriate level of care for you. During the call, we will talk in greater detail about what is bringing you to therapy, prior mental health or substance use history, current stress levels, and your preferences for care.
We are an outpatient therapy practice, which means we are the lowest level of care. At times, you may need a higher level of care, and we will work with you to identify appropriate referrals. Level of care will continue to be assessed during your first few sessions with your therapist, and throughout your treatment.
Empowerment, Voice, and Choice: Therapist Selection
One of our goals during the intake session will be to collect enough information to match you with a therapist that has experience related to your concerns and goals, while also being congruent with your preferences. We encourage you to share your preferences, including specific therapists that you would like to work with. At times, some of our therapists may be full, or availability that does match with your availability. Our intake coordinator will help you navigate these choices.
What questions do you ask during the intake call?
We utilize our pre-screening assessment to guide our intake calls. Our intake coordinator will review your form before the intake call, which will open up communication around specific stressors, previous treatment history, and your goals.
While it can be helpful to understand the type of trauma you have experienced, you have full control over how much information you would like to share. Please share whatever you feel comfortable in sharing; we can still make a referral to a trauma therapist without sharing trauma details. This initial call is not a therapy session, but rather an opportunity to find the right care and the right provider.
When do I find out about the cost?
All of our therapists’ fees are located at the top of their profile on our website. We can also provide this information to you during your intake call. We have various fees depending on licenses, experience, and level of education. Our rates for pre-licensed and licensed clinicians ranges from $125-250/hour. Our rates for our interns are $95/hour. We do offer sliding scale options in this program if the $95 is a barrier to receiving care.
Do you take Insurance?
We do not currently accept insurance for any of our therapy offerings (individual, couples, families, or groups), however, we can assist you by checking to see if you have out-of-network benefits on your insurance plan. Out-of-network benefits may provide partial or full reimbursement for therapy, depending on your benefits, but payment must be made at the time of service.
We currently do not communicate with your insurance provider or submit reimbursements on your behalf., but we can provide clients with monthly Superbills, which is the documentation needed to submit for reimbursement. You can check your out of network benefits yourself by using our Mentaya Link. Mentaya also offers assistance in submitting paperwork to your insurance on your behalf.
Do I have a choice in which therapist I can see?
Absolutely! During our intake call, or sometimes shortly following the call, we will provide a therapist or two that we think matches with your preferences, experience, and availability. You can decline these suggestions and ask about other providers that fall outside of the matches we initially provide, however, some of these therapists may not have availability. We will work with you to find the right fit!
Please note that due to licensing laws and regulations, we can only complete telehealth sessions if you are presently located in one of the states that the therapists is licensed in. We currently have therapists licensed in PA, NJ, and DE.
What happens after a therapist is selected?
After the intake call, we will send your information to the selected therapist. The therapist will contact you, sometimes the same day, but usually within 72 business hours, to complete a brief consultation call to introduce themselves and schedule your initial session. The first few sessions are focused on history taking, building rapport, assessing level of care and goodness of fit. There may be times when a therapist must make a referral for a higher level of care, and we can provide you with a list of referrals.
What if I need low-cost therapy?
Our low-cost trauma therapy offerings are provided by our graduate students who are placed with us temporarily. Our interns are often with us for 9 – 15 months and operate on a semester schedule. Our rate for therapy with our interns is $95/hour, about half the cost of our licensed therapists. This rate allows us to maintain our low-cost therapy program and continue to bring on interns throughout the year.
We do offer sliding scale options if the $95 is a barrier to receiving care. We have three tiers of pricing and can do a quick financial screen during your intake call in order to provide you a reduced rate, if one is needed. In order to maintain the cost of the program, we have a limited number of our lower tiered slots, and at times, may have a waiting list for our lowest Tier. We do not ask you to provide income or detailed financial information.
Do you have a waiting list?
At times, our client needs exceed our therapist availability. If you are placed on a waiting list, we will make every effort to assign a therapist based on the date of your intake. We try to maintain routine contact to keep you informed of your place on our waiting list. Our Intake Coordinator can also assist with referrals to outside practices or organizations, if you would like to explore options outside of our Center.
If at any point during our intake process you need time to consider other options, or want additional information, we are happy to assist and invite you to follow up with us at any time. Please note that our therapist availability changes often.
If you are interested in becoming a client, you can initiate the intake process any of these three ways:
- Using our online scheduling system: Schedule Intake Call
- You can choose to do either a phone intake or a video/virtual intake.
- Calling or texting 484-440-9416 – please only text scheduling information
- Emailing us: support@phoenixcenter.com
