FAQ

Regular sessions are an hour for both individuals and couples. In some cases, I also see clients for multiple sessions back-to-back. An example of this would be if a couple wanted to get their assessment done in one day rather than spread out over three weekly sessions. Other sessions run through an entire day, such as the marathon or intensive sessions.

The fee for a one hour session is $225.

The practice is oriented toward self-pay services, and I do not accept direct payment from insurance companies. However, depending on the policies of your insurance carrier, you may be able to get partial reimbursement for our sessions by submitting a superbill (a detailed bill for therapeutic services) that my office can provide.

Despite the higher out-of-pocket cost of sessions compared to copays, choosing self-pay therapy offers several important advantages:

1. Outcome-focused therapy. When not constrained by insurance company requirements, your treatment can be tailored to fit your specific needs, focusing on the BEST outcomes rather than cost savings and reimbursement guidelines.
2. More privacy. While insurance companies are subject to the same confidentiality laws as any provider, they often require a specific mental health diagnosis as a condition of reimbursement, which becomes part of your permanent record. They also maintain records of our session notes and multiple additional categories of treatment information. Once filed with the insurance company, these records are no longer under your control and are handled in accordance with federal and state guidelines. Self-pay services allow you to maintain a higher level of privacy because your information is not subject to data reporting requirements, and your records never leave my office.
3. More flexibility. You and I (therapist and client) make all decisions regarding therapy without being subject to any approval or time limitations imposed by a third party.

You may schedule an appointment online, by phone, and through Email.

I encourage all new clients to schedule a complementary 15 minute phone consult before setting up a therapy appointment. The call is meant to give you a chance to get your questions answered and to make sure that I can effectively help you with what you need. It also gives us both an oppurtunity to make sure that we will be a good fit to work together.

Option 1 (online) For scheduling the initial Phone Consult
On the Sea-Change website at www.seachangecounselingservices.com, click the “Request an Appointment” button to book your appointment online at any time.

Option 2 (by phone)
Feel free to call any time. If I cannot get to the phone, please leave a voice message at (912) 777-9842 and include a good time to return your call.

Option 3 (Email)
You can email me at aoliser@seachangecounselingservices.com, or you can use the email link on the website (www.seachangecounselingservices.com). At the bottom of the page in the “Contact Us” section, select the Email option, fill in the form, and submit.

Absolutely!

We work with abstractions and representations in session to create the cognitive and emotional shifts necessary to bring about the changes you desire. Still, we must apply these ideas in the real world to actually bring about real-world change.

The application of these concepts happens in the form of assignments that you work on between sessions. Without these assignments, therapy would require a much longer time frame and would be much less effective.

However, I don’t assign the types and amount of “homework” included in therapy like school homework; rather, we discuss and mutually agree on what you’ll do.

So, in the end, it is up to you to decide how much of the life-integration work you want to complete between sessions. We then tailor our therapeutic approach to your preferences

Many modalities, or specific subtypes of therapy, are effective and supported by research, but each has its particular applicability.

Because I work primarily with couples in marriage counseling and individuals working through trauma, anxiety, and PTSD, I tend to use modalities that work well for treating these issues – including, but not limited to, the Gottman Method, Discernment Counseling, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT).

I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stetson University in 1997 and worked in the substance and alcohol recovery field as well as in a charter school for troubled teens before enlisting in the Army.

I began my training in the critical incident stress management field working with firefighters and went on to graduate school to study counseling. After finishing my master’s degree in Professional Counseling in 2006, I continued to work in the critical incident stress field as well as with individuals and couples in a university counseling setting and with couples in a church ministry.

I went on to complete my doctorate in marriage and family counseling with a research-focus on the interaction between trauma, resilience, and social connectedness. Now, I work primarily with couples on marriage and relationship issues and with individuals working through anxiety, trauma, and PTSD.

Credentials;

Doctoreate in Marriage and Family Therapy, Masters degree in Professional Counseling, Bachelors of in Psychogy, Gottman Level 3 trained couple’s therapist, Certified Discerment Counselor, Trained in Hypmotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in Georgia.

Because counseling therapy is a very personal experience, it’s important to choose a therapist with whom you feel comfortable.

Although you shouldn’t expect a perfect match like a best friend, it’s important that you have a comfortable relationship with and work well with your therapist.

You should feel free to discuss this openly in the first session – and trust your gut. It’s perfectly OK to decide that the chemistry isn’t right and explore other options – this is part of a healthy therapeutic experience.

The number of sessions varies greatly. Short-term therapy for less complicated issues can last just a few sessions, while more complex situations require more extended time frames.

Some clients may continue with sessions for many months, depending on the nature of the problem, the individual, and the specific therapeutic goals.

An important early goal is to define what you want to achieve during therapy. Once you’ve completed our goals, we’ve finished our work, and it’s time to celebrate your success!