Living Free Therapy
ALLISON MCDONALD, LMFT
Welcome
Client rights and Expectations
Your experience in therapy is important, and this document outlines your rights as a client as well as what you can expect from the therapeutic relationship. Understanding these helps create a safe, respectful, and collaborative environment where your needs and goals are prioritized.
As a client in therapy, you have the right to:
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Receive respectful, confidential, and professional care.
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Be informed about the nature, goals, and risks of treatment.
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Participate actively in setting treatment goals and planning your care.
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Withdraw consent or discontinue therapy at any time without penalty.
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Have your privacy protected in accordance with legal and ethical standards.
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Receive timely responses to questions and concerns related to your care.
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Understand fees, billing practices, and cancellation policies clearly.
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Expect a safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive therapeutic environment.
You are expected to:
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Attend scheduled sessions on time and provide timely notice of cancellations or rescheduling.
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Engage honestly and openly in the therapeutic process.
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Respect the therapist’s professional boundaries and policies.
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Communicate any concerns or questions about your treatment.
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Collaborate in working toward your treatment goals.
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Confidentiality
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the therapeutic relationship. Your personal information, session content, and treatment records are kept private and protected in accordance with HIPAA and relevant state and federal laws.
Information you share in therapy will not be disclosed to anyone without your written consent, except in the following legally required or ethically necessary situations:
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If there is a risk of harm to yourself or others
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In cases of suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse
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If records are subpoenaed by a court or required by law​
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For coordination of care with another provider (with your permission)
All electronic records and communication are stored and transmitted securely. You may request a copy of your records or ask questions about confidentiality at any time.
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Living Free Therapy
Policies
Appointment Policy
Patients are responsible for attending scheduled appointments or notifying the office at least 24 hours in advance to cancel or reschedule. Arrivals more than 15 minutes late may be considered a missed session and may be subject to the late cancel, late reschedule, or no show fee of $100.
Recurring Appointments
Recurring appointments may be offered for client convenience; however, each occurrence is treated as an individual scheduled appointment. If recurring appointments are frequently canceled or missed, they may be discontinued at the provider’s discretion
Cancelling or Rescheduling Appointments
A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Cancellations or changes made with less than 24 hours’ notice are subject to a $100 fee. If you become ill or are unable to attend in person, a virtual or telehealth session may be offered as an alternative to avoid the late cancellation or rescheduling fee. Please communicate clearly and appropriately if you need to make changes to your scheduled appointment.
Infectious Diseases Policy
To protect the health and safety of all clients and staff, individuals experiencing symptoms of a potentially contagious illness (e.g., fever, cough, vomiting, sore throat, or rash) in the last 24 hrs, are asked to stay home. If you are feeling unwell, a telehealth session may be offered as an alternative to in-person appointments. Please notify the office as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.
Inclement Weather
The safety of clients and staff is a top priority. In the event of inclement weather (e.g., snow, ice, severe storms), sessions may be moved to a virtual format or rescheduled. If travel conditions are unsafe, please notify the office as soon as possible. With timely notice, the late cancellation fee may be waived, and a telehealth session may be offered instead.
Communication Between Sessions
Therapeutic work is most effective when contained within scheduled sessions. Communication between sessions should be limited to scheduling, billing, or brief check-ins as appropriate. Therapists do not provide therapy via text, phone, or email outside of session times. If a concern arises that requires more than a brief response, it may be best addressed during your next appointment or by scheduling an additional session.
In the event of a mental health emergency, please contact emergency services at 911 or 988 for mobile crisis, as therapists may not be available outside of business hours.
No Secrets Policy
In family or couples therapy, asking the therapist to keep a secret from another participant can harm the therapeutic relationship and interfere with treatment goals. If a participant asks Allison to withhold information from another member of the therapy, treatment may be paused until the information is appropriately disclosed. This policy is in place to maintain trust, transparency, and the integrity of the therapeutic process for all involved.
Audio Video Recording Policy
Recording any part of a mental health session—whether through photography, video, or audio—can violate privacy, compromise confidentiality, and interfere with the therapeutic process. In accordance with HIPAA, federal, and state laws, all individuals involved in treatment, including the mental health provider, must provide written consent before any form of recording may occur. Legal requirements for such consent may vary depending on the context and are subject to change. Unauthorized recording of sessions is not permitted under any circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept Insurance?
Yes
Aetna, Cigna Evernorth, Optum, Oscar, UMR, and United Healthcare (commercial or marketplace). Does NOT accept EAP (Employee Assistance Program), Medicaid, or Medicare insurances.
Does insurance cover my session?
Do you prescribe medication?
It depends
Insurances require that diagnosis and treatment “medically necessary” to be covered. Concerns like depression, anxiety, PTSD, adjustment, mood, etc are covered. Marital, relationship, and or family communication are not.
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No
Allison McDonald, LMFT is unable to prescribe medication. Please see your physician, doctor, psychiatrist, or psychiatric nurse practitioner for medication management. Allison can provide referrals if needed.
How much fee does insurance actually cover?
Do you Diagnose?
Yes and No
What if I dont have insurance?
Its not required
Allison McDonald, LMFT can provide a diagnostic impression but cannot provide evaluations or official psychological assessments.
It depends
It depends on your specific insurance plan with your insurance provider. You can call the number on the back of your card and representative can tell you your copay or coinsurance amount.
Private pay is always an option for therapy. I can also offer superbill receipts for out of network benefits and or for tax purposes.
How long is a therapy session?
How often should I schedule sessions?
50 - 55 minutes
It depends
In the beginning, most client schedule weekly or biweekly and decrease frequency as progress towards goals is attained. Each client schedules based on their individual needs.