Frequently Asked Questions


+What ages do your clinicians serve?

We see children, adolescents and adults of all ages.

+What type of services do you provide?

We provide a variety of services, the primary being psychotherapy (or “talk therapy”) for individuals, couples and families. In addition, we also offer educational consultation, psychological testing and assessment, mindfulness consultation, and psychiatric support for our therapy clients. For more information about our multidisciplinary model, please see our Approach page.

+What are some of the common areas of concern expressed by your clients?

Our clients seek support for a wide variety of concerns, including:

Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Grief and bereavement
Attention and learning disabilities
Adjustment to chronic illness
School success
Behavioral concerns
Parent training and behavior management
Stress management/relaxation
Anger management
Acute and post-traumatic stress
Transition/adjustments to divorce, the workplace and step-family issues
Education transitions (middle/high school, college, or the workplace)

+Do you offer group therapy?

Therapy groups vary throughout the year based on need and schedule. Please look for updates on our website and newsletter about current group offerings.

+Do you provide couples or marital counseling?

Yes, we see couples for relational and marital counseling.

+How long are your therapy sessions?

Typically, the initial Intake appointment is approximately one hour, while subsequent therapy sessions last 50 minutes.

+How often do I need to attend a therapy session?

Frequency of therapy sessions depends on many factors and is carefully tailored to the needs of the individual. While there is not a “standard” formula, the typical therapy schedule often involves weekly sessions for the first three to six weeks to build the relationship, set goals, and begin to implement your treatment plan. After this period, sessions often shift to every other week and then occur less frequently until your goals are achieved.

Our clinicians openly discuss with each client the best plan to meet the desired clinical outcomes.

+How long does therapy last?

Duration of therapy depends on many individual factors and varies greatly from client to client. This is a great question to ask your therapist after the first few sessions.

+How do I schedule an appointment?

If you are a new client, please complete the Contact Form on our website and our Clinical Coordinator will be in touch with you within 1-3 business days.

+How do I reschedule or cancel an appointment?

If you are a new client that needs to cancel or reschedule your intake appointment, please email our front desk manager at frontdesk@summit-eh.com.

If you are a current client, please contact your clinician by phone or email as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours of the scheduled session to avoid a late cancel fee.

+What are your rates for services?

Therapy rates: $210 for initial Intake appointment; $180 for each therapy session (50 min. each)
Educational services: $165 for Initial Consult; $150 per hour for ongoing consultation and advocacy.
Psychiatric services: Rates vary depending on clinician, appointment time and complexity. Please visit our Payment page for more information.
Mindfulness services: $150 per session (50 minutes each).
Psychological Assessments: Rates vary depending on evaluation(s) conducted, testing time and complexity. Please email Amanda.brichta@summit-eh.com for more information.

More information about rates and billing can be found on our Payment page.

+Do you accept health insurance?

No, we elect not to accept or work with health insurance companies or third-party payers. Clients pay for services at the time of the appointment. Therapy and assessment clients have the option of requesting a superbill to submit to their insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement. The first step is to contact your insurance provider to see if you have out-of-network benefits.

For more information, please see our Payment page.

+My insurance carrier reimburses for out-of-network providers. How does that work?

While many clients elect to not interact with insurance providers, sessions with us are sometimes still covered by insurance even though we are independent providers (out-of-network).  Here’s how it usually works:

Payment in full is due at each appointment.
We will provide a superbill for you upon request to file with your insurance.
Your insurance company will send you a reimbursement check in accordance with your plan.

Please contact your insurance company or employer before your first appointment to review their reimbursement requirements. Visit our Payment page for more information.

* Please note that only psychotherapy and psychological assessment services will be invoiced for third party reimbursement. Educational, psychiatric and mindfulness services are not available for reimbursement invoicing.

+Why have you elected not to accept health insurance?

By not accepting insurance, we are able to offer high quality services to a smaller caseload – with many options of care to fit the individual’s needs. This also enables us to attract and retain very qualified and effective clinicians that have the time to collaborate with your entire healthcare team if needed. Not accepting insurance also enables us to offer a broader range of services that are restricted by current reimbursement limitations.

+What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept credit cards, HSA cards, check or cash.

+Where is your office located?

8921 Three Chopt Road
Suite 300
Richmond, Va. 23229

Our office is on the third floor of the “Tuckahoe Building.” This location is across the street from Ridge Elementary and Tuckahoe Middle Schools. Please see our Location page for a map and interior photos.

+I need medication. Do you have a psychiatrist?

Yes, we have two psychiatric providers that offer medication evaluations and follow-up for our psychotherapy clients. In order to see a psychiatric provider at Summit, a client must be working with one of our therapists. This ensures we can all collaborate for your best care. For more information, please see our Psychiatry Services page.

+Do you provide testing or psychoeducational assessments?

We provide a variety of psychological and educational assessments, including evaluations for mental health issues (AD/HD, Anxiety, Depression, etc.), Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental disabilities, school admissions, educational achievement, learning disabilities, and more. Testing packages are customized to meet individual clients’ needs and goals. Our Assessment Team administers these assessments and provides written reports outlining testing results and recommendations in an hour-long Feedback Session. For more information about rates and availability, please contact Amanda Brichta at amanda.brichta@summit-eh.com.

+What is the difference between a psychological evaluation and diagnostic interview?

The main differences between the two are “what is the purpose” and “what do you want to do with the information?”

A psychological evaluation is the general term given when a client would like a comprehensive evaluation of their symptoms to have a clear view of their diagnoses. This involves a brief history discussed with the clinician and a variety of psychological assessments that results in a written report. The client is then free to do what they like with the results.

A diagnostic interview is an in-depth and structured conversation that a client has with a trained mental health clinician that often involves a detailed history, current levels of functioning, and goals for the future. This is what is done during an initial or “intake” visit to a mental health clinician and the results guide future therapy between the client and clinician.

Of course, there are some times when both happen. For example, the clinician might conduct a diagnostic interview with a new client to start therapy and decide later that a more comprehensive psychological evaluation would be helpful in clarifying the client’s symptoms, diagnoses, and future treatment plan.

+Can I meet the therapist before bringing my child in to see him/her?

Yes, one of our Clinical Coordinators can help coordinate a Parent Consult that allows one or both parents to meet with the therapist for an hour, prior to bringing in children for psychotherapy.

+What’s the difference between a therapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist?

“Therapist” is a general term used to describe any mental health clinician that is licensed to provide psychotherapy or “talk” therapy.

Many therapists completed a master’s degree in their area of interest, examples include: counseling psychology, social work, professional counseling, etc. Master’s degrees usually take two years to complete and at least one more year of supervised work to be eligible to pass their licensing exam.

Psychologists completed a Ph.D. in a graduate school of psychology. Psychologists are trained to do talk therapy, psychological testing, and research – this usually takes between 5-7 years after their undergraduate degree. While there are many specialties within the field of psychology, most psychologists that provide therapy have trained in Clinical or Counseling psychology departments.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD) that prescribe medications for psychological problems. They completed their medical degree then decided to specialize in psychiatry – this usually takes between 5-7 years after their undergraduate degree.

Like any profession, more training doesn’t mean they are always “better” at what they do. Be sure to ask around for personal referrals and good experiences, just like you would for any important healthcare.
More information can be found here.

+I’m a new client. How does the therapy process work?

Your initial contact after completing the Contact Form on our website, would most likely be with one of our Clinical Coordinators, who will review your specific personal needs and therapeutic goals, as well as answer any questions you might have. From there, she will confer with the Clinical Team to determine the best therapy approach, and work with you to schedule an initial Intake appointment with the best suited therapist to address your individual concerns.

+What if I’m not comfortable with my therapist or my overall Summit experience?

We work hard to ensure that you are paired with a clinician whose personality and experience are closely aligned with meeting your specific needs. By carefully evaluating your expectations at the outset of treatment, we aim to find the best “fit” for a productive and successful patient-clinician relationship. Please discuss with one of our Clinical Coordinators or your clinician if you are unsatisfied with your clinical experience in any way and we will work to come up with a different approach that more comfortably meets your needs.
Although we take many steps to ensure a successful experience, sometimes not being comfortable with your current clinician is going to happen and we are always open to solving this problem.

+What can Summit do to ensure my personal and clinical information remains private and confidential?

Summit rigorously adheres to all of the required legal, technological, and operational protocols to protect your privacy and confidentiality. Maintaining client confidentiality is of upmost importance to our Practice.

+Your website emphasizes your “comprehensive” approach to emotional wellness. What exactly does this mean?

At Summit, we believe that a “comprehensive” approach to your emotional health is both most helpful to you and hard to find. We have composed a Team of diverse clinicians that can fit your current needs and allow us to collaborate for your care “under one roof.” For example, we are the only clinic in Richmond that provides: talk therapy, psychiatric support, psychological testing and assessment, and consultants available in the areas of mindfulness and educational planning, assessment and advocacy.