Psychotherapy
Available for Individuals living across South Carolina
Telehealth (Video)
sessions
Therapy is available via secure telehealth (video). Studies show video and in-person sessions are equally effective in reducing symptoms.
In-clinic sessions
For some , video sessions are not feasible or preferred. In-person sessions are available on a limited basis if telehealth is not appropriate.
Therapy Services Provided
Phone Consultation
Services start with a free introductory phone call. It is important to talk with a potential provider to learn about their expertise and approach, share your reason for seeking services, and determine if you are a fit for working together. This 15-minute consultation telephone call aims to accomplish this.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy aims to help reduce difficult emotions or behaviors and improve functioning in areas of emotional/behavioral well-being, happiness, and/or relationships.
The specific goals of therapy are determined based on an initial therapy assessment. You and your therapist will discuss your emotions, behaviors, goals, relationships and history. This assessment helps guide the treatment plan, including the type of treatment selected.
We are trained to provide an array of research-supported therapies and specialize in helping adults, children, and teens with symptoms of anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and depression, as well as with managing stressful life circumstances, infertility, reproductive loss, and/or grief.
The primary theoretical framework we use, and area of expertise, is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is well-researched and shown to reduce symptoms related to anxiety, depression and stressful life events. Our founder, licensed psychologist Dr. Carole Swiecicki, is a national trainer (of therapists) and for 15+ years has delivered or supervised Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which are two best-practice therapies for children who have experienced traumatic events. We also conceptualize cases using the frameworks of attachment, family/community-systems, humanistic theories, focusing on the whole person and community/family in which they live.
Each treatment plan is tailored to you as the client, based on the initial assessment, your goals, and the available approaches to meet these. The recommended treatment plan is discussed after the assessment, including projected length and frequency of services. The typical course of therapy is 15-20 weekly 45 minute sessions. When these services are not the best fit, we may make referrals to another provider with expertise to meet your needs.
Family Therapy
Children live in families and communities, which can have a powerful impact on helping them recover and thrive. As a result, when children or teens have experienced trauma, abuse, or life stress, the best practice treatments typically involve a family component.
As with individual therapy, the first step in seeking family therapy is an assessment that involves the therapist meeting with the caregiver as well as the child to identify goals, symptoms, challenges, and strengths. The therapist will meet jointly with you and then individually with both the caregiver and the child.
The primary type of family therapies we provide are focused on helping improve child anxiety, depression and/or behavior problems and family communication when children have experienced traumatic events. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are two best-practice therapies for children who have experienced traumatic events that both include family therapy components.
Each treatment plan is tailored to you/your child as the client, based on the initial assessment, your goals, and the available approaches to meet these. The recommended treatment plan is discussed after the assessment, including projected length and frequency of services. Often when children or teens have symptoms (such as nightmares, sadness, or withdrawing from activities), the treatment plan includes both individual sessions with the child and family sessions with the caregiver (both with and sometimes without the child present). Depending on the goals and needs of the family, topics covered might include improving communication, or helping the caregiver learn, model and encourage coping skills the child learned in individual sessions that week.
Psychological Assessment/ Evaluation
Telehealth and In-clinic sessions
This comprehensive process aims to answer questions about one’s personality, emotions, intelligence, learning, and/or behaviors. It includes components that are delivered via telehealth as well as in-person (as needed for tests to have validity).
Psychological Assessment
What is a psychological assessment?
A psychological assessment is a comprehensive process to evaluate and provide detailed information about your personality, emotions, intelligence, learning, and/or behaviors. Psychological assessment uses interviews, observations, and tests, as relevant based on the types of diagnostic or referral questions or what the client would like to learn more about him/herself.
Why might someone do a psychological assessment?
Clients often request a psychological assessment if they believe they need more information about themself or their child. For example, a parent may be struggling to understand or identify what is causing his/her child’s grades to slide. Psychological assessment can help identify if this is caused by either a learning disability or an emotional or behavioral cause. Additionally, psychological assessment is used to help inform third party reproduction (such as egg donation or embryo adoption. While the questions are different – the assessment process is the same.
Psychological assessments can also offer a detailed picture about what is causing difficulties in life or how to you use your strengths to achieve your personal goals. A psychological assessment can also provide recommendations that you may use to improve school or work performance, the quality of your relationships, and the management of your emotions. You and your therapist may also use the information from the assessment to select an appropriate therapy and optimize its effectiveness.
What is involved in completing a psychological assessment?
The psychological assessment process involves four steps:
- Intake session (90 minutes, completed via telehealth)
- Testing session (may be in-person or via telehealth, depending on goals of the assessment; 2-8 hours)
- Scoring and interpretation of the results (conducted by the psychologist without client present)
- Feedback session (60 minutes, conducted via telehealth)
During the Intake session the psychologist will meet with you to determine your referral questions and gather background information. The testing day usually consist of two to eight hours for the you to complete the selected tests. The psychologist may also request measurements to be completed offsite by teachers, parents, or significant others. The psychologist will then score and interpret all the tests and create a thorough report of the results, which usually takes two to four weeks. The report will provide a description of the results, diagnostic impression, and treatment recommendations. In the feedback session the psychologist will review the results and report, make sure you understand the results, and answer your questions.
What are the fees?
The cost is determined on the number hours to complete the assessment process. The rate per hour is $175 with an average of eight to ten hours total ($1320 – $1650). A fee of $100 is required to schedule the intake session and a $250 deposit is required to schedule the testing day. Half of the balance is required at the start of the testing day and remainder of the balance is due at the feedback session. Insurance may cover some of the cost excluding copays, deductibles, and coinsurances.
At this time, Harbor Maple Counseling and Psychological Services does not bill insurance directly. We will be happy to provide a superbill, which you can submit directly to your insurance for reimbursement. Please note that we are considered out of network with insurance panels and many insurance companies require a pre-authorization (or “prior-authorization”) for psychological testing before testing has begun. If you intend to seek direct reimbursement from your insurance company, please contact your insurance company to verify reimbursement for psychological assessment costs.
Phone Consultation
It is important to talk with a potential psychologist to learn about their expertise and approach, share your reason for seeking services, and determine if you are a fit for working together. This free 15-minute consultation telephone call aims to accomplish this.
