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Elisa M. Thomas MA LMFT

Adult & Relationship Counseling Southport, NC

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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a few of the questions most frequently asked about my practice and LifeStance Therapy. To see response just click or tap on the plus (+) symbol. If your questions are not here please feel free to contact me and ask, I would be pleased to reply.

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What is LifeStance Therapy? How does it differ from other therapy I’ve had?

Adapted for both individual and relationship therapy, LifeStance Therapy takes into consideration the energy you bring into your life and relationships, assessing your thoughts and attitude or “stance” in life, and removing all obstacles in the way of creating the loving and joyful flow you would like to have more of in your everyday experience.

This work incorporates segments of other therapies such as cognitive work, skill building/education and exposure techniques, but goes beyond them to acknowledge and change at its core the energy prevalent in the thoughts and assumptions you make. LifeStance is really an individual therapy which allows you to be in complete control of the life experience you wish to have.

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What do I need to do to get started?

Please either email me, give me a call at (910) 446-3697, or schedule your own appointment on the Website to get started. Give me a bit of information about what issues you may want to cover, and I will get back to you with an email as well as forms you will need to fill out and send in to me before your appointment time. Contact me today to get started!

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a

What can I expect for my first session?

Our first session is really an assessment time where I listen to you and learn why you want to come to therapy now and what you would like to work on in your therapy.

I give you my honest opinion about very roughly how long we might work together to achieve your goals and how I would go about working with you to achieve them. For our next session, I will have prepared a treatment plan that we will go through together, and you will decide what you want to work on and how.

If you already know when you would like to come in, reserve a date and time by clicking on the Make an Appointment button on my Website. You will get a confirmation via email of the appointment time and day.

In addition, there will be some forms I send you via email that I ask you fill in and send in approximately 24 hours in advance of the appointment time. Remember to bring your method of payment with you when you come in.

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a

What if I have an emergency and need to reschedule my session?

Life happens to all of us, and sometimes we just can’t predict our kids (or ourselves) getting sick, car or transportation problems, etc. If something happens where you must cancel, please call me and let me know as soon as you are able to, preferably at least 24 hours in advance.

You must understand that once you schedule an appointment, it’s extremely hard for me to schedule another person in that timeslot if you cancel at the last minute. If you do cancel less than 24 hours in advance, I will need to charge you for the session time that could not be scheduled with someone else.

If you cancel at the last minute on a regular basis, this would be a condition that would make therapy difficult if not impossible, and I would not be serving you well if I continued with you in this fashion. So, I will give you notice that I ‘m unwilling to continue working with you at that point, and I will make sure you have at least three other therapists’ names to contact to resume your work. Showing up for your sessions constitutes a commitment to do the work.

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Can I pay by credit/debit card?

Yes. I take Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. However, if you do choose to use a card, please understand there will be an additional 3.6% charge that reflects the fee the bank charges me to process the transaction. I pass that fee on to my clients.

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How much do your sessions cost? How long is a session?

My individual 50-minute sessions are $100 and a 50-minute session for relationships costs $125. We can always do a double session with either individual or relationship therapy if you feel that you need more time to explore something. That session will be charged at two times the regular rate.

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Do you take my insurance?

No, I generally don’t take insurance, but I can give you what is called a Super Bill which is a receipt you can send to your insurance company to process a claim.

Understand that there are benefits of using insurance as well as not so obvious costs. All clients who use their mental health benefits will need me to specify a diagnosis code on the receipt in order for the insurance company to process the claim. This code reflects a mental health disorder listed in the Diagnostic Statistics Manual 5 used by the psychology field and remains a permanent part of your insurance file, no longer strictly confidential as persons working for the insurance company have access to it.

The coding will most likely, in my estimation, not accurately describe the nuances of your mental state at the time; for example, you might be feeling sad at times, but you don’t necessarily have a “depressive disorder.” You will be living with the label for as long as the company has your record, and it might end up influencing your future ability to get insurance as well as what you pay for it. It is wise to consider carefully how and when you want to utilize your benefits.

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a

What can I expect for my first session?

Our first session is really an assessment time where I listen to you and learn why you want to come to therapy now and what you would like to work on in your therapy.

I give you my honest opinion about very roughly how long we might work together to achieve your goals and how I would go about working with you to achieve them. For our next session, I will have prepared a treatment plan that we will go through together, and you will decide what you want to work on and how.

Fill out the multi-question form on my Website.

If you already know when you would like to come in, reserve a date and time by clicking on the Make an Appointment button on my Website. You will get a confirmation via email of the appointment time and day.

In addition, there will be some forms I send you via email that I ask you fill in and send in approximately 24 hours in advance of the appointment time. Remember to bring your method of payment with you when you come in.

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Related Articles and Information:

  • Contact Me
  • Guilt and Shame
  • Am I a Christian Counselor?
  • 8 Things That Are True About You
  • Self Respect vs. Self Sabotage in Relationships
  • Adult Therapy

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Phone

(910) 446-3697

Mailing Address

LifeStance Therapy
4891 Long Beach Rd SE, Ste 3, #259
Southport, NC 28461

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Testimonials

A safe person to share my most difficult feelings with

Elisa has helped me to understand myself better and has been a safe person to share my most...

Wendy W.

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T06:46:51-04:00

Wendy W.

Elisa has helped me to understand myself better and has been a safe person to share my most difficult feelings with. Her support has helped me to create and maintain fulfilling and meaningful relationships in my life.
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/a-safe-person-to-share-my-most-difficult-feelings-with/

A loving and compassionate space

Powerful learning in a loving and compassionate space. Thank you many times over Elisa!

Warren C

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T06:48:26-04:00

Warren C

Powerful learning in a loving and compassionate space. Thank you many times over Elisa!
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/a-loving-and-compassionate-space/

Life is hard, but living it doesn’t have to be

I have learned through my work with Elisa Thomas that life is hard, but living it doesn’t have...

M.F.

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T06:52:19-04:00

M.F.

I have learned through my work with Elisa Thomas that life is hard, but living it doesn’t have to be. With Elisa’s help, I was able to get rid of so much fear and self-doubt. I have learned to use the tools that she shares to transform my life into a bright new start with more potential than I’ve ever known in me. Elisa has the best attitude, a great knack for dispelling illusions, bringing things gently into reality that need resolution, and she understands what motivates me even before I do. Elisa works with me at my pace and honestly hears me when I speak.
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/life-is-hard-but-living-it-doesnt-have-to-be/

We appreciate Elisa’s practical attitude and advice

She can identify and clarify issues and help us work toward resolving them in a non-threatening environment. We...

AR and DO

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T06:55:09-04:00

AR and DO

She can identify and clarify issues and help us work toward resolving them in a non-threatening environment. We appreciate Elisa’s practical attitude and advice. She is flexible on scheduling and very professional.
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/we-appreciate-elisas-practical-attitude-and-advice/

Recommend her to anyone who is going through a difficult period

I would recommend her to anyone who is going through a difficult period. She is a true professional...

Anonymous

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T06:58:57-04:00

Anonymous

I would recommend her to anyone who is going through a difficult period. She is a true professional at what she does and a good person. I had never received counseling before I scheduled an appointment with Ms. Thomas. I am over 50, financially successful and take pride in being self-sufficient. However, I was physically and emotionally exhausted due to an impossible work schedule and stressful personal life. Something completely unexpected and traumatic happened which brought me to my knees. I was so shocked I became physically ill and emotionally distraught. I was at a point where I was so overwhelmed I did not feel I could function. I knew I needed help. I called Ms. Thomas and consider myself lucky that I did. Ms. Thomas helped me tremendously and is a credit to her profession.
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/recommend-her-to-anyone-who-is-going-through-a-difficult-period/

Transforming our formerly contentious relationship to one of understanding … love

At our initial meeting for marriage counseling with Elisa, we at once felt comfortable and an almost tangible...

NB and PB

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T07:03:07-04:00

NB and PB

At our initial meeting for marriage counseling with Elisa, we at once felt comfortable and an almost tangible feeling of love and care. Over the weeks, her observations, suggestions and yes, assignments, were spot on in their effectively transforming our formerly contentious relationship to one of understanding, not having to win, real listening and beyond all else effective communication and bottom line, love. No, neither of us is related to her nor had we ever met her or heard of her prior to early this year. We are also not being paid any sort of gratuity to write this. These are simply our heartfelt observations.
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/transforming-our-formerly-contentious-relationship-to-one-of-understanding-love/

Very attentive and supportive

Elisa has been very attentive and supportive. She has helped me through a lot of problems using my...

Robert H.

marriage and family psychotherapist
5
2019-04-23T06:44:45-04:00

Robert H.

Elisa has been very attentive and supportive. She has helped me through a lot of problems using my own strengths and attributes to get myself through the process. Her office is quiet, secluded, and peaceful. I highly recommend her.
https://southportfamilytherapy.com/testimonials/very-attentive-and-supportive/
5
7
marriage and family psychotherapist

State licensed therapy ensures appropriate training, ethical standards, and a continual process of professional education and self-improvement. My commitment to this work leads to a qualitative difference in your therapy.

Before you leave, consider taking advantage of a FREE 20 minute phone consultation.

It just might change the way you see things.

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