FAQs

Do you take my insurance? Not yet but I am in the process! You can find more information on the Pricing and Payment Options page here.

How accessible is the office and building? The office building has surface parking with designated accessible spots and a ramped pathway to the front doors. The front entrance has a set of single doors separated by a small vestibule. The doors are manually operated. My office is located in the first floor. I have attempted to create enough space for clients with mobility aids to navigate, but it is a small office – 10’x10′. I can adjust the furniture in the room to make more space if needed. The restrooms each have private, accessible stalls within the main restroom area.

If you need more information to determine if the space is accessible to you, please let me know and we can do a video meeting prior to your first appointment to communicate about your specific needs and assess the space.

If you need assistance or accommodation with any aspect of the intake process, please feel free to reach out.

How does telehealth work? When you schedule, you can choose either a virtual or in-office appointment. I use a HIPAA-compliant version of Zoom for all virtual sessions. You will receive a Zoom link when the session is scheduled and within your appointment reminder. Appointment reminders are sent via text, email, or both depending on the communication preference you set when you set up your profile. If you have any issues connecting, email, call, or message me as soon as possible so we can trouble-shoot. You must be physically located in either TN or SC every session! If you are in a different state for any reason, even just for the day, we will have to reschedule. This is a requirement of my license. You do not have to be at home but you do have to be in a private location (many people meet in their car). I recommend using headphones as another layer of privacy in case your kids, coworkers, or family members pop in unexpectedly. If you were planning on coming in-person but are having issues with transportation, childcare, scheduling, illness, etc, you are welcome to switch to a virtual appointment. Just give me a heads up so I can change your appointment type and send you a link if needed.

How do you protect my privacy? Great question. I use a HIPAA compliant email, voicemail service, and messaging/document upload features in the client portal of the electronic medical record platform to communicate with clients. The contact form on my website is also end-to-end encrypted and HIPAA compliant. I will send protected health information (PHI) only via email or through the client portal. Please do not send any personal information via text. Use the message feature in your client portal, upload documents directly in the portal, or email me at info@emilyharriscounseling.com.

I do not use any AI services, including scribes or note-takers, nor do I have any voice-activated technology in my office (Alexa, Siri, Hey Google, etc).

For clients who use insurance benefits to pay for sessions, your insurance company has access to your therapy notes in case of an audit. I make every effort to ensure I communicate sensitive information with care in all documentation. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always ask.

If a third party reaches out with questions about your care, including family members, friends, bosses, other providers, etc, I will not respond to them. I will alert you that the person reached out. If you would like me to get in contact with them, you will need to sign and upload a release of information form to your portal first. 

In case of emergency, I may need to reach out to your emergency contact and/or emergency services. I share only relevant information with third parties when needed, such as your current status, location, and reason for calling.

Can I work with you if you see my friend/parent/sibling/cousin/boss/partner? In general, it’s not recommended for a therapist to see multiple members of a family or individuals that may present a conflict of interest. However, sometimes I am unaware of a connection between clients until after I have established care. If a conflict of interest occurs where I cannot see both parties, I may need to refer out one or more clients, depending on the circumstances.

What happens if I see you in public? Due to client confidentiality and privacy, I will not initiate contact. You are more than welcome to say hi if the situation is appropriate to do so. You have the choice to either acknowledge me or not, and I will follow your lead. If you know we are likely to see each other in public, we can discuss a plan in session ahead of time.

What is your cancellation policy? Sessions have to be cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours of the time of session. Late cancellations or no-shows will be subject to a cancellation fee up to the cost of the full session. Two or more late cancellations or no-shows in a row are subject to termination.

Who can I bring with me? If you would like a family member to participate in a session, we will need to discuss this prior to the session, and you will need to complete and sign a release of information form beforehand. Adult family members are welcome to wait in the front lobby during your session. Please note that the front lobby is unsupervised and the door opens straight out to the parking lot and street, so please do not bring children unless there is another adult present during the entire session time. If you find yourself without childcare the day of your session, let me know when you can, and we can switch your session to a virtual appointment or reschedule for another day/time.

What about my pet? The office building I rent from allows service animals only. Pets welcome during virtual appointments!

What’s the bathroom situation? There are two gendered multi-stall restrooms available. In each restroom, there is a private stall with its own lockable door. If you are uncomfortable using the restrooms in the office building, the nearest single-stall family restroom and nursing station is located in the food court at Haywood Mall right across the street.

What happens if I don’t want to continue to work with you? Not a problem! You can let me know if you’d like, but you don’t have to inform me if you decide you’d like to work with someone else. If you need coordination of care with a new provider, I will need a release of information prior to speaking with any third party. If you have not had appointment in 90 days, you are no longer considered a current client and I will send a discharge letter through email. If you temporarily step up to a higher level of care such as psychiatric hospitalization, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive in-patient program, you are considered in the care of the more intensive program, and can discharge back into outpatient care with me if your care team approves it.

Can I come back after a break? You may restart therapy at any time. If it’s been longer than 6 months since your last appointment, you may need to complete a new set of intake documents.

Do you write letters for emotional support animals? I have written letters for ESAs in the past for current clients who meet criteria and are working with me on an on-going basis on the identified diagnosis/es. I will not communicate with a third party directly regarding an ESA, even if you sign a release for them. If you meet criteria for an ESA and need a letter from a provider, I will write one and give it to you to provide to the appropriate place. I will not write an ESA letter after your first appointment. If you are looking solely for an ESA letter and do not want to participate in on-going therapy, please look elsewhere for that service.

Did you make this website yourself? Yeah, how can you tell?