GATHERED VILLAGE  |  A THERAPY COLLECTIVE

At Gathered Village your therapeutic experience is curated specifically for you and your season of life. We offer a range of therapy services for individuals and couples on the journey to and through parenthood and those experiencing reproductive grief and loss. While many therapists treat “anxiety and depression,” few have advanced training in the multifaceted issues impacting perinatal mental health, including postpartum depression and other mood disorders. Each Gathered Village counselor has specialized training in maternal mental health and is equipped with the knowledge and skills specific to your phase of life.​​

At Gathered Village, we are committed to making high quality therapy accessible to everyone. We never want finances to be the barrier that keeps you from seeking help.

In alignment with our value of providing ethical, person-centered, unbiased care our practice does not directly bill insurance for therapy services. We do offer sliding scale rates to those that need them and we do accept HSA and FSA payment.

Here’s why -

Insurance companies require a mental health diagnosis and detailed documentation in order to justify treatment and therefore pay or reimburse for therapy services rendered. One of the key reasons we do not bill insurance directly is our belief in protecting clients from receiving unnecessary or potentially harmful mental health diagnoses.

While diagnosing may be helpful in some clinical situations, we believe that labeling every client with a diagnosis—even when it may not be clinically appropriate—can do more harm than good. These diagnoses become part of your permanent health record and may impact future opportunities related to employment, security clearances, or insurance coverage.

By choosing not to work directly with insurance companies, we are able to:

• Focus fully on your goals and needs, not just those that fit an insurance model.

• Honor your privacy and maintain your confidentiality without third-party oversight.

• Avoid labeling you with a diagnosis that may not reflect your unique experience or situation.

While we do not bill insurance directly, we are happy to provide a superbill upon request, which you may choose to submit to your insurance provider for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

If you require financial assistance, please request information about our sliding scale availability upon inquiry and we are happy to help. While rates will always be discussed prior to your first session, every client has the right to receive a "Good Faith Estimate" to help them estimate expected charges of the services provided. This estimate is available upon request from your counselor at any time during your treatment.

Gathered Village honors confidentiality as one of the key components of the therapeutic relationship. Your story is yours to entrust within the confines of private sessions. If we are meeting in the office, please know that the utmost effort has gone into making the rooms secure and soundproof. If sessions are held within your own home, you can feel comfortable that you are in control of the environment around you.

Prior to the first session, you’ll be provided a copy of Gathered Village’s confidentiality disclosure agreement. This agreement is called “Informed Consent” and clarifies the boundaries in which information is shared and kept confidential and will need to be signed by all parties. If, in the future, you decide you would want Gathered Village to disclose information or give an update on your behalf (such as to your healthcare provider, midwife, doula, OB-GYN, or other) you will need to sign a waiver, as by law Gathered Village cannot release any of your information without your written consent.

There are four exceptions to the limitations of confidentiality, in accordance with Tennessee state law as well as professional ethics and guidelines:

• If the counselor believes the client is at risk of hurting himself/herself or another person, the counselor may breach confidentiality to protect the client or parties in potential harm.

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• If the counselor suspects child or elder abuse in any form, Tennessee state law requires the counselor to report any relevant information to the proper authorities or the police in case of emergency.

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• If the counselor is subpoenaed for court the counselor may be required to disclose information relevant to the situation which may contain confidential information, though every effort will be given to uphold and protect the rights of the client and the client will be notified of the subpoena prior to disclosure.

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• If you are participating in therapy with one of our pre-licensed counselors your case information may be shared in clinical supervision with one of our qualified, board certified Supervisors, as required by Tennessee state law for these counselors. Confidentiality is therefore extended to the Supervisor only, allowing for consultation and may require breach of private information if in the best interest of the client. Every effort is made to protect the anonymity and privacy of every client, and confidential information is rarely necessary for this purpose.

As the client, you have the right at any time to discontinue or terminate counseling. Each client has a unique background, distinct goals, and varying availability. Significant progress can be made typically within eight sessions, sometimes divided throughout relational phases (i.e. conception phase, during pregnancy and post-partum). Some clients see progress sooner, others prefer to extend therapy into new phases of their life.

Gathered Village is committed to providing tools and preparation to equip you beyond your sessions. It is not in your best interest to keep you longer than you need help, nor is it ethical practice for counseling to extend beyond the goals and needs of the client. Gathered Village values client empowerment, helping you meet your emotional and relational goals and equipping you to do so long after sessions have ended.

Clients will be offered the full agreement of policies and procedures prior to their first session. As the client, you have the right at any time to discontinue or terminate counseling. Gathered Village requires 24 hour notice for all cancellations prior to the scheduled session. Failure to communicate prior to 24 hours will result in a charge of 50% of the scheduled session cost. No shows (failure to communicate at all regarding your absence) will result in a charge for the full session fee.

At Gathered Village we understand that life happens! Illness, accidents, and babies can be entirely unpredictable and sometimes 24 hours notice is impossible. Grace and compassion will be extended to those with extenuating circumstances and valued in return for our staff counselors. No charge will ever be made without notifying the client first. Additionally, no charge will ever be made when canceling due to inclement weather as safety is always our top priority.