FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions 

Appointments

1.  How do I schedule an appointment?  

A: You can reach me several ways, you can call and leave a message, I will reach out within a few days (just being honest), you can also text my phone, I will reach out in between clients, or when I have a few minutes to discuss your case, and finally you can email me. I am now in front of my computer most of the time, I can shoot an email fairly quickly, usually within a few hours at martinezcounseling.services@gmail.com. 

2. Where is your office located?

A: My office is currently located in North Central San Antonio, I am off  Nakoma and 281N or West Ave and Nakoma. 

3.  I can't get a call back, can I text? 

A: Yes, you can text, honestly, I'm awful at calling back, but you can text me at 210-385-2140 or email me at martinezcounseling.services@gmail.com. My response time is much quicker via text or email. 

4. How do I know if I will like therapy?

A: Finding a good fit is the most important part of therapy, speak to few potential therapists and get a feel for if you like them on the phone, I often encourage potential clients to ask questions about the therapists clinical orientation (mine is CBT, as well many others), ask about payment options, and  ask about specialties.  You're looking for someone who you can relate too but is also competent in the issues you're bringing to the office. Don't be scared to ask questions. If you find a therapist who doesn't want to answer questions, they may not be a good fit for you. 

5. What if I don't like your services? 

A. This is absolutely possible. Therapy can be very uncomfortable. I try to mitigate this issue with doing phone consultations with potential client before scheduling an intake.  I have worked with survivors of trauma for many years and have encountered that services can be feel intense for some people, so I usually check in with clients in session as we are going along to ensure my client feels safe. If I suspect that my client feels unsafe, I bring it up, I make suggestions to stop, or slow down. I always want to empower my clients to advocate for themselves, and will help clients verbalize this issue before moving forward. 

Privacy

6. Can my mom or spouse contact you for information?

A:  Mental health professionals are ethically required to protect a clients confidentiality. The only way that someone may call and gather information from a mental health professional is if they have written consent. This consent is often provided at the beginning of services. If you would like to allow someone to gather information on your services, let your mental health professional know and they will provide you with a written consent form.

7. I have a court case pending, what happens to my privacy? 

A:  Having a court case pending complicates things a bit, I am mandated to protect client confidentiality, so I won't usually speak to anyone unless you provide me written permission to speak to specific people for specific reasons, however, a subpoena for my testimony or file can compel me to disclose information. This would be discussed during our phone consultation and if you choose to work with me, in intake. 

Insurance

8. Do you take my insurance?

A. We do take some insurances such as BCBS, United and Tricare West.  If you don't have insurance, I also take cash payments. I am currently using Square Invoicing to decrease contact.  

9. How do I pay my co-pay?

A.  Payment can be made either in office through Square, cash or invoice.  

10. Do you have a sliding scale for cash clients? 

A. I currently do not have a sliding scale, however, I have maintained my current rate for several years in consideration of the economic ups and downs we're experiencing. 

Telehealth Services

11. Do you provide tele-health services?

A. Yes,  I utilize a  HIPAA compliant Zoom platform. Services can be strictly tele-health or alternate to face-to-face services.  This will be discussed during a consultation call or during scheduling. If tele-health is your preferred method of services, you will be sent all consent paperwork and a session link via email. Consent paperwork will be need to be signed digitally.  

12. Will my insurance cover tele-health services?

A.  insurance companies that I work with typically cover tele-health services however you do need to call your insurance company to verify.  Some insurance companies only cover tele-health services when utilized with their platform i.e. Tele doc (BCBS).  Currently services are being allowed through alternate platforms (Zoom). 

13. Which tele-health platform are you using?

A. I currently use the platform Zoom.