Getting Started

Step 1:  Contact the Counselor

The quickest way to contact Doug is to click the "Click Here To Begin Your Counseling Journey" at the top or bottom of this page.  After filling out that form, Doug will reach out to you for a phone consulattion as soon as he is able to do so.

You can can also email the counselor at doug@nextstepscc.org or you can call 832-295-2295.  Please know that Doug may be in a counseling session when you call, and he may not able to answer your call.  However, he will return your call as soon as soon as he is able to do so.  If you leave a message, please make sure you leave your name and a phone number that he can use to return your call.  

During our phone consultation call, the goal is to talk briefly about the reason you are seeking counseling and to make sure that the counselor is a good fit for you or your pre-teen/teenager.  It will also be a time where you can ask the questions you may have about the counseling process, and to discuss appointment times that work for your schedule.  

If during the consultation you decide to go a different direction that is okay.  Counseling is a very personal decision and we want to make sure you are comfortable each step of the way.  If we are not a good fit, we want to help you find someone who can meet your needs.

If you and the counselor are a good fit, then Doug will walk you through how to complete the online intake forms, and will set up your first appointment for you.

Step 2:  Complete The Intake Forms

Unfortunately paperwork is part of any medical or mental health appointment.  Because we want to use the time during your first session to focus on what is bringing you to counseling, we require that you complete all of the paperwork prior to coming into the session.  We are a completely paperless practice, so this will be done online through our client portals.

Insurance

If you are using insurance, you will complete your intake forms on both Headway, our billing/insurance partner, as well as in the Simple Practice client portal.  Your counselor will provide the links to these sites after the phone consultation.  Additionally, Doug will ask that you call and confirm that he is in network with your specific insurance plan and the benefits that is offered through your insurance.  Even within the same insurance company, each plan will have different beneifts.  Please note that we do not accept EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) or medicare/medicaid at this time..

Self-Pay 

If you are a paying on your own without insurance, your counselor will give you a link to the Simple Practice client portal where you will submit your paperwork electronically.  This will include credit/debit card information so that we can run your payment after each session.

Children with Parents Who are Divorced

If you are seeking counseling for children under the age of 18 who have parents who are divorced or who were never married and are not living together, then Doug will need to have you provide him with a copy of the custody agreement/divorce decree stating that you have the right to seek medical/mental health care for the child.  If this power is shared, then Doug will also need the other parent to complete permission forms for the child.

Step 3:  Come To Your 1st Appointment

When it is time for your first appointment make sure you have completed your intake forms online (See step 2).  The counselor will review go over these forms with you at the start of the session and answer any questions that you have.  However, the primary goal of the first session is to make sure that your counselor understands the needs and concerns that have brought you to counseling.  Having these forms completed before the session will mean that we can spend more time discussing your needs and less time on paperwork.

If you are seeking counseling for your child, the first session is usually reserved for just the parent and counselor to talk.  While the counselor wants to connect with the child, it is our belief that it is important for the parent/guardian(s) to be an active partner in helping their child.  We believe that by spending the first session with the parent, it gives the counselor a better perspective of the child and why the parent/guardian is bringing them to counseling.  Having this background information and understanding the child's needs beforehand is helpful in making the first session with the child more meaningful.