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Transformational Life Coaching: Blend of Coaching and Clinical Intervention
If Dr. Hickman is passionate about anything, she is passionate about forward motion. As an entrepreneur and dedicated businesswoman, she is invested in helping entrepreneurs, creative individuals/artists, women in business and other motivated individuals to create their dreams and craft a life worth living…one that exudes energy, excitement, and contentment in the experience of success. Many people have good intentions and even great ideas, but few search out the knowledge or gather the support to bring their dreams to life. Whether your ideas or goals are only partially formed or all grown up — it is never too late to take that next step. Do you have an idea tucked away in a secret corner, begging for attention? Are you ready to take that next step but keep striking hidden roadblocks? Then Dr. Hickman can help. Now is the time to move forward, create your dreams and live life loud!
Dr. Hickman uses a unique blend of coaching and therapeutic intervention to achieve results for individuals ready to make significant life changes. While clinical issues are addressed in this hybrid coaching model, Transformational Life Coaching (T.L.C.), therapy per se is not the focus. Clients appropriate for these services would include motivated individuals ready and able to: 1) examine current roadblocks arising from prior behavior patterns, 2) learn new coping and interaction skills, 3) set clear action plans for goal achievement and 4) accept an accountability partner for goal attainment.
The T.L.C. intervention style is designed to avoid plateaus that occur due to chronic complaining or blaming, excessive focus on negative/past events, failure to set achievable goals and unwillingness to be held accountable for actions. Call and schedule your intake session today to learn whether you are right for T.L.C. Clients who need more in-depth clinical intervention and are therefore not immediately appropriate for T.L.C. will be referred to a clinical specialist for pre-treatment until T.L.C. can be resumed.
As part of T.L.C., therapeutic interventions may be utilized but emphasize brief, solution-based and client-centered therapies such as cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavioral, solution-focused, holistic mind-body (e.g., biofeedback, mindfulness, energy psychology), experience-based or other technologies as warranted. Dr. Hickman is also practitioner of EMDR, Rapid Resolution Therapy, EFT, Mindfulness/Meditation techniques and Guided Therapeutic Imagery.
Preferred Services
For clients who wish to maintain utmost privacy or whose professional duties sufficiently restrict their schedules, Dr. Hickman provides Preferred Services, which are discrete professional services at the client’s location. Services are billed to the client at $280 per hour with a $1,200 retainer due in advance. Benefits to this service include reduced schedule interruptions for the professional, strict privacy of protected health care information and the elimination of concerns and potential future consequences associated with carrying a mental health diagnosis (e.g., potential denial of life or disability insurance following diagnosis with depression). Charges begin upon arrival at the client’s location and end upon departure.
Appointments
To make an appointment, please contact Executive Assistant Anita Crittenden via telephone at (423) 508-8200 or email at anita.psychassesstn@gmail.com. Anita is available via telephone Monday through Thursday from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. To leave a confidential voicemail for Dr. Hickman, please call 423-752-5207, extension 11.
New clients will need to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time to complete paperwork. As some of the forms are lengthy (i.e., personal history), you must allow sufficient time before your appointment to complete these forms. Initial forms will be emailed to clients utilizing the Preferred Services for completion prior to initial appointment.
Cancellations
In-office appointments must be canceled at least 24 hours in advance to avoid a late cancellation fee. Please leave cancellation notices for Dr. Hickman by calling Anita Crittenden at (423) 508-8200 (no emails please). All cancellations received less than 24 hours in advance and all no-shows are charged the late cancellation fee. There are no exceptions. Late cancellation fees are due along with session charges upon your next visit. After three late cancellations and/or no-shows, individuals are discharged as clients.
Insurance
Due to the ever-increasing burden and high cost of filing and collecting funds from insurance carriers, Dr. Hickman will accept only Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance (as of April 1, 2012). Checks or cash is preferred. If credit cards must be used, patients may check out via Paypal. If clients wish to file for reimbursement of in-office visits with their insurance carrier, a suberbill can be provided.
Payment Options & Billing Policies
Acceptable forms of payment include cash, check, or Paypal. However, check and cash are preferred forms of payment. Please note that this office does not provide a billing service. This means that payment in full is expected at the time of service.
Why Self-Pay for Services?
More and more therapists are being forced to move away from accepting insurance for clinical services and to rely on self-payment options for clients. The reasons for this are many, but focus on two primary issues: 1) unfair delays and denials from carriers and continued fee reductions make it economically untenable and 2) increased detrimental impacts for patients’ loss of privacy are a growing concern.
For example, clinicians spend an enormous amount of time attempting to collect the fees rightfully due them from insurance companies. In addition, managed care continues to drive rates of reimbursement down when clinicians have essentially been paid the same rates since the 1980’s. Again, with cost of living increases and inflation, this means clinicians can ill afford to continue accepting insurance reimbursement for services.
More importantly, clinicians are moving toward private pay because of the continued loss of privacy and deleterious consequences for patients. Once a mental health diagnosis is applied to a patient and transmitted to an insurance company, privacy for the patient can no longer be ensured by the clinician. Regardless of the ethical implications, employers have been known to locate such records and, once disclosed, mental health diagnoses can be used to limit or deny coverage such as for life insurance, disability insurance or can be used to adversely impact employment options.
Thus, whenever possible, it is always best to use self-pay options for services. This has the added benefit of strongly encouraging patients to focus on recovery and to resist the temptation to use the psychotherapy office as a means to primarily air complaints without a solid plan of action.
Purchasing Services
Some people have an immediate negative reaction to purchasing services by thinking, “I can’t afford this service.” But the real truth is that we do whatever we actually want to do; that is, we spend money on what we value and deem important. Everyone makes impulsive buys whether for a new car, a desired expensive gadget, entertainment needs or high-priced clothing. We think nothing of dropping a $100 for a nice outfit, $250 for concert tickets, $800 for an electronic gadget or even $30,000 for a new car. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for the new to wear off, boredom to set in and then we are looking for a replacement item.
Why, then, are our career goals, earnings potential, business dreams, communication skills or quality of social interactions considered such a luxury not worthy of pursuit if it costs more than a $20 co-pay? Learning better coping skills, how to communicate well with co-workers, how to stop self-sabotaging goals or how to overcome chronic struggles with mood, anxiety or anger are all examples of the potential lifetime benefits of self-improvement which do not break, wear, fade or go out of style. Which is the better investment? Seems like a no-brainer. By making simple adjustments to routine spending (e.g., eating out less or curbing impulse purchases), you can easily choose to invest in developing the very best you. So, before you think you cannot afford services – ask yourself whether you can afford not to obtain services.
Remember that you get what you pay for. If self-improvement is worth no more than a $20 bill, that is precisely what you will get out of it. The more we pay for something (up to a point), the more valuable it is in our eyes and we are more likely to invest the necessary energy to achieve the desired result.
Services: Can be utilized as in-office, telephone or Skype sessions
| TLC90 | Intake Session (required for first visit) (60-90 minutes) |
$150 | |
| TLC60 | Session (after intake; 60 minutes) |
$120 | |
| TLC45 | Session (after intake; 45 minutes) |
$100 |
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| TLC30 | Session (after intake; 30 minutes) |
$75 |
Preferred Clinical Services (Client’s location)
Preferred Services are provided on a retainer basis. Initial session (intake) is $350 and subsequent sessions are $280 per hour. Retainer is collected again once balance falls below $300.
| TLCP | Preferred Services – Retainer | $1,200 |
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Blogs
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Contact
Review Clinical and Consulting Services
Susan Hickman, Ph.D., Psy.D.
3097 Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408
P. (423) 800-0483
F. (423) 752-5299
Anita Crittenden, Executive Assistant
email: anita.psychassesstn@gmail.com
