FAQ

General Questions/Practical Information

Where is your office located?

The office is in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the address below:

321 South Main Street Suite 213 Ann Arbor, MI 48104

It’s on the East side of South Main Street about halfway between William Street and Liberty Street. It is easily accessible by public transportation and is less than a 5-minute walk from the AATA Blake Transit Center.

There are two entrances to the building – the main entrance is off of South Main, and a second/back entrance is off the alley that runs parallel to South Main Street.

My office is located on the second floor, and both my name (Nicole Turcotte-Ruiz, LMSW) and the name of my practice (Carry the Hope Counseling) are marked on the door to my suite – 213.

Where can I park?

There is ample access to public parking with several parking structures and lots within 1-5 minutes walking distance as well as street/metered parking. Here are some of the parking options:

  • Fourth & William Parking Structure
  • South Ashley Lot
  • William/South Main Lot
  • Fourth & Washington Parking Structure
How do I set up an initial appointment?

Simply contact me to schedule a free phone consultation, so I can gather some information and allow you the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.

You can reach me via email at nturcotteruiz@carrythehope.com, phone at (734) 263-6644, or by filling out the Contact Form at the bottom of this page.

From there, if I think I can be helpful and you feel like it’s a good fit, we can move forward with scheduling an initial appointment.

What methods of payment do you accept?
I accept all methods of payment – all major credit cards, check, and cash. I can also accept payment via FSA/HSA cards.
Do you take insurance?

Yes, is the short answer.

The longer answer is that I’m on a panel with one insurance carrier, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. This means that I accept most, but not all, Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plans, including most out-of-state BCBS PPO Plans. Please be aware that this is not the same thing as Blue Cross Blue Shield’s HMO plans – Blue Care Network plans.

If you have a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, I’ll collect the necessary information when we schedule your initial appointment, and I will verify that the plan is active and get as much information about coverage and cost-sharing (deductibles, co-pays, etc.) as I can before our first meeting.

While I do my best to gather this information, I encourage all clients to contact their insurance provider on their own – as you will ultimately be responsible for the cost of treatment. All fees/payments are due and collected at the time of service.

If you have a different insurance plan, I can provide you with a monthly “Superbill,” which is a document that includes all the information you will need to submit a claim to your insurance company if you have out-of-network benefits.

While dealing with insurance can be complicated at times, I’ve decided to remain on the panel with BCBS because I understand that therapy can be expensive. That being said, even some clients who have health insurance options decide to pay for treatment independently to preserve more privacy and autonomy over their care. In the end, the decision is entirely up to you.

How long are your sessions?
The initial appointment will last between 1.5 to 2 hours, and each subsequent therapy session will last 55-60 minutes.
What is your cancellation policy?

I ask that you provide me with 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Late cancellations (less than 48 hours in advance) or No Shows will result in a Late Cancellation/No Show fee equal to the cost of the full session.

Do you do teletherapy sessions?

Yes, I do. While nothing quite compares to working with clients face-to-face, I know that there are times when meeting in-person is not possible. Teletherapy sessions are the next best thing.

Out of an abundance of caution and given the nature of the work, I am doing only teletherapy sessions at this time and will continue to work with clients remotely – until the COVID-19 pandemic no longer poses a significant threat.

Questions About Therapy

What kind of therapy do you do?
I have extensive training and experience in a variety of treatment approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Narrative Therapy, Infertility Counseling, and Motivational Interviewing (MI). However, I know that all these terms and acronyms can be overwhelming and might not mean a lot to you.

Each type of therapy helps address specific types of symptoms, issues, and problems; a combination of different approaches might, and often, work best. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have during your initial phone consultation or at any other time.

Once we meet and start working together, we can collaborate to create an individualized treatment plan tailored specifically for you and the issues you want to address and explore in therapy.

What do I need to bring with me to our first session?

Please bring your Photo ID and your health insurance card. I take a copy of these items for my records.

I’ll prepare all the forms and paperwork you need to complete, so all you need to do when you arrive for your first session is read, review, and sign them.

Lastly, you may want to write down some notes for yourself about the issues you might want to work on in therapy. We can use this information to help identify and define your treatment goals.

What will happen during our first session?

During our first meeting, you’ll have the opportunity to share more detailed information about what made you decide to enter therapy and ask any questions you might have.

I’ll be working to get a better understanding of what’s going on with you and gathering some background information, which means that I’ll be asking quite a few questions and taking notes. Most importantly, the purpose of that first meeting is for you to get a feel for me and how I work to make sure that it feels like a good fit for you.

Will I have homework?
Yes, you will have things to work on between sessions. What those things are will depend on what we are working on. It could be a worksheet to practice a specific skill; it could be journaling; it could be a specific behavioral goal; or it could address a personal situation, etc.
How often will we meet?
Most clients will begin by attending weekly therapy sessions and will continue to meet once a week on an ongoing basis. In some circumstances (severe symptoms of depression, a limited amount of time to address therapy goals, etc.), meeting twice a week might be necessary. As time goes on and things are improving, we might decide to reduce the frequency of our sessions to every two weeks.
How long will I be in therapy?

The length of treatment varies significantly from one person to another. If you’re seeking therapy to address a particular issue that has come about more recently and isn’t very complex, a handful of sessions might be all we need.

The more complicated the problem is and the longer it has been an issue usually indicate that treatment will last longer.

Some clients want to establish a long-term relationship with their therapist and choose to meet weekly on an ongoing basis. In the end, you, the client, are in the driver’s seat. While I’ll make recommendations for the length of treatment, you’ll ultimately decide what works best for you.

What happens if I want to talk to you between sessions?

If something comes up between sessions, feel free to reach out to me via email or phone, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible – usually within 24 hours.

Please keep in mind that you should never leave sensitive information on a voice mail or communicate it via email.

Questions You Might Be Thinking About but Probably Won’t Ask

Do I have to lie down on a couch?
No, you don’t. In fact, I don’t even have a couch in my office. I have two big armchairs with a handful of throw cushions. You can get comfy and even kick off your shoes and curl up if you want.
Are you going to ask me “How does that make you feel?”
Not exactly, but we’ll definitely be talking about feelings, and it will most likely not look like what you might have seen on TV or in the movies. I tend to take a more active approach. So, while I do a lot of listening, I will be doing more than just nodding and saying, “Uh-huh, I see, hmm.” I’ll also be doing some of the talking.
Are you going to give me advice or tell me what to do?
That’s not really how therapy works. We’ll talk about and explore things, and we’ll work together to help you discover and implement healthier ways of coping with what you’re addressing.
Can you “fix” me?

No, I can’t fix you. Why?

Because you’re not broken, that’s why.

Through therapy, we’ll work together to address issues and solve problems.

Are you going to make me cry?

Not on purpose.

All kidding aside, we’ll discuss the issues that you raise, that you’d like to explore. Given the nature of therapy, we may very well be talking about some difficult things which can often trigger intense emotions.

If the tears do come, it’s more than okay, and I have plenty of Kleenex in case you need them.

What should I do if I have questions or am upset about something that happened during one of our sessions?
Talk to me… let me know.

If you don’t and keep it to yourself, then it will almost certainly get in the way of our work.

I promise that you won’t offend me and that I really do want to know. I cannot say that this situation has come up very often. What I can say that I want to be helpful and that I’m human. So, if I say something you don’t like, just let me know. We can talk about it.

The most important part of our work is a good therapeutic relationship.