Awaken your mind,
soothe your body, stir your soul
382 West 9th Street Ship Bottom, NJ 08008
609-445-3335
FAQ's
Please reach out to me if your questions are not answered here.
Where are you located? I am located at 382 West 9th Street, Suite 7/8, Shipbottom, NJ 08008.
I am interested in counseling. Where do I start? First thing, congratulations on making the first step! I am happy to speak with you individually to see if we are a match for therapy through my practice. You are invited to complete a preliminary intake form which just gives me a gist of why you are coming through my door. You can call or text me at 609-445-3335 or email me at JaclynHoffmna@shoreawakenings.com to start the process. Many factors are considered when getting into therapy, such as the personality of the counselor, the specializations offered, location, and fee. If you prefer to use your insurance and stay within network, you can contact your insurance company for available providers or visit www.Psychology Today.com to search for a list of providers.
What are your therapy sessions like? I will try and accommodate where I am able for my clients. For one, sitting in a therapy room might not be the most ideal thing (especially for younger clients). Others might like to get outdoors, prefer the walk-and-talk approach or to sit at a bench by the bay. Other clients may prefer sessions in the comfort of their own home. I factor in my client’s needs and will work with my client to the best of my ability. In-home sessions are offered in the surrounding area (Ocean County). Please ask me upfront if that is what you prefer. If you prefer a cup of tea for an hour in my office, I will happily provide and may join you with a cup as well. I will also join you if you prefer sitting outside at a bench at the park. Sessions are in-person or telehealth and you have the option to switch to either as you wish.
How do telehealth sessions work? Telehealth sessions are very convenient and are by personal preference. I use secure online platforms which include Doxy.me, Simple Practice, or Spruce Health. We will coordinate prior to the session and a link is given to you prior to our session. I encourage the following for clients who would like to participate in telehealth sessions: -allow a quiet and private space for our session -choose a well lit area but not having light sources directly behind you -optional but highly recommended: have headphones to minimize any outside noise or distraction -ensure a secure connection to your computer. You may want to shut down other background applications to ensure a strong connection too -silence your phone to prevent noisy distractions -highly recommended- Please be dressed accordingly for session. Consider how you would present yourself if we were to meet in person. I am licensed only in New Jersey and I am unable to provide Telehealth counseling to those who live out of state. As for other nonclinical work (i.e. SoulCollage workshops), I can offer to anyone from anywhere. Please note that my Telehealth counseling sessions are not recorded. Also, my clients are not to record any sessions without my knowledge.
How do I get involved in your groups? Groups are held at 382 West 9th Street unless I specify otherwise. The groups I offer will vary to the population served and the need at hand. For example, my Mending Hearts group will be offered to only widows. It is a free monthly group to fellow widows and it is an open group, which means the participant does not have to go to every said group scheduled. Some groups are not open, meaning registration is necessary and the participant attends the scheduled group at the set dates and times (i.e., 6 week group on Mondays at 11am). Groups will be specified as open or closed so participants will know the expectations upon starting that group. Some groups will have a fee posted as well. Insurances may cover the therapeutic groups so please let me know if you plan to seek reimbursement and I can provide you with a superbill so you can submit it to your insurance. I meet with each group member prior to registering them for the group. Each group participant signs a Group Agreement to acknowledge rules and expectations upon joining.
Do you take insurance? No, I do not take any insurance. I am an out-of-network provider. Prior to scheduling clients, I encourage them to reach out to their insurance company to see if they have benefits for out-of-network. If so, the attached worksheet may be handy to complete while communicating with your insurance company about the benefits. If you prefer using your insurance and/or do not want to use out-of-network benefits, you can ask your insurance company for available mental health clinicians or you can use an online directory like www.PsychologyToday.com and use the filters on the page to find a counselor. When I meet with my clients, I get paid up front and in full at the session. I can provide a superbill that you would submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. I typically provide a superbill on a monthly basis for the client to submit. These are requested by the client.
Will you work with my insurance carrier? While I do have an appreciation for insurance companies in some aspects, I do not work with any insurance carriers through my practice. For one, I appreciate the capability of incorporating various services into my practice and I won’t be stuck taking on hours of billing and dealing with insurance companies because I can offer such an array of services. I can guide my clients on the process of submitting for reimbursement to insurance companies, but again, I do not do direct billing through my practice.
What if I do not have insurance? That is okay! I am still happy to work with you! You can pay out of pocket for your sessions. My fee is $120 per session. Each session runs between 45 minutes to 1 hour. For your record, I can provide a monthly receipt for your sessions. I will also provide you with a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) so you receive the cost of my services up front. The purpose of the GFE is to be transparent of my fees so you do not get any surprises in the services given. You can learn more by clicking on the “No Surprises Act” link at the bottom of my page.
What is your rate? I charge $120 for a therapy session. For other services, you can see my rates by clicking on the Spiritual Services at the top of the page.
How often do we meet for therapy? I encourage weekly counseling sessions to start and no less than biweekly sessions. Each person has different needs so I do factor that in when meeting with my clients, but having therapy less than biweekly can affect the progress you are looking to attain in our time together. I have some clients that look to do maintenance therapy, or a monthly session, after attending regular counseling for several sessions. I am okay to transition to that step, but upfront, therapy is recommended to be more frequent to start.
Will my sessions be confidential? What if you are seeing my child and I want to know what you are talking about or doing in session? I prioritize and honor the privacy of our counseling sessions. What is shared in our time together does not get shared without your permission; however, if there are signs or suspicions of imminent danger to self or others, including abuse and/or neglect, then it is my responsibility to ensure you and others are safe. You can sign releases that permit me to disclose information to others for collaborative purposes in your care (i.e., your primary care doctor, former therapist). I do acquire emergency contact information as well, but it serves only for emergency reasons. You can always add or omit releases at any time in your treatment. As for your child, youths 16 years and older can obtain counseling without consent of their parent or guardian. I seek a balance of working with the child and family, especially when the youth is older to ensure that they can talk with me freely and that I am offering a safe place for them to do so. With that in mind, it would be counterproductive for the child client if I were to share details of what we discuss in our sessions. I suggest periodic family sessions to discuss the youth’s progress in therapy and prior to that session, I would discuss with the youth what s/he can anticipate being discussed.
What is your contact information? My office is 382 West 9th Street, Suite 8, Street Ship Bottom, NJ 08008 My mailing address for billing or other correspondence is P.O. 576 Barnegat, NJ 08005 My phone number (text too) is 609-290-0212 My fax number is 732-608-2531 My email is JaclynHoffman@shoreawakenings.com My NJ license is 37PC00565100