Frequently Asked Questions

Do you take insurance?

Short answer, yes. Please see our clinician page to see what insurances each provider is in network with. Not all clinicians accept the same insurances.

What the heck is a superbill and can my therapist help me submit one to my insurance company?

A superbill is a detailed receipt that does require your provider to make a diagnosis for treatment—we remain fully transparent about diagnosis, and discuss this with all our clients. Unfortunately, a diagnosis is required for insurance reimbursement.

We are happy to help walk you through the steps of submitting a superbill to your insurance company, and have an insurance biller who can also help.

What can I expect from a gender affirmation letter writing appointment, and why is it $120?

We charge what clients are able to pay—sometimes this is $5 and sometimes it’s $120. No one is turned away due to inability to pay. If you can pay our full fee, note that your full payment allows us to provide letter-writing to those who cannot, and subsidizes the cost.

After our appointment, we write your letter and will mail you two hard copies as well as a digital version for your files, and will contact your doctor if requested or needed. Some doctors have their own forms that they request we fill out, and we can do this for you as well. Because of various steps, we charge for an hour and a half of our time.

If you are an on-going client of Open Door, there is no additional charge; we will complete the letter writing process within our usual sessions. Please see our clinician page to see what insurances each provider is in network with.

What can I expect from you as an LGBTQ+ person in therapy?

We practice all methodologies of therapy from an affirming and relational-cultural lens, which comes out of the social justice movement and the work of Jean Baker Miller, MD. We do not practice any sort of reparative or solely faith-based methodologies, but let the client lead if they choose to address any faith issues in tandem with LGBTQ+ identities. It is our goal to meet you where you are.

Need some resources on supporting your gender nonconforming family member or loved one? The Human Rights Campaign has some great resources here.

Since Open Door Counseling is staunchly against conversion or “reparative” therapy, does this mean you won’t see any Christian clients?

Not at all. We really enjoy working with Christians and other people of faith, talking about their beliefs and its role in their lives. This being said, we let the client lead the conversation when it comes to faith, as it is not our role—or job—to point clients down any one particular path to a higher power. This is, in part, why we chose the name “Open Door Counseling” because it is of the utmost importance to us that ALL feel welcome. It is against our ethics and personal beliefs to do harm to anyone, regardless of color, ability, faith, sex or gender identity, race, or religion.

Do you do teletherapy?

Yes, anywhere in Tennessee. Please contact your insurance provider to verify that they will cover teletherapy. Most do.

How often will we meet? How long does counseling take?

For the first few sessions we highly recommend meeting weekly, but ultimately it is up to you. If you are desirous of “getting down to business” we recommend weekly appointments, or scheduling an intensive with your clinician.

Can I hire you as a consultant at my practice, clinic, or company?

Absolutely! Contact any one of our skilled providers you’d like to hire to discuss scheduling, payment, and consultation.