Your First Steps
Getting Started
Reaching out is often the hardest part. Here is exactly what happens next, so nothing about starting therapy feels like a mystery.
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Guiding Growth.
Restoring Hope.
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Step One: Book a Free Consultation
Start by booking a free consultation online. You choose a time that works for you, and there is no cost and no commitment.
You do not need to know what kind of therapy you want or which clinician to ask for. Most people simply say what has been hard lately, and that is enough.
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Step Two: The Consultation Conversation
On the consultation you share what is bringing you to therapy, ask practical questions about sessions, insurance, and timing, and hear how Guiding Hope works.
Dr. Ashley Carroll-Brown personally helps match people with the clinician whose focus, availability, and style fit best. If Guiding Hope is not the right fit for what you need, you will hear that honestly.
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Step Three: Scheduling and Paperwork
Once you have a match, Delores Ortiz, our psychology intern who supports scheduling and onboarding, helps make sure your intake appointment, forms, and practical details are organized and personal rather than confusing.
Therapy sessions are scheduled through the practice's secure system, and you will receive intake paperwork to complete before your first session.
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Step Four: Your First Session
Your first appointment is a 50-minute intake by secure video. Your clinician will ask about your history, what you want to be different, and what has and has not helped before.
From there you decide together how often to meet. You can join from anywhere private in Texas, so there is no commute and no waiting room.
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Costs and Coverage
Guiding Hope is in network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. Coverage varies from plan to plan, so it is worth confirming your benefits before your first session. If you are out of network, the practice can provide a superbill you may be able to submit for reimbursement.
Please give at least 48 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations and missed sessions carry a fee.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online therapy available anywhere in Texas?
Yes. Every session at Guiding Hope is held by secure video, and all of our clinicians are licensed in Texas, so you can meet from anywhere in the state.
Do you take insurance?
Guiding Hope is in network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. Coverage varies by plan, and superbills are available for out-of-network reimbursement.
What happens in the free consultation?
You share a little about what is bringing you in, ask any practical questions, and talk through which clinician may fit. It is a conversation, not a commitment.
What if I am in crisis right now?
Please call 911 if you are in immediate danger, or call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Guiding Hope offers scheduled outpatient therapy and is not an emergency service.
You Can Begin With a Conversation
A free consultation can help you ask questions, share what you are looking for, and consider whether one of our clinicians feels like a fit.
Book Free Consultation