Wellness Solutions, LLC

Counseling, Coaching, & Psychotherapy Services

WS New Client Intake

WS Client Intake Process:

Welcome!

We try to make getting started on your therapeutic journey simple, fast, & easy.

Change is hard. Life is tough. We believe that your journey has enough challenges, barriers, & obstacles. We aim to provide you with a smooth, organized, and coordinated experience.

We are here to help provide you with comfort, support, and guidance - from the first appointment request throughout your change journey we are here to help you. We want to make getting started with WS a fast, easy, stress-free process and communicate with you every step of the way.

The WS intake process is online, available 24/7, and fully automated.

WS provides online telehealth services only. Also, you will receive text and email appointment reminders. Please be aware that the reminders display the WS mailing address. We are not able to make changes to the reminder notification templates and apologize for any confusion that may result.

All of the intake forms are online and can be completed on any phone, tablet, device, or computer. We do recommend completing the forms on a tablet or computer as the visual interface can be easier to read. Most of our communications with scheduling are through text and email to ensure additional privacy and ease of access.

Getting Started:

Please read through the information provided to ensure you understand our intake process and are familiar with our administrative and billing policies. Our FAQ pages are also very helpful and informative. We find that when clients read through the intake information, feel prepared, and know what to expect through each step of the care process they have much less stress, worry, and anxiety about receiving care. Being informed and engaged throughout the care process reduces frustration and confusion. We provide a great deal of information to support and empower you. We highly recommend reading through the resources available to give you a positive patient experience. Reading all of the information we provide will reduce confusion, frustration, and save time.

WS only provides telehealth services. We do not provide in person services. As per Texas state law, private insurance is required to cover telehealth services. Clients are welcome to use their insurance benefits for WS telehealth services.

Please complete this form openly, honestly, and thoroughly, with transparent communication. Partial responses, responses that obfuscate, inappropriate or disrespectful comments, and excessive "N/A" or "Will discuss with therapist" replies will not be admitted to care. If you do not complete the forms properly then you will not be admitted.

Be mindful of the energy you bring to your change journey.

If you "blow off" your first step (completing the intake forms) you are disrespecting your own time and risking that you will not be admitted because we do not have the information we need to make an informed decision.

If you do not have the time or temperament to complete the intake forms and provide thoughtful insightful responses then you may want to consider the level of motivation you have to engage in the change process at this time.

Please review the WS website to ensure you are seeking care for a presenting concern and/or age and population that we treat.

We make every effort to ensure your privacy and confidentiality are secure so you can feel confident and in control. All of the WS forms are online and paperless. There is no need for paper, pens, printing, scanning, or uploading any forms. To complete the forms, simply, click on the links below and follow the prompts. We do not offer new client appointments until all of the intake forms are completed.

We will send email and text messages regarding the status of your intake. We will send text messages to confirm receipt of your intake forms. We will also contact you via email as a gentle reminder for any forms that have not been completed. PLEASE check your email for email correspondences. You can search your email for “WS” as the Wellness Solution initials will be in the subject of each of our intake emails. You can also search for the email address [email protected] to find any emails that were sent to spam or buried in your inbox. We have had many individuals report not receiving our emails only to find that they went to spam, were buried in their email, or the individual did not check for our correspondences prior to expressing concern.

Admission will depend on the schedule availability of the client in relation to the schedule availability of our clinical staff. Please be aware that the more availability a client provides the greater the chances of obtaining a new client appointment. If you are requesting an appointment between Mon-Fri 3:00 PM and after or on a weekend then the clinical availability of our therapists will be VERY limited and your likelihood of obtaining a new client appointment is guarded at best.

For new client appointment requests: WS will hold an appointment request open for 14 days. After the 14 days passes we expire the appointment request. We will notify you of the appointment expiration by email. We only hold appointment requests open for 14 days to ensure people who need help and are struggling do not suffer from a delay of care waiting on an admission and possibly having their symptoms deteriorate. We will accept no more than two appointment requests from the same person in one year. In the event an appointment request expires we do not provide information regarding why we were unable to provide an appointment.

STEP 1: Complete the WS Intake Forms

Please see below to determine what forms you need to complete:

Adults need to complete the following:

1 Appointment Request Form

1 Admin Form

1 Billing Form

1 Consent Forms

Minors need to complete the following:

1 Appointment Request Form

1 Admin Form

1 Billing Form

2 Consent Forms (BOTH PARENTS)

Step 1a: The WS Appointment Request Form

WS Appointment Request Form

Time Commitment: The appointment request form takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Required: You will need a picture ID for the individual completing the form and for the client. You will be required to upload a picture of the picture ID to the online form. This reduces the potential for identity fraud and healthcare fraud. This also helps to verify the identity of the individual completing the form.

Important Information:

Once you begin a form you cannot save it and return to it later. (This is for privacy and confidentiality reasons.) All forms are completed online. There is no paper and pen version of the intake forms.

We will send you emails and texts to confirm receipt of the forms.

We will follow up with you via email & text regarding any missing information or forms.

We will send you information via email regarding the intake process and common questions, including helpful information regarding what to expect and how telehealth appointments work.

Please check your inbox and junk file if you have not received any emails from us. All of the emails we send throughout the intake process will have “WS” in the subject line and they will originate from the following email address [email protected].

Your schedule availability will influence the swiftness we can schedule a new client appointment. The more schedule flexibility a client has the greater the chance we can accommodate the request and offer a new client appointment.

We will make our best effort to accommodate your care requests and preferences though we cannot guarantee specific outcomes. We will ask which therapist you prefer or what schedule you would like to have, for example. It is important to be aware that our clinical staff are in high demand; therefore, we may not be able to offer the schedule or therapist you are requesting. We are not able to provide information regarding our clinical calendars prior to completing the intake forms as the clinical calendars change significantly hour to hour.

All adult clients are required to complete all of the intake documents independently. Adults may NOT complete or sign intake documents for another adult. Support system members cannot complete intake documents for adult clients. As an adult it is one’s responsibility to be accountable for one’s own healthcare. If we suspect or determine that anyone completing a client’s forms are not permitted to do so then we will consider this deception and potentially healthcare fraud and will immediately expire the appointment request. Keep in mind that signing official forms for another person is illegal and completing these documents for another person or for someone whom you are not legally permitted to do so is healthcare fraud.

Minor clients may only have their parents complete intake documents. Support system members such as step-parents or grandparents are NOT allowed to complete intake forms for minors as they do not have the legal right to provide consent for treatment. If we suspect or determine that anyone completing a client’s forms are not permitted to do so then we will consider this deception and potentially healthcare fraud and will immediately expire the appointment request.

We reserve the right to accept or decline an admission for any reason and at any time.

Please do not send multiple appointment requests or "robo-call," "robo-email," or "robo-text," our communication systems. Our communication systems will detect multiple communications as a potential spam attack and will auto-block your contact information. This is an information security and privacy standard to ensure your confidentiality.

The WS communication policies are at the bottom of this page to assist you with communication turn around time expectations and contact information. All of the WS systems will detect multiple email, text, phone call, and form submissions as a potential scam and will auto-block the name, number, and emails of the individual attempting to contact us. This is a security feature for our technology which helps protect private information.

Step 1b: The WS Admin Registration Form

WS Admin Registration Form

Time Commitment: The WS Admin Registration form takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.

Required: You will need a picture ID for the individual completing the form and for the client. You will be required to upload a picture of the picture ID to the online form. This reduces the potential for identity fraud and healthcare fraud. This also helps to verify the identity of the individual completing the form.

Important Information:

WS takes a holistic approach and a wellness approach to care. We want to get to know you and understand your world. We believe that you are an expert in your life. We are experts in change and behavior. Together we collaborate our expertise and create the changes in your life that you want. To engage in a positive, customized, and collaborative experience with your care we need to know and understand you as a unique person which includes the information contained in this form. We view the completion of the intake forms as a demonstration of one’s commitment to engage in the care process in a positive and proactive manner. It is also an opportunity for clients to use the intake process as the first step in care which includes insight, reflection, and contemplation. Counseling is an active process requiring the client to engage in a meaningful, transparent, and honest manner. If the intake and registration process requires more effort than a client is willing to invest then the care process will more than likely not yield the desired results. Counseling is generally as successful as the client’s willingness to participate in an active and engaged manner. Anyone unwilling to take the time to complete the intake forms in a forthcoming, transparent, and honest manner lacks the motivation and commitment to engage on a change journey in a substantive and meaningful manner.

WS can not schedule an appointment until we receive ALL intake forms.

All forms are completed online. There is no paper, pen, printing, or scanning. The intake forms are not available in a paper and pen format.

Once you begin a form you cannot save it and return to it later. (This is for privacy and confidentiality reasons.) All forms are completed online. There is no paper and pen version of the intake forms.

We will send you emails and texts to confirm receipt of the forms.

We will follow up with you via email & text regarding any missing information or forms.

We will send you information via email regarding the intake process and common questions, including helpful information regarding what to expect and how telehealth appointments work.

Please check your inbox and junk file if you have not received any emails from us. All of the emails we send throughout the intake process will have “WS” in the subject line and they will originate from the following email address [email protected].

Step 1c: The WS Billing Registration Form

WS Billing Registration Form

Time Commitment: The WS Billing Registration Form takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Required: You will also need the client's insurance card if the client has insurance. You will be required to upload a picture of the front and back of the insurance card to the online form.

Important Information:

We strongly recommend that you review the insurance and billing information provided on the website to assist with any questions you may have. We cannot check insurance eligibility and benefits without the information and permissions within the intake forms. Therefore, we cannot provide information about your insurance policy or patient responsibility until these forms are completed. All clients are strongly advised to contact their insurance companies to check network status and insurance benefits. We provide detailed information regarding how to check your own benefits on our website.

Once you begin a form you cannot save it and return to it later. (This is for privacy and confidentiality reasons.) All forms are completed online. There is no paper and pen version of the intake forms.

We will send you emails and texts to confirm receipt of the forms.

We will follow up with you via email & text regarding any missing information or forms.

We will send you information via email regarding the intake process and common questions, including helpful information regarding what to expect and how telehealth appointments work.

Please check your inbox and junk file if you have not received any emails from us. All of the emails we send throughout the intake process will have “WS” in the subject line and they will originate from the following email address [email protected].

Step 1d: The WS Consent Registration Form

WS Consent Registration Form

Time Commitment: The WS Consent Registration Form takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Important Information:

Once you begin a form you cannot save it and return to it later. (This is for confidentiality and privacy reasons.) All forms are completed online. There is no paper, pen, printing, or scanning.

MINOR CLIENTS - BOTH PARENTS are REQUIRED to complete the WS Consent Form. This means one parent will complete one WS Consent Registration Form and the other parent will also complete a separate WS Consent Registration Form. Therefore, all new minor clients will have TWO WS Consent Registration Forms required to schedule an appointment.

If there are concerns that one parent will not complete a consent form then we recommend that you discuss this with that person in advance. If one parent completes the intake forms and the other parent refuses to complete the consent form then we will not be able to admit the client. In order to save time and avoid frustration and disappointment please communicate as co-parents to ensure you are both willing to complete the necessary forms and participate in the care of your child.

MINOR CLIENTS - If the minor is the subject of a custody order or custody decree then all legal documents regarding the custody of the minor are required to be provided and uploaded to the consent form. WS will not provide an appointment if any legal documents regarding custody or guardianship have not been provided and verified. Please be aware that all custody forms should be submitted in PDF format. For security reasons we are not able to accept invitations to view information on a cloud or other similar platform.

If we suspect or determine that we were misled, deceived, or if we were provided incorrect information in any capacity then we will immediately discharge the client from care. We reserve the right to verify the identity of anyone completing the intake forms. We want you to know in advance that we will ensure that intake information for minors is accurate and signed by each of the parents. We have had many parents attempt to use deception and sign two consent forms to facilitate their child’s admission when one parent refused to sign the consent. In the event that occurs we will notify all responsible parties as is appropriate and we reserve the right to contact Child Protective Services (CPS) and the court where any custody decrees are presided on by a judge.

If you are the parent of a minor who is attending his or her first appointment then please present with your adolescent for the first session. We generally prefer to split the first appointment time in half with the parent and adolescent together for the first part of the session and then spending the second part of the session with the adolescent client.

Once you begin a form you cannot save it and return to it later. (This is for privacy and confidentiality reasons.) All forms are completed online. There is no paper and pen version of the intake forms.

We will send you emails and texts to confirm receipt of the forms.

We will follow up with you via email & text regarding any missing information or forms.

We will send you information via email regarding the intake process and common questions, including helpful information regarding what to expect and how telehealth appointments work.

Please check your inbox and junk file if you have not received any emails from us. All of the emails we send throughout the intake process will have “WS” in the subject line and they will originate from the following email address [email protected].

STEP 2: Getting Scheduled & What To Expect For Your First Appointment

Once WS receives ALL completed forms we will outreach to you via text and email.

We will share the results of your insurance check (if applicable).

We will also send an email to invite you to the WS Client Portal.

For your telehealth appointments you will receive an email with a link to the appointment at the start time of the scheduled session. The email that you registered in the intake forms is the email address used to send the appointment link. The links to the appointments expire after 15 minutes. Links are not sent in advance of the session because they will expire. Links are not re-used for subsequent sessions.

We will send a secure form to collect a credit card on file. All clients are required to provide a credit card on file to cover the cost of the patient's responsibility. If a client does not have a patient responsibility then they are still required to provide a credit card on file in the event of missed appointment fees. WS accepts credit cards only and will not accept a client who refuses to place a credit card on file. If a credit card on file is canceled, reported as lost, or expires then we will outreach to you and request a new credit card on file. If we do not receive a new credit card on file within 3 business days we will cancel all scheduled appointments until we receive a new credit card on file. Anyone who challenges a valid credit card charge will be notified of the issue and will not be permitted to attend an appointment until the outstanding balance is paid in full with a working credit card. Anyone who reports a valid credit card charge as fraud will be notified immediately that they have 3 days to rescind the fraudulent charge claim and pay the outstanding balance or they will be reported to law enforcement for theft of services. At that time the client will be discharged from care and will be ineligible to return.

You will receive appointment reminders via email and text to help make scheduling easier to remember. The WS physical address appears in the appointment reminders even though appointments are telehealth. You can opt out of appointment reminders. If you do so then you may not receive other forms of communication with WS through the patient portal.

Sessions begin at the top of the hour and are 45 minutes in duration. We understand that real life happens to real people. If something comes up and you are not able to make your appointment please let us know and we are happy to help reschedule your appointment.

We will charge your credit card on file AFTER we receive payment from your insurance and NOT on the day of the session. We wait to receive the payment from your insurance to ensure that the charge is accurate and does not require an additional charge or refund because insurance is often unreliable when we receive benefits checks prior to session. This way your card is charged accurately and there is generally much less confusion.

We allow all clients to have three appointments that are missed or rescheduled without notice prior to charging for the missed appointment. We lovingly and kindly refer to this as our "3 Freebie Flake Out" appointment policy. We believe that accessing care should demonstrate understanding of our client's struggles. We appreciate that attending appointments is a commitment that can be challenging in our busy and stress-filled lives. We strive to make attending your appointments an easy and convenient process. No pressure or guilt. If you need to reschedule or cancel at the last minute then we provide you with flexibility and understanding. Once a client uses all of their “3 Freebie Flake Out” appointments then the client will be charged for the missed session. The missed appointment fee is usually $100.00. The fee may change depending on the specific services you receive. The fee is NOT the copay. The fee is the full fee of the session. Insurance does not reimburse for missed appointments. Therefore, clients are responsible for the full fee of the appointment and not the copay. Clients reserve appointments in the schedule for themselves and when they do not use that time clients are responsible for the clinical time they reserved regardless of whether they used the time or missed the appointment. Most clinicians do not offer the 3 Freebie Flake Out flexibility and charge for all missed appointments when a client is late after 10 minutes even if the client attends the appointment late. We provide this flexibility as part of our clinical belief that we should all have compassion while maintaining respect for one another’s time and having healthy boundaries.

If you lose your privacy for any reason, especially since we understand the nature of the telehealth environment, please let us know and we can get the appointment rescheduled. We are here to help and look forward to making this a collaborative and kind process. (We have conducted MANY sessions from our client's offices, back yards, and yes even closets because there was a privacy concern.) We can be flexible with scheduling and assist you with options to help ensure you can have your sessions in a secure way. (As an FYI we do recommend using earbuds or headphones as that does help with privacy.)

If you have any technology concerns or problems please reach out and we will do our best to accommodate and troubleshoot any IT related issues together. We understand that maintaining a stable and consistent internet signal can be a difficult and frustrating problem from time to time. If you suddenly lose your internet signal or have an unforeseen technology meltdown we can reschedule or switch the appointment over to another platform or live call in order to respect your time and provide some comfort in difficult circumstances. IT meltdowns happen to all of us from time to time. We understand. Just reach out and we will be happy to assist you.

You will receive a client satisfaction survey via email after each session. We welcome feedback and seek out and encourage you to give us insight into your experience. We do enjoy positive feedback but we really do seek your sincere and honest opinion so that we can grow, improve, and provide you with the best support possible.

STEP 3: Concurrent Care & Scheduling Standing Appointments

WS staff will contact you to set up standing appointments or recurring appointments to establish a regular and consistent day and time. New clients usually begin once per week. As clients begin to experience symptom reduction and stabilize they will transition to once every other week appointments. Clients can then opt for discharge or to have bounce appointments or as needed PRN appointments.

We find that clients prefer to have consistent scheduled appointments to avoid the hassle of scheduling appointments each week or every other week.

Once you confirm a standing appointment you can always change your standing appointment as needed.

The standing appointments can be the same day and time each week (standing weekly appointment) or the same day and time every other week (standing every other week or EOW appointment).

Some clients are not able to commit to standing appointments so we refer to them as" bounce appointments" as they bounce from appointment to appointment each week based on their schedule needs.

Many of our clients will opt for monthly appointments or as needed appointments (the healthcare acronym for 'as needed' is PRN - it's a Latin language thing). We will often refer to these appointments as long term maintenance or "tune up" appointments.

Many clients will bump up or bump down their appointment frequency (weekly / every other week) depending on how they are feeling.

We outreach to all clients on a regular basis to ensure that their current schedule works for them and to accommodate any upcoming changes as well.

If you are more than 10 minutes late for an appointment or if you miss an appointment we will outreach to check on you and make sure you are safe and ok. If we do not hear back from you after we outreach then we will cancel any future appointments as we do not want to harass or guilt you regarding your appointments. If someone misses three scheduled standing appointments then we reserve the right to request that one transitions to a bounce appointment schedule. Appointments are reserved for you and if you do not use them then we will provide that time to someone else who wants and needs the appointment.

Many clients are concerned that we will "get mad" or be "disappointed" in them if they cancel or miss an appointment. We absolutely do not get mad, disappointed, or hold grudges regarding missed appointments. We are people too. We get it. Sometimes that happens to us, as well.

We demonstrate kindness and self-forgiveness in our words and our actions. The most important thing we consider is how we can best help you and ensure you are safe.

Substantive change takes time and we appreciate your commitment to invest in yourself. We want to support you in your change journey by supporting your positive decisions with flexibility and convenience.

Clients who discharge from care are welcome to return. Everyone needs a tune-up sometimes. You have not “failed” or “disappointed” anyone in counseling if you back-slide, have a relapse, or have a stress attack in your life and need a little support.

WS Contact Information & Communication Turnaround Times