Counseling helps people address thoughts, behaviors and feelings that may be causing problems. If you decide to go forward with me after your first session, then you are expected to treat your counseling commitment as a high priority in your life. Your appointment is a special time that has been set aside just for you. This document is designed to provide you with information about the counseling process, my services, policies, and expectations. Please read it carefully and be sure to note any questions you may have so that they may be discussed before we begin the counseling journey.
Disclosure, Informed Consent, and Counseling Agreement
I, {name3}, the client, referred to as "I" or "the client," have been informed by Lee Higginbotham, referred to as "I" or "the counselor," that Biblical Counseling and spiritual guidance are being provided, that this agreement shall govern the professional relationship between the parties, that any disputes or modifications of agreement shall be negotiated directly between the parties. If negotiations are not satisfactory, then the parties agree to mediate any differences with a mutually acceptable third-party mediator. In the event of a lawsuit, the client may assume all the costs of litigation including adjunct costs and fees, and all attorney fees.
General Information:
I, Lee Higginbotham, am an Ordained Pastoral Counselor and practice as such. Under Texas state law, pastoral counselors are exempt from professional clinical licensing. My training is a combination of NCCA Pastoral and Christian Counseling, Spiritual Formation and Psychology. My approach with the individuals, couples and groups that I work with reflects my view of a unified, biblical perspective on the emotional, spiritual and physical parts of our personhood as revealed through the temperament. My approach in our times together will be grounded in the belief that the above mentioned temperament can reveal a lot about how God has created your heart and mind and how those dynamics are impacting your experience of life and your relationship with others.
I am guided by the conviction that only by personally engaging with the spiritual dynamics that drive the feelings and behavior can you come to know yourself and God in a way that brings deep healing and true freedom to you and enables you to love others well. It is the organic, often non-linear, nature of this temperament process that I will seek to facilitate and encourage in you through our times together. It is not unusual that this process may entail periods where you feel worse rather than better in the process leading to a deeper, lasting change and freedom for you personally and/or in your relationships. Be aware that if your first or only goal in counseling is the relief of the symptoms that brought you to seek counseling, then my approach is not the best fit for achieving those goals.
My Desires and Responsibilities As Your Counselor:
It is my desire to see the problem that brought you into counseling resolved to your satisfaction. As a Pastoral Counselor I also desire that you will grow in your ability to experience deep joy and love others in a powerful way. To reach these goals, I will need to get to know you, how you view your problem, and how you relate to significant people in your life. Because I believe God has built us to be involved in and enjoy relationships with Him and others, we will pay attention to the relationships in your life as we work through the problems you have identified.
I believe that all aspects of a person are important and as such will consider spiritual, psychological, social, God given temperament and biological factors when working with you. I desire that the therapeutic relationship be mutually respectful, supportive, and challenging in an effort to help you reach your stated goals. Change is difficult and the process of change can sometimes introduce discomfort. Remembering and resolving unpleasant events can arouse fear, anger, depression, or other emotions that may feel foreign, but are a normal part of the growth process. Questions about the counseling process are always welcome. I desire and expect that you will benefit from this professional relationship, but I cannot guarantee specific results. I am responsible to be honest with you and follow a course of counseling that is in your best interest and will attempt to resolve only those problems which are within the scope of my training. Certain problems brought into counseling may have (or develop) physical and mental components. In such cases, I will advise medical or psychiatric consultation.
Counselor and Qualifications:
I am an Ordained Minister of Pastoral Care and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a NCCA Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor and NCCA Licensed Clinical Christian Counselor, licensed by the National Christian Counselors Association, license # 13878. I hold a M.A. in Clinical Christian Counseling. I am not a secular psychologist, psychiatrist, or state licensed counselor. I am not engaged in the practice of psychology, professional counseling, psychotherapy or state-licensed marriage and family therapy. As a credentialed clergy person, I am trained and equipped to provide you with the highest caliber of biblical advice and mentoring with which to guide you toward personal decisions that affect your lifestyle and your relationships. The counseling philosophy and approach I provide is Jesus-centered. I am offering biblical hope and practical help. If I feel an issue you are addressing is beyond my role as a Christian pastoral counselor, I have the freedom to refer you to a more qualified professional. My heart is to present biblical principles as the foundation of guiding you to a better understanding of your behavioral and relational issues, and to in turn help facilitate the steps to growth that are desired. Due to the pastoral nature of these services, I will not testify in court or act as a professional witness. National Christian Counseling Association certification requirements for NCCA Licensed Clinical Christian Counselors do not imply the effectiveness of any treatment. It is your responsibility to determine whether the services offered are appropriate and ultimately helpful.
Biblical Basis:
Be advised that pastoral counseling will include the use of the Holy Bible for answers to questions, prayer for God's assistance with issues being addressed, and assessments based upon how God created you as an individual. You are entering a faith-based ministry and as such will pray with and for clients, use the Bible as the foundation of counseling, and will encourage personal devotions. This counseling is not a medical, psychiatric, psychological, or other professional service, but is exclusively the sharing and explaining of principles set both in the Bible as applied to my personal situation. I understand that this is Biblical Christian Counseling, spiritual guidance, and not a secular service by a state licensed counselor. I further understand that no guaranties have been given as to the outcome of the counseling process and that I will play a vital role in the results of counseling.
Confidentiality and Mandated Reporting:
I operate under the clergy-client confidentiality privilege, which means that communication between the client and minister of counseling is confidential. However, there are some exceptions when I, without your consent, may break confidentiality. The State of Texas mandates that “all professionals must report or cause a report to be made and cannot keep silent on the grounds of confidentiality or privileged communication," the following: 1) When a disclosure indicated a counselee may cause danger to self; 2) When a disclosure indicated a counselee may pose a danger to others; 3) Child neglect or abuse.
Confidentiality and Counseling of Minors:
I might also thoughtfully choose to, or may be legally bound to disclose information received from me in the following circumstances: The information that minors disclose regarding abuse, illegal activities, social dangers or abortion may be disclosed to parents or other appropriate authorities, if I believe such disclosures will enhance the counseling process or provide necessary protection for the minor. In regards to communication between the pastoral counselor and a client who is a minor (under the age of 18), confidentiality will be kept to the extent permitted by the federal and state law. However, parents and guardians are encouraged to be a part of the counseling process. The progress of the minor client may be discussed with the parent or guardian; however, information that would decrease the trust between the counselor and the minor client will be kept confidential at the discretion of the counselor.
Location and Confidentiality:
My office is located at 1718 33rd Street in Lubbock, Texas. We cannot protect your identity as you come and go from appointments. There may be times when other people see you entering or exiting our office or other meeting locations. I cannot be held responsible for people who see you interacting with us. We go to great lengths to protect your identity and personal information. There may also be times when meetings take place in your home or outside of my office. When this occurs, these policies are still applicable.
Fees and Payments:
Sessions are offered for a suggested donation of $75. Cash, check, credit/debit card, Venmo, and PayPal are all accepted.
This counseling ministry is largely donor-supported and, as such, I never turn anyone away because of inability to pay. If you cannot afford $75 per session, then you can pledge a different amount by submitting a request. Please communicate your financial needs and circumstances, whatever they are, and I will help you no matter what.
Length of Sessions:
Generally, sessions last 60 minutes. If you are late, we will end on time and not run over into the next person's session.
Appointment time:
I schedule appointments in such a way as to avoid waiting times. However, in rare situations they do occur. When they do, I ask for your patience. I would also ask that you have similar respect for my time. Client sessions are scheduled for approximately 60 minutes. If you are more than 15 minutes late, the appointment will be shortened and possibly canceled.
Missed appointments/Late cancellation Policy:
If you are unable to make an appointment, please call 24 hours in advance so I have the opportunity to assist another client. Because I turn others away once a session is booked, clients who do not give 24 hours notice, barring an emergency, will be charged $75. Due to the nature of the pastoral counseling profession, no shows can be very disruptive and stressful. When you do not give this 24-hour advance notice, or if you do not show up at all, it has a negative impact on the work I do in this ministry. The likelihood that a client is going through a crisis is very high. Other people could benefit from the appointment time that you schedule and do not attend. There is no way to make up for the lost time that could be used to help someone else, so that is why there is a fee. While I know that at times 24-hour advance notice is not possible, without this amount of notice you will be charged for the missed session, regardless of the reasons for the cancellation, unless it is an extreme emergency or death of a loved one. Exceptions to this policy are made at my discretion. Life happens to us all. Please make an honest effort to communicate cancellations in a timely manner.
Assignments: The client agrees to make a good faith effort in the counseling process, which includes honest participation during sessions and participation in any homework given. It is vital that you do the assignments the counselor gives. As the Bible says, you will reap what you sow. If you put forth a halfhearted attempt at the homework, you will get a halfhearted return. There is no magic button a counselor can push to bring about healing or to impart truth and new understanding. It requires your desire and effort. If you as a client do not follow through on the assignments, then the counselor may choose to cover the same material that was covered in the previous session or, in some cases, cancel the session altogether. It is nearly impossible to help someone that chooses not to participate in their own healing. I firmly believe that the client should have more invested in solving their issues than the counselor.
Phone Calls, Text Messages, and Emails:
It is best to have our interactions at our sessions, but there may be a time where you need to talk, and I understand that. However, I do not do crisis therapy. I recommend that if you need that kind of emergency support that you call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital. I keep a list of emergency numbers and providers, and will always attempt to help you find the support you need. Emails and text messages are for appointment notifications, directions, or for general information only. In-depth conversations are best in the counseling environment or counseling session conducted by telephone. The phone number for calls or texts is 806-786-0344. My email address is leehigg@gmail.com.
Chance Meeting in Public:
Every one has their own feelings regarding meeting in public.Therefore,if I see you in public, I will not acknowledge or approach you. If you choose to approach me, this is fine. I will not talk about any issues from counseling in public, and our conversation will be short. If a chance meeting brings up any concerns for you, we will discuss it thoroughly in our next meeting.
Client's Rights and Responsibilities:
The course of therapy is determined mutually by me, the counselor, and you, the client. People often ask how long they will be in counseling. Some clients need fairly brief counseling work to understand their conflicts and reach the goals they set for themselves. Others may require many months or even years of work to achieve the growth they desire. However, whether your program of therapy is brief or long, the best results in therapy are often obtained by those who attend sessions on a regular basis. I attempt to work with people in such a way that they have sufficient time to meet their individual counseling goals, but I discourage clients becoming inappropriately dependent upon me. Consequently, counseling duration varies from person to person. Clients typically know when they are beginning to “feel finished” with counseling, and I encourage you to discuss this when it happens for you so that we can close our relationship as carefully as we begin it. Please keep in mind that the best results in therapy are often obtained by those who attend sessions on a regular basis.
Complaints:
It is always my intention to provide services in a professional manner that is consistent with all accepted ethical Christian standards. If at any time in the course of our work together you feel that there may have been a misunderstanding or you have any question or complaint about my services, please bring this up with me immediately so that I can become aware of your concern and resolve the matter with you. I am required to abide by the rules and ethics set forth by the National Christian Counseling Association. These rules include guidelines for counseling methods and practices as well as pastoral ethical standards.
Other Rights:
You have the right to ask questions about anything that happens in counseling. I'm always willing to discuss how and why I've decided to do what I'm doing, and to look at alternatives that might work better. You can feel free to ask me to try something that you think will be helpful. You can ask me about my training for working with your concerns, and can request that I refer you to someone else if you decide I'm not the right counselor for you. You are free to leave counseling at any time.
Terminating Counseling:
Counseling is normally terminated by mutual consent between the client and counselor because they have reached the set goals. This can occur in either verbal or written form. However, both the client and the counselor have the right to terminate counseling at any time. I want to make your counseling as successful as possible. My method doesn't support endless therapy. If I conclude that you need long-term therapy or your needs are beyond my capabilities, then I may refer you to another professional. If I initiate terminating our counseling, it will be because I feel that I am not able to be helpful to you any longer. I will offer you referrals to other sources of care, including those who are Christian, but I cannot guarantee that they will accept you for counseling. If you decide that you want to end the counseling earlier than I do, then I expect you to discuss this with me and not simply stop communicating with me. That would not be a healthy way to end counseling, and it will ultimately make things harder for you. You have the right to end therapy at any time without any moral or legal obligations. Financial obligations will be only those already accrued. If you choose to end the counseling relationship, I ask that you participate in a termination session.
If you miss scheduled appointments, fail to schedule an appointment for two consecutive weeks (unless previously agreed upon) or do not reply to my attempts to contact you, I will understand this to mean that you have chosen to terminate counseling. When counseling is terminated for any reason a termination of counseling notice will be placed in the client file. The termination of counseling notice may be sent to the client, but receipt of these forms are not necessary for them to be in effect.
I care deeply for those that I minister to in counseling and want to make the process a healthy and healing one for you. When we do end counseling, whether early or because it is time to release you, then I will consider you a lifetime client. Should you ever need to revisit any issues we dealt with in counseling, or if new issues arise and you wish to return to counseling, I will hold a space for you in my heart and mind and will anticipate working with you again.
LATE CANCELLATION AND NO-SHOW POLICY/AGREEMENT
I understand that it is my responsibility to notify the counselor 48 hours prior to my scheduled appointment, if I am unable to keep the scheduled appointment.
I understand that I will be charged a fee of $75 in the event that I miss an appointment or fail to cancel 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment. I understand that others are turned away once I book a session and it negatively impacts your ministry when I miss appointments or do not give 24-hours notice of cancellation, and I am responsible for a fee of $75. I understand that missed or cancelled appointment fees will be charged to the credit/debit card listed below, and I agree to pay these charges in full. I understand that this fee will not be waived except in cases of death of a loved one or extreme emergencies discussed with the counselor. However, if I put in a good faith effort to respect this policy and the counselor's time, exceptions may be made and the fee may be waived at the sole discretion of Lee Higginbotham.
I agree to the above late cancellation and no-show policy agreement and authorize Lee Higginbotham to charge any credit/debit card on file in the event that I violate this policy and agreement by cancelling an appointment without adequate notice or not showing up for an appointment without proper explanation.