Frequently Asked Questions
Starting therapy or an immigration evaluation can bring up a lot of questions. Here are answers to common questions about AFS Counseling Services, our services, online therapy in Illinois, costs, and what to expect.
Have Any Questions?
What services does AFS Counseling Services provide?
AFS Counseling Services provides online therapy throughout Illinois for teens and adults, including individual therapy, anxiety therapy, depression therapy, stress and burnout therapy, self-esteem therapy, and support for life transitions. We also provide clinical immigration evaluations and professional services for clinicians and organizations.
Do you provide online therapy throughout Illinois?
Yes. AFS Counseling Services provides secure online therapy for clients throughout Illinois. Virtual counseling allows you to meet with a licensed Illinois therapist without traveling to an office.
What does online therapy involve?
Online therapy uses secure video sessions to connect you with your therapist virtually. Sessions work much like traditional individual counseling, with time to discuss your concerns, understand patterns, develop coping skills, and work toward goals that fit your needs.
Is online therapy effective for anxiety and depression?
Online therapy can provide structured support for concerns such as anxiety and depression. At AFS Counseling Services, treatment is personalized around your symptoms, experiences, goals, and needs and may include approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and other evidence-based strategies.
How do I know if I need therapy?
You do not need to be in crisis to start therapy. You may consider counseling if anxiety, sadness, stress, self-doubt, relationship difficulties, life changes, or emotional overwhelm are affecting your daily life or you simply want professional support.
What can I talk about in individual therapy?
Individual therapy can address anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, self-esteem, trauma, grief, relationships, ADHD, life transitions, and other concerns. You can also begin without knowing exactly what is wrong. Your therapist can help you understand what is happening and where to focus.
What is anxiety therapy?
Anxiety therapy helps you understand patterns of worry, fear, overthinking, avoidance, and physical anxiety symptoms. AFS Counseling Services therapists may help you identify triggers, challenge unhelpful thoughts, develop coping skills, and build confidence in responding to anxiety.
What is the difference between therapy for anxiety and anxiety counseling?
The terms are often used interchangeably. Both can refer to professional mental health support for anxiety. At AFS Counseling Services, therapy for anxiety is personalized around your symptoms, goals, and experiences and may include CBT, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and practical coping strategies.
Can therapy help with panic attacks?
Yes. Anxiety therapy can address panic attacks and panic-related concerns by helping you understand triggers, recognize patterns, develop coping strategies, and respond differently to fear. AFS Counseling Services provides online anxiety therapy for teens and adults in Illinois.
What is depression therapy?
Depression therapy provides support for concerns such as persistent sadness, low motivation, loss of interest, hopelessness, emotional exhaustion, and difficulty functioning. Treatment is personalized and may focus on thoughts, emotions, behavior, coping skills, relationships, and underlying experiences.
Can therapy help with burnout?
Yes. Stress therapy and burnout-focused counseling can help you understand ongoing stress, identify patterns that contribute to exhaustion, and develop healthier coping strategies. AFS Counseling Services also looks at concerns such as anxiety, sleep, emotional overwhelm, relationships, and work-related stress.
What is self-esteem therapy?
Self-esteem therapy helps address persistent self-doubt, negative self-talk, comparison, fear of judgment, perfectionism, difficulty setting boundaries, and feeling “not good enough.” Therapy can help you understand these patterns and develop greater self-trust and self-acceptance.
Does AFS Counseling Services offer teen therapy online?
Yes. AFS Counseling Services provides teen therapy online throughout Illinois. Therapy can support teens dealing with anxiety, depression, academic pressure, school stress, friendships, family changes, self-esteem concerns, identity, and emotional challenges.
What can a teenager talk about with a therapist?
Teens can discuss anxiety, stress, school pressure, friendships, family relationships, self-esteem, identity, difficult emotions, and other concerns affecting their daily lives. Therapy provides a private space where they can learn coping skills and explore what they are experiencing.
Should parents be involved in teen therapy?
Parent involvement depends on the teenager's age, circumstances, clinical needs, and applicable privacy and consent requirements. A therapist can discuss what information may be shared with parents and how families can support the teen's treatment.
What happens during the first therapy session?
The first session generally focuses on understanding what brings you to therapy, your history, current concerns, and goals. Your therapist can answer questions, discuss how therapy works, and begin developing an approach based on your needs.
Do I need a diagnosis before starting therapy?
No. You do not need to arrive with a mental health diagnosis or know exactly what you need help with. Your therapist can learn about your concerns and determine what areas may be appropriate to address in therapy.
How long does therapy take?
There is no single timeline. The length and frequency of therapy depend on your concerns, goals, progress, and preferences. Some people seek focused short-term support, while others benefit from ongoing therapy.
How much does therapy cost at AFS COUNSELING SERVICES Counseling Services?
AFS COUNSELING SERVICES Counseling Services offers a $150 self-pay rate for individual therapy sessions. Insurance coverage, deductibles, copays, out-of-network benefits, and sliding-scale availability can affect what you pay.
Does AFS Counseling Services accept insurance?
Yes. AFS Counseling Services accepts select insurance plans and also offers self-pay, sliding-scale options when available, and superbills for eligible out-of-network benefits. Your coverage depends on your individual plan, so confirming benefits before starting is important.
Can I get therapy without insurance?
Yes. You can receive therapy through AFS Counseling Services without using insurance through the self-pay option. AFS Counseling Services also offers sliding-scale availability for eligible clients when openings are available.
What is a Good Faith Estimate?
A Good Faith Estimate provides an expected cost of care for eligible self-pay or uninsured services. AFS Counseling Services provides information about your expected therapy costs, and federal rules provide rights related to receiving and disputing certain bills.
What is an immigration psychological evaluation?
An immigration psychological evaluation is a clinical assessment that documents psychological effects relevant to an immigration case. AFS Counseling Services provides evaluations for asylum, VAWA, U Visa, T Visa, extreme hardship, and cancellation of removal cases.
Does AFS Counseling Services provide clinical evaluations for asylum, VAWA, U Visa, and T Visa cases?
Yes. AFS Counseling Services provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive immigration evaluations for these case types, along with extreme hardship and cancellation of removal evaluations. The evaluation provides clinical documentation and does not determine legal eligibility or guarantee an immigration outcome.
Can an immigration attorney communicate with AFS Counseling Services?
Yes. With appropriate authorization, AFS Counseling Services can coordinate with an immigration attorney about the referral, relevant clinical questions, supporting documentation, evaluation timeline, and report. The attorney remains responsible for legal advice and case strategy.
Does AFS Counseling Services offer clinical supervision for therapists?
Yes. AFS Counseling Services offers clinical supervision for therapists focused on clinical skill development, ethical decision-making, case consultation, professional growth, and reflective practice. Licensing and supervision requirements depend on the profession and state.
What is clinical consultation for therapists?
Clinical consultation for therapists provides practical guidance beyond licensure supervision. AFS Counseling Services consultation can address complex professional questions, private practice development, solo-to-group practice growth, business coaching, clinical workflows, and organizational needs.
Does AFS Counseling Services provide trauma-informed training?
Yes. AFS Counseling Services provides customized trauma informed training for organizations and teams. Training can focus on trauma-informed care, workplace culture, burnout prevention, staff well-being, and creating safer and more sustainable workplaces.
What does AFS Counseling Services corporate training cover?
Workplace mental health training can be customized around burnout prevention and recovery, staff well-being, compliance, documentation and notes, and other organizational needs. Training may be structured as workshops, lunch-and-learn sessions, or tailored programs.
What should I do if I am experiencing a mental health crisis?
If you are in immediate danger or at risk of harming yourself or someone else, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. AFS Counseling Services' supportive resources page provides additional crisis and support resources.
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Whether you are booking your first session, arranging an evaluation, or looking for supervision — it starts with a short conversation.