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At LCG, you can expect your therapist to be warm, compassionate, and respectful of you and your circumstances. We make every effort to make your first session comfortable and on your own terms. We do have an initial interview that we conduct, but we also know that sometimes individuals need time to process their thoughts, feelings, and emotions, so the interview is adjusted to go at a comfortable pace. The first session is a lot of information gathering and storytelling. We are here to listen and try to understand your situation and therapy needs. We generate recommendations for you and start to develop a plan for your treatment. Please feel free to ask any questions and provide your therapist with any relevant information that you think is important. We often go “off script,” as every individual is unique and we respect that each person has their own story to tell. For children, we often meet with the parents first, on a day prior to the child’s first visit, so that we can get some of the background information before meeting the child. That way, the first meeting with the child is focused on making the child comfortable and developing a relationship with the therapist, usually through a game or craft activity, and less emphasis is placed on the “interview” with the child.

A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who usually specializes in psychiatric medication management services. Psychiatrists do not usually perform “talk therapy” with patients, rather they focus on the medication treatment of presenting symptoms. At LCG, we do not have Psychiatrists on staff, but we work closely with them in the field. A Clinical Psychologist is a Doctorate level therapist (either a PsyD or PhD) who has completed all of the educational requirements, a doctoral dissertation, post-doc training and licensure certification requirements to work in the field. Clinical Psychologists usually have certain areas of expertise and have many years of training and/or certifications in those areas. We have several Psychologists on staff at Libertyville Counseling Group. An LCPC is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and an LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. An LCPC and LCSW are both Master’s Level therapists who have completed the necessary education, master’s thesis, post-graduation training and certification to practice as a Licensed Therapist. Similar to Psychologists, they often have certain areas of expertise where they have focused their training to acquire relevant experience and certifications. We also have several LCPC’s and LCSW’s on staff. You can read about our therapists and their training backgrounds on our “About” page of our website.

No. We do not have a psychiatrist on staff at LCG. We work closely with Primary Care Doctors, Specialists, and Psychiatrists in the community and we often collaborate with them as a member of our patients’ treatment team. Our patients often receive this kind of medical care in addition to our services and we play a supportive role in monitoring and informing their medication treatment plan.

Yes. All of our providers are able to provide either In-Person or Telehealth services through our HIPAA compliant Tele-health system. Many of our clients choose to do a combination of these sessions (in-person and tele-health), depending on scheduling needs and general personal preferences.

You will find Member Services information on the back of your insurance card, such as a phone number or website you can use. We recommend that you confirm that Kelly J. Behrends, PsyD is “In-Network” for your plan. This provider is the owner of Libertyville Counseling Group, and all of our providers are contracted under her name. If you can confirm that Kelly J. Behrends, PsyD is in your network, then all of our providers are covered by your plan. In general, we are considered In-Network for most plans with the following companies: Aetna, BCBS PPO, BCBS HMO Northshore, and PsycHealth. Please note, there are always exceptions, so it is important to know your plan details. All of this information should be made available to you through your insurance company’s Member Services department. If you need help finding this information, please contact our Office Manager at 224.433.6744 ext. 1 and she can assist you!

We try to keep our waiting list as short as possible. How long you will wait depends on many factors. First and foremost, we work very hard to make sure there is a good-fit therapist for your specific needs. We would not place you with just anyone with an opening, but instead we fit you with the right therapist for your needs and preferences. We believe this sets you up for better outcomes and therefore is worth the wait. Second, the preferred appointment day, time, and type (family, individual, child/adolescent) are also important factors that determine wait time. If you can be more flexible with your time, we can usually expedite the appointment. Since the evening and weekend slots are the most popular, those tend to be a longer wait. If you have more flexibility in your schedule, we can get you in sooner! One recommendation: If you prefer evening or weekend, but you are able to start with daytime sessions and then later move to evening/weekend, we can accommodate this request in a more expedient manner as well.

If you are using your insurance, we are contracted at different rates depending on your insurance company. The amount of the patient responsibility is determined by your plan and varies from one plan to the next. Please contact your insurance company’s Member Services department to find out your plan details and for what amount you would be responsible. For self-pay patients, our fees are the following: $220 per hour for Psychologist and $180 per hour for LCPC or LCSW.

Although we do not have a “sliding fee,” we do offer to arrange an individual self-pay plan for those individuals who are not able to use their health insurance for our services or who express the need for an alternative arrangement due to financial hardship. The self-pay plans include a reduced fee and/or a payment installment plan.

Yes. We take our business of helping others seriously and lost time is a lost opportunity where another patient waiting for an appointment could have been seen. Therefore, if we get a Late Cancellation (less than 24 hours notice) or No Shows (where the client fails to show for a scheduled session), it is our policy to charge the patient a full-fee for the missed appointment. Please note this fee is not covered by insurance.

We treat all ages ranging from age 6 years and onward through the lifespan. We provide individual, family, and couples therapy focused on a wide range of presenting concerns. More information is available under our “Services” and “Specialties” pages on our website.

The best way to become a patient or to inquire about our services is to complete the New Patient Intake Inquiry form on our website. On the home page www.libertyvillecg.com, click on “New Patients” and follow the prompts to compete our simple, HIPAA compliant New Patient Intake Inquiry form. Once submitted, we will respond to you as soon as possible and in the order it was received. Every effort is made to quickly answer your questions and help you to receive the services you need, either with us or with a referral to one of our trusted providers in the community.

For new patients, the best way to reach out is through our New Patient Intake Inquiry form on our website. This form provides us with information so that when we are speaking with you, we are able to thoughtfully and expediently provide the answers to your questions. For established patients, the best way to reach us is through the Messaging system on your Patient Portal (accessible from our website). You may also call us at 224.433.6744 (ext. 0 for new patients and ext. 1 for established patients).

Any member of our team can assist you in locating your log-in information. You can ask your therapist to provide it at your next appointment, or you can call us at 224.433.6744 ext. 1.

Payments can be made through the Patient Portal, by calling the Office Manager and paying over the phone, by handing cash or check to your therapist, or by mailing in a check to our office location.

Libertyville Counseling Group offers appointments seven days a week, from 8am-8pm.