Answers to what most families want to know.
The questions we hear most often, answered honestly. If yours isn't below, we welcome the conversation — every family's situation is different, and no question is too small.
The financial side, in plain language.
Do you take insurance?
We are an out-of-network practice, which means we do not bill insurance directly. This is a deliberate choice that allows us to spend our time on client care rather than insurance administration, and to keep your clinical record private from insurance carriers.
Many families with out-of-network benefits still receive partial reimbursement from their insurance for our services. We provide the documentation you need to submit for reimbursement.
What is a superbill, and how does it work?
A superbill is a detailed monthly receipt of the therapy sessions you paid for, including CPT codes and diagnostic information required by insurance companies. You submit it directly to your insurance carrier — we don't need to be involved in the reimbursement process.
If your insurance plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, you'll typically be reimbursed anywhere from 40% to 80% of the session fee after meeting your out-of-network deductible. We recommend calling the number on the back of your insurance card and asking about your specific out-of-network mental health coverage before your first session.
Do you accept HSA or FSA payments?
Yes. Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) are accepted for all eligible therapy services. Most families find this significantly reduces their out-of-pocket cost, as HSA and FSA funds are pre-tax dollars.
What are your session fees?
Session fees are discussed during your initial phone consultation, along with any relevant details about your family's situation. We do this so families can plan financially before committing to care — no surprises after the fact.
Concierge membership retainers are structured separately from per-session fees. You can learn more on our Concierge page.
Do you offer a sliding scale or reduced-fee sessions?
We do not offer sliding-scale or reduced-fee sessions at this time. Our practice is built to deliver considered, unhurried care, and we've chosen not to compromise that model by underpricing our work. If our fees are not the right fit for your family, we're happy to refer you to trusted colleagues in the region who offer reduced-fee care.
How and when do I pay?
Payment is collected at the time of service via credit card, HSA/FSA card, or ACH (bank transfer). For concierge members, the monthly retainer is billed on the first of each month.
How therapy actually works with us.
What can I expect from a first session?
Your first session is not a formal intake. It's a conversation. Your therapist will ask about what's bringing you in, what you've tried before, and what you're hoping to see change. Together you'll begin to build a picture of what care might look like — and you'll leave with a sense of whether this feels like the right therapeutic relationship.
For families and children, the first session may include just the parents, just the child, or both together — depending on what makes the most clinical sense.
How long are sessions, and how often will we meet?
Standard therapy sessions run 45 minutes. Assessments and initial family sessions may run 60 to 75 minutes. Most clients begin with weekly sessions and adjust from there based on clinical progress and family need.
Concierge members meet weekly by design, with additional between-session access included in the retainer.
Do you offer telehealth, in-office, and in-home sessions?
Yes to all three. We meet clients where the work will land best — sometimes that's the Blue Bell office, sometimes a client's home, sometimes a secure video platform. Many clients use a mix, depending on schedules and clinical needs.
Concierge members typically alternate between in-home and in-office based on their preference week to week.
What's your cancellation policy?
We ask for 24 hours' notice for cancellations. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice are billed at the full session rate. This policy reflects the reality that reserved session time cannot easily be filled last-minute — and helps us hold consistent availability for the families in our care.
How long will therapy take?
Honestly, it depends. Some clients see meaningful shifts in eight to twelve sessions. Others benefit from longer-term work spanning a year or more, particularly when addressing complex presentations like OCD, trauma, or family systems concerns. Your therapist will offer a clinical opinion after the first few sessions and revisit the question periodically as the work evolves.
Can I switch therapists within your practice?
Yes. Therapeutic fit matters enormously, and if the match isn't right, we'd rather help you find someone within our practice — or refer you out — than have you stay in a relationship that isn't serving you. We take this seriously and handle transitions with care.
Ages, specialties, and the work we do best.
What ages do you work with?
We work with children age 5 and older, adolescents, young adults, and adult clients. Our practice is particularly strong with children, teens, and their families — but we also carry a meaningful caseload of adult individual clients.
For very young children (under 5), we'll happily refer to trusted early-childhood specialists in the region.
What clinical areas do you specialize in?
Our team specializes in anxiety, OCD and OCD subtypes, trauma-informed care, and family systems work. Sandi additionally holds specialized training in IFS (Internal Family Systems), EMDR, and Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD.
We also work extensively with school-related challenges — anxiety around school attendance, testing pressure, social difficulties, and executive functioning concerns.
Do you treat OCD?
Yes, extensively. OCD is one of our core specialties, and we treat it using evidence-based approaches including Exposure and Response Prevention (Ex/RP), IFS-informed care, and family-based approaches for children and teens. We work with a wide range of OCD subtypes, including scrupulosity, contamination, harm, relationship, and pure-O presentations.
We can also work respectfully alongside a client's faith when it's a meaningful part of their life. Faith and treatment are not in opposition.
Do you work with adults, or is the practice primarily children and teens?
Both. Roughly half of our practice is adult individual work, and half is child, adolescent, and family work. Some of our clinicians see primarily one population; others hold a mixed caseload. During your phone consultation, we'll match you with the therapist whose specialties best fit your situation.
Do you see couples?
We do not currently offer couples therapy as a standalone service. If you're seeking couples work, we'll happily refer you to trusted colleagues in the region who specialize in that modality.
What are the signs my child might benefit from therapy?
Common signs include: persistent worry, sleep disruption, repeated stomachaches or headaches without a medical cause, avoidance of school or activities they once enjoyed, ritualistic behaviors, difficulty separating from a parent, sudden mood changes, or feedback from a teacher that something has shifted.
And don't underestimate the importance of your own parental instinct — if you're wondering whether your child could use support, that instinct is worth listening to. A phone consultation is a low-stakes way to think it through together.
The questions we hear about Concierge care.
What makes Concierge different from regular therapy?
Concierge is a small, dedicated caseload delivered personally by Sandi Christiansen, LPC. It includes weekly sessions, guaranteed 24-hour response to communication, up to four parent or family consultations per month, and active care coordination with your other providers, schools, or specialists.
The format is also flexible — you can meet in your home or at the Blue Bell office, and switch between the two week to week based on your family's needs. Learn more on the Concierge page.
How is Concierge billed?
Concierge is a monthly retainer, not a per-session fee. Starting rates begin at $2,700 per month for the core service area and $3,200 per month for extended locations. The retainer includes everything above — sessions, communication access, parent consultations, and care coordination.
Payment is billed on the first of each month via credit card, HSA/FSA, or ACH.
What areas do you serve for in-home Concierge care?
Our core service area extends approximately 30 minutes from our Blue Bell office — including the Main Line, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Radnor, Wayne, Ambler, Blue Bell, Fort Washington, Chestnut Hill, and the Doylestown-adjacent area.
Extended service is available for deep Bucks County, Center City Philadelphia, and Wilmington-adjacent areas at the extended retainer rate.
Is there a minimum commitment?
We ask for a three-month initial commitment. Meaningful clinical work takes time, and the concierge structure — with its emphasis on care coordination and family involvement — needs a runway to show its value. After three months, membership continues month to month and can be paused or ended with 30 days' notice.
Can I try Concierge for a single month?
We don't offer single-month trials. What we do offer is a complimentary phone consultation before enrollment — a considered starting point where we can talk honestly about whether the program fits your family's needs, and whether we're the right practice for you.
Who is the ideal fit for Concierge care?
Families and individuals who value discretion, direct access, and a considered pace of care. Many concierge clients are professionals, executives, or public-facing figures whose calendars and privacy require a different model. Others are families navigating complex clinical presentations who benefit from the integrated care coordination the program provides.
If you're weighing whether Concierge is right for you, a phone consultation is the best way to think it through together.
Some things are better said aloud.
If your question isn't answered above — or if it feels too personal for a webpage — we welcome the conversation. Every phone consultation is complimentary and unhurried.
Book a Phone ConsultationChristiansen Counseling Group · 653 Skippack Pike, Suite 300, Blue Bell, PA · 215.601.3324