Here are some answers to common psychology FAQs we receive. If your mental health FAQs are not answered below, or you wish to learn more about LightHeart Associates, please call 425.800.5688.
Getting Started
To get started finding a clinician, complete our secure Request Appointment Form with information about yourself, your insurance, and what type of services you’re interested in. Our Intake Coordinator, will respond via email to your message during business hours, Monday-Friday. They will assist you with finding a provider who would be a good match, schedule your first (intake) appointment, send you a confirmation email and secure intake forms to complete. Please complete all intake paperwork at least 48 hours prior to your first appointment or we might need to reschedule your appointment.
If you’d like to get a head start on finding a possible clinician match, visit Our Team page.
You can visit our website’s Our Team page to read the bios of each LightHeart clinician. You can also visit our Getting Started tab and select, Request Appointment to begin a dialogue with our Intake Coordinator. They will help try to match you with a therapist who accepts your insurance, has experience with your concerns, and has an appointment time available that works for you.
We have two physical locations and a virtual, telehealth team. If you are scheduled for an in-person appointment, you will be coming to either our Anderson Park or Redmond Medical Center location.
Our Anderson Park office is located in downtown Redmond near Anderson Park and Redmond Elementary School. The address is 7902 168th Ave NE, Suite 101. We have 6 parking spots, including a handicap accessible spot, in the rear of the building marked “LightHeart 101”. Please do not park in the residential spots. Free street parking is also available nearby.
Our Redmond Medical Center office is also in downtown Redmond, near the Redmond Transit Center at 8301 161st Ave NE, Suite 202. There is ample “patient parking” at the Redmond Medical Center building.
At our Anderson Park location, the entrance to our offices is on the side of the building facing 168th Ave NE. Client Care will be there during weekday business hours to check you in for your intake appointment. You will be guided to our comfortable and spacious waiting area, where you can enjoy a cold or hot beverage and browse our library of helpful books. We also offer guest WIFI for your convenience.
At our Redmond Medical Center location, the main entrance faces the Redmond Transit Center on 161st Ave NE. Client Care will be there during most weekday business hours to check you in for your intake appointment. You’re welcome to sit in our cozy waiting area, where you can enjoy a cold or hot beverage while you wait for your clinician. We also offer guest WIFI for your convenience.
Your clinician will greet you on time and show you to their office. Your initial appointment with your therapist will involve some discussion of office policies, billing, and scheduling. Your therapist will also discuss and gain your informed consent, meaning they will offer important information about the therapeutic process, share any relevant information about their licensing or supervision if appropriate, and discuss a treatment plan with you. Your clinician’s number one goal is to thoroughly listen to your concerns and goals, and to collaboratively create a plan for your therapy. They will also discuss scheduling and create a plan for ongoing treatment with you.
Billing Information
Depending on your insurance plan’s benefits. Your out of pocket costs will depend on factors such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. For those clients choosing to pay out of pocket for services, either due to lack of mental health coverage or to maintain confidentiality from insurance companies, the self pay costs vary. To know more, you can visit our New Client Appointment tab and select Request Appointment to begin a dialogue with our Intake Coordinator.
As a group practice, our providers are in-network with most major private insurance companies. Out-of-state plans may not bill in-network:
- Premera/Lifewise
- Regence
- Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- Anthem BCBS
- Aetna
- Commercial UnitedHealthCare plans with Optum
- First Choice Health Network
- Kaiser Permanente Access PPO
- Cigna
We are not enrolled to bill with:
- Kaiser Permanente (Core, SoundChoice, HMO – a pre-authorization for in-network services may be an option)
- Medicaid (AppleHealth)
- Community plans (Molina, Ambetter, UHC, etc.)
- TriCare
- AmeriGroup
- FirstHealth
- Medicare
- Certain EAPs
Our Intake Coordinator will verify your benefits during the intake process to get an estimate of your benefit. Most insurance plans require some patient portion, such as deductibles, copays or coinsurance. If you have questions about your coverage, we will be happy to explain the viewable details and answer any other billing questions you might have. Please note that patients are ultimately responsible for knowing their plan’s coverage, benefits, and costs. LightHeart is not responsible for costs not covered by insurance. Our verification of benefits is a courtesy and not a guarantee of coverage or payment by your insurance company.
When scheduling your intake appointment with our Intake Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to provide your primary health insurance plan information (if you choose to use your health insurance).
Once your appointment time is confirmed, you will receive digital intake paperwork through IntakeQ, in which clients provide a Credit Card or HSA/FSA card. This information is entered into our HIPAA compliant, encrypted electronic health records program that manages not just your medical record, but also your insurance claims and patient account. In your treatment contract, you will be asked to authorize LightHeart to take these payments whenever necessary.
After each session, our Billing Department, will send a claim to your insurance company. Effective January 1, 2022, we are updating our billing policy to improve transparency and timeliness to help keep your account up to date. Previously, payments for out-of-pocket costs were delayed sometimes up to a month while we waited for insurance claims to be finalized. Often, this caused confusion and frustration for our clients. Moving forward, you can expect payment for your services to be taken on the next business day following your appointment. These payments will include copays and estimated coinsurance and deductible amounts. These estimates will be based on typical reimbursement for routinely provided services. If there are any changes to service at time of your appointment, your account will be reconciled upon the final processing of your insurance claim. We will not contact you for permission to take this payment. You can request a statement of your account at any time by emailing our Billing Department at billing@lightheartassociates.com.
We recognize that our policy of keeping a credit card on file and automatically billing for patient balances on a regular basis may seem to be an unusual practice compared to other healthcare providers you might see. There are some significant advantages to this policy for both LightHeart and you, the client. First, we are cutting down on time spent managing accounts for both clients and our administrative staff. We’ve taken away the steps for you to receive a paper bill and then put payment in the mail. Second, we strive to be as environmentally friendly as possible, which includes minimizing our use of paper whenever possible. Third, this policy allows us to take prompt payment in small increments and prevents you, as the client, from building up a significant debt with us, which would have a negative impact on your therapy and your therapeutic relationship.
Anytime you have a question, please don’t hesitate to ask. For questions or statement of your account, including dates of service, charges, and payments, please email our Billing Department at billing@lightheartassociates.com. One of our billing specialists, will respond within 24-48 hours with detailed or more complicated questions or concerns.
Your scheduled time is reserved for you. If you need to cancel a session or change the time, LightHeart requires that you contact your provider at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. If you fail to provide sufficient notice or do not show up to your appointment, YOU WILL BE CHARGED A MISSED APPOINTMENT FEE OF $150. This fee will not be covered by your insurance. Exceptions will be considered for illness and unavoidable emergencies.
What defines a missed session?
- The client not showing up or logging on within 15 minutesof a session’s start time.
- Not joining a scheduled telehealth session within 15 minutesof session’s start time.
- Not “attending” the session even while showing up. For example, not responding to your provider due to distractions, television, video games, etc.
About Therapy
We are a diverse group of counselors and psychologists who strive to practice holistically and collaboratively. We offer numerous traditional and alternative forms of therapy. The following list is representative but not exhaustive:
- Individual, relational, and family therapy
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy (one-on-one, not groups)
- Acceptance and commitment therapy
- Client-centered, humanistic therapy
- Gottman and EFT informed marital therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Parent coaching
- Behavior modification for children
- Biofeedback
- Executive function coaching
- Psychological and neuropsychological assessment
- Consultation with schools/IEP/504
- Gender-affirming support and resources for LGBT individuals and families
- Culturally sensitive therapy
LightHeart’s diverse staff has a wide breadth of experience and expertise. We work with children 6-12, adolescents 13-17, and adults of all ages. To learn more about each of our therapists and their specialties, please visit the website’s Our Team page to see our bios. We help our clients with a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety, mood lability, eating disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), relationship conflict, trauma, life transitions, addictions, behavioral problems, parenting concerns, somatic complaints, work problems, and general feelings of malaise and dissatisfaction.
Our psychological and neuropsychological assessments aim to answer questions about many of the above problems. They can provide a wealth of valuable information about your or your child’s cognitive, neurological, emotional, social, behavioral, and psychological strengths and weaknesses. The resulting report offers valuable diagnostic insight and recommendations for various settings, including school, work, social, family, and therapy.
Therapy sessions are, on average, 53 minutes. The frequency and duration of your therapy will be determined after you and your therapist have met, discussed your goals, and created a treatment plan. However, the majority of clients attend therapy weekly, at least to start. Every client is an individual in their goals and needs. Some clients may choose to attend only a few sessions, and others will maintain a long-term relationship with their therapist for several years.
If you are a current LightHeart client and are interested in medication evaluation or management, discuss your interest with your clinician and get in touch with our Intake Coordinator through your clinician. Your therapist will coordinate care and collaborate with your prescriber with your permission to enhance the quality of your care.
If you are a prospective LightHeart client, please visit our Getting Started tab and select Request Appointment.
Once you’re a client, you will have access to your provider’s direct LightHeart email address. This can also be found on the Provider Disclosure you sign prior to your intake appointment. Your provider is the best point of contact for rescheduling, scheduling, or canceling appointments. If you have an urgent concern, please contact the King County Crisis Line at 206-461-3222.
Some LightHeart clinicians have associate licenses, meaning they have completed their graduate training but must still gather hours toward their independent license. These professionals meet for regular—weekly or biweekly—clinical supervision with a licensed psychologist on staff who also reviews their cases to ensure the highest quality of treatment. Associates are able to bill most private insurances as part of the group practice. LightHeart associates include marriage and family therapist associates (LMFTA), licensed mental health counselor associates (LMHCA), psychology interns (PsyD students), psychology residents (PsyD students post internship), and psychology postdoctoral fellows (PsyD pre-licensure). Your clinician will gladly provide information about their training or licensure process. You may also speak with your clinician’s supervisor if you have any concerns.
Your clinician’s goal is to assist you in obtaining your desired therapeutic outcomes. If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of your therapy, please discuss them with your clinician. If you are considering or decide to terminate or suspend treatment, please discuss your decision with your clinician so that they can bring sufficient closure to your work together. In your final session, you and your clinician will discuss your progress and explore ways in which you can continue to utilize the skills and knowledge you have gained through therapy. You and your clinician can also discuss any referrals needed at that time.
We recognize that it may be difficult or nerve-wracking to talk about terminating therapy, especially if you are feeling frustrated or disappointed in the therapy. Please know that every LightHeart clinician appreciates direct feedback and open communication about the therapy process and your experience of it. We aim to make LightHeart a safe space for all clients and to assist every client in getting the most out of their therapy experience.
About Assessment
Therapy involves building a relationship with your therapist in order to address psychological, emotional, and relational problems through talking, processing emotion, gaining skills, and building trust in your therapist. Therapy is often a long-term process that depends on the therapeutic relationship being a good fit and your commitment to the process. Therapy can sometimes be challenging and difficult, but those challenges are likely to propel personal growth and healing.
Assessment, on the other hand, is a non-therapeutic intervention in which certain clinical questions are answered through the use of a variety of validated and normed psychological tests and measures. Referral questions often include whether a client suffers with ADHD, anxiety, or learning problems and can offer guidance about psychological, cognitive, neurological, emotional, social, or behavioral problems. Your relationship with the testing clinician is more formal and does not involve process-oriented therapeutic conversations or appointments. The final report of your assessment is a valuable tool for use in various settings, including academic, professional, social, and therapeutic. It can also offer valuable personal insight and guidance in achieving your healthiest self and relationships.
When you express interest in a psychological or neuropsychological assessment, either through submitting a Request Appointment form or by discussing your interest with your therapist, our assessment coordinator will touch base via phone or email within two business days of receiving your request. They will go through the screening process with you and gather information to pass along to the assessment team to best match a clinician with your needs. Our assessment team consists of licensed psychologists and neuropsychologists, as well as psychology interns, residents, and postdoctoral fellows. The clinician will then call to collaborate with you in an initial interview to determine whether and what type of an assessment would be recommended for you or your child. Once you and the clinician decide to move forward, an intake appointment will be scheduled.
Once it has been determined that you or your child would benefit from an assessment, your clinician will contact you directly to schedule the intake appointment. Your insurance benefits and out-of-pocket cost will also be estimated and communicated via email. Assessments are generally covered, at least partially, by most insurance companies.
After your clinical interview, your assessment clinician will create an assessment plan, including a list of tests to be used to address your unique referral questions. They will create an Assessment Agreement detailing this plan and the related financial costs, which you will review and sign on the day of testing. Payment of estimated out-of-pocket costs is required at the time of testing, and any adjustments to your account will be made at the end of the testing process.
On the day of testing, please be prepared to spend 4-6 hours engaged in various tasks, including paper/pencil and computer questionnaires, as well as interactive activities and tasks. Please wear comfortable clothing, eat a sufficient meal with protein beforehand, take your daily medications, and bring snacks. You will be given breaks as needed. Note about medication: Please speak with your assessment clinician about your medications. They may suggest you abstain from taking ADHD medications for the purposes of testing. You may need an additional day of testing, which will be discussed and scheduled with your clinician.
Once all data have been received—including feedback from collateral sources such as teachers, parents, spouses, etc.—the scoring, interpretation, and integration of results, as well as completion of the detailed written report of findings, will take 6-8 weeks. Once this process is complete, your clinician will contact you to schedule a feedback session to review the results and recommendations. You will be given a copy of the report for your personal records. Requests for additional consultation with schools or other providers should be discussed with your clinician.
Privacy and Confidentiality
LightHeart is bound by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) laws that strictly protect your personal health information (PHI). This includes information about what you discuss in therapy, any paperwork you complete, information about you or your appointments, and even just the fact that you are a client here. We are not allowed to disclose this information to anyone without your written permission except in a few circumstances, such as when your immediate safety is in danger, to obtain payment, or to coordinate treatment among providers. You will have the chance to read our privacy policies in more detail when you make your first appointment, and your therapist will discuss confidentiality and its limits during your initial appointment. You may ask any questions or address any specific concerns you may have at that time.
Yes, indeed! LightHeart clinicians are focused on honoring relationships of every kind and value the opportunity to meet and include important people from your life into your therapy. If this is something you and your clinician decide to do, then your clinician will ask you to sign a release of information (ROI), which will detail who you are giving your therapist permission to speak with. You may also discuss with your clinician any limits to what you would like to be disclosed.
It is often helpful to also allow your clinician to coordinate your care with other health providers, such as primary care physicians, pediatricians, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and other therapists.
General Office Policies
As a group practice, we are in-network with most major private insurance companies. However, not all of our providers are in-network with all payers. Although out-of-state plans may not bill in-network, we have providers who are in-network with any combination of the following plans:
- Premera/Lifewise
- Regence
- Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- Anthem BCBS
- Aetna
- Commercial UnitedHealthCare plans with Optum
- First Choice Health Network
- Kaiser Permanente Access PPO
- Cigna
We are not enrolled to bill with:
- Kaiser Permanente (Core, SoundChoice, HMO – a pre-authorization for in-network services may be an option)
- Medicaid (AppleHealth)
- Community plans (Molina, Ambetter, UHC, etc.)
- TriCare
- AmeriGroup
- FirstHealth
- Medicare
- EAPs
Our intake coordinator will verify your benefits—via payer portal or payer phone number—during the intake process to see which LH providers may be in-network. Most insurance plans require some patient portion, such as amounts working toward deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. If you have questions about your coverage, we will be happy to explain the viewable details and answer any other billing questions you might have.
Please note, as of January 1, 2020, we are no longer billing secondary insurances.
Your scheduled time is reserved for you. If you need to cancel a session or change the time, LightHeart requires that you contact your provider at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. If you fail to provide sufficient notice or do not show up to your appointment, you will be charged a missed appointment fee of $150. This fee will not be covered by your insurance. Exceptions will be considered for illness and unavoidable emergencies.
What defines a missed session?
- The client not showing up or logging on within 15 minutes of a session’s start time.
- Not joining a scheduled telehealth session within 15 minutes of session’s start time.
- Not “attending” the session even while showing up. For example, not responding to your provider due to distractions, television, video games, etc.
At this time, we do not have any providers who conduct therapy in languages other than English.
We sincerely hope that you have only positive experiences at LightHeart. Our mission in providing services to all of our clients is to be respectful of human diversity in its many forms, including ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and political affiliation. We also strive to be warm, respectful, reliable, and wise in our delivery of professional therapeutic and assessment services.
However, if you have a negative experience and are uncomfortable speaking to your therapist directly, please contact LightHeart’s owner and clinical director, Dr. Holley Kaskel. You can reach her at drholley@LightHeartAssociates.com or 425-996-8592 x700.
If you do not feel that your concern has been addressed properly, you may also file a formal complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services or the WA State Board of Health. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint. However, we hope to be able to help you resolve your concerns as quickly and satisfactorily as possible.
Contact LightHeart Associates Today
Seeking mental health treatment for you or a loved one is an important decision. We want you to have all the necessary information you need to make that decision which is why we are ready to answer your psychology FAQs or any mental health FAQs you have.
Call 425.800.5688 to learn more about how LightHeart Associates can help you achieve optimal well-being.