Questions About Therapy

Deciding to start therapy can feel overwhelming, confusing, or even a little scary—kind of like trying to figure out glitter; it's beautiful, but it gets everywhere! That's completely normal, and honestly, a great place to start. This page answers real, everyday questions about therapy with humor, honesty, and a bit of sparkle, so you know exactly what to expect. My goal is for therapy to feel approachable, clear, and genuinely helpful.

Therapy is essentially a safe, structured conversation completely focused on you—your worries, strengths, struggles, and even those hilariously messy moments. It’s different from conversations with your girlfriends, mom, cousin, or pastor because it’s professional, confidential, unbiased, and intentionally structured to help you achieve clarity and meaningful change. My practice respects your beliefs; I'm Christian-friendly and happy to incorporate biblical scripture if that's meaningful to you. However, I won’t start sessions with prayer unless you specifically ask. It's never my job to convince you of anything—my role is to help you uncover the answers that truly fit your life.

Finding a therapist you can really connect with matters a lot. Clients often describe me as relatable, humorous, and genuinely supportive. One unique thing about my approach is my experience working with both trauma survivors and people who've caused harm—because the truth is, these two groups often share similar experiences. People who've harmed others frequently have their own stories of being hurt. They usually recognize the need to face their history and learn healthier coping strategies, while victims stuck in a victim mentality might repeatedly find themselves in harmful situations because they haven't addressed past trauma effectively. Both groups often rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms—like alcohol, drugs, food, technology overuse, excessive drama, or other problematic behaviors—to manage stress at home or at work.

My job isn't to judge—God hasn't taken the day off and asked me to supervise for Him! Instead, I'm here to help compassionately recognize the person beneath any façade you might be wearing, understand the coping skills that once worked for you (but now might not), and guide you towards healthier ways to cope and thrive. For anyone dealing with court-related situations, family services involvement, alcoholism, or DUI court, accountability will definitely be a big part of our work together.

Ah, technology—great when it works, frustrating when it doesn't! I use secure, reliable platforms like iTherapy and SecureVideo to minimize disruptions. During our first session, we'll set up an emergency telehealth plan in case technology decides to misbehave.perspectives and taking responsibility for your growth, I am here to guide and support you every step of the way.

Session costs vary depending on the type of service and whether you use insurance. Dr. Maness does have a few reduced-fee openings available.

Fees For Dr. Maness:

• Initial assessment or extended session – $250.00 an hour
• Psychotherapy – $200.00 per session
• Missed appointment/late cancellation – $90.00 per occurrence

Other services that require more than 15 minutes are billed directly to you at the rate of $200.00 per hour.

Starting April 1, I'll no longer accept insurance. All sessions must be individually paid, with no balances carried forward or advance payments. Missed sessions without proper notice will still be charged. Fees and policies will always be clearly communicated upfront, ensuring there are no surprises.

I do not prescribe medication, but I will gladly work closely with your medical provider or psychiatrist if medication is part of your treatment. Therapy and medication can often complement each other, and good communication between professionals is key to helping you get the best results.

Absolutely. Everything we discuss is confidential unless I'm legally obligated to disclose something, such as concerns about someone's safety. To ensure maximum privacy, I use Blueprint, an AI-assisted documentation app, which automatically deletes data after generating notes and undergoes external audits to maintain strict privacy standards. However, please remember certain legal situations or providing superbills to your insurance can affect confidentiality.

Out-of-network billing occurs when you receive services from a healthcare provider who is not within your insurance plan’s network, meaning there isn't an established agreed-upon rate. You may be billed for the difference between what your insurance covers and my fees. I provide you with a detailed invoice (superbill) outlining services and costs, which you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. Please be aware, submitting a superbill gives your insurance company access to your records, which may affect your privacy.

Absolutely ask away! However, keep in mind my answers will always come back around to helping you with your goals. Sometimes knowing a bit about me might help you feel comfortable, but remember—the therapy session is all about you.

As for social media—I don't friend clients, and it's nothing personal. I usually joke that it's because I don't want you seeing all my warts and messy moments! Clear boundaries help our therapeutic relationship stay effective, focused, and genuinely helpful.

All information shared in therapy sessions is confidential and will not be disclosed without your explicit consent, with the exception of the supervisory relationship. However, there are exceptions to this privacy policy. I strongly encourage you to read the Privacy Practices section available in the footer of every page on the website, which explains what information may be disclosed and under what circumstances. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to talk to me 

Therapy should always be a safe, respectful place—but let’s keep it real, that doesn't mean we can't laugh or be human. Yes, humor and even sarcasm might show up! But what's absolutely never okay is crossing professional boundaries. Therapy should never, ever involve sexual relationships or inappropriate behavior between therapist and client. Period. I'm here to keep our sessions safe, supportive, and professional while still being genuinely human and relatable.

If you're ready to tackle what's holding you back—with honesty, humor, accountability, and yes, a bit of glitter—scheduling your first session is simple. Reach out today, and together we'll start creating real, lasting change in your life.