Counseling Services

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”  – Maya Angelou

Trauma has many faces.  It may be a single incident or a prolonged experience of childhood abuse or neglect.  When you have been hurt and betrayed, the thought of trusting another human being is daunting.  Safety seems elusive and hope may be difficult to sustain. 

The effects of trauma impact one’s sense of self, and can impede healthy relationships at the times that they are most needed.  It is a natural instinct to want to retreat and self-protect in the face of adversity, yet connecting with others is essential to healing.

The process of healing occurs differently for each survivor but the counseling relationship is key to developing the capacities necessary to heal, restore self-esteem, and establish healthy, mutual and non-traumatizing relationships.

As leaders in the treatment of trauma, Womencare offers trauma-informed therapy for children, teens, and adults of all genders and sexualities as well as couple, relationship and family therapy.

We welcome people of all races, ethnic groups, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities.
2023 UPDATE REGARDING COVID-19: Womencare continues to recognize and hold the many difficult, traumatic and compromising impacts of the coronavirus on our individual lives, relationships, sense of security and mental health and well-being. We will continue to  provide secure teletherapy, easily accessed from your home. 

Whether you are a trauma survivor, or coming in for support around other life challenges, we understand that the decision to enter therapy is an important one.  There are many factors to consider in creating a successful and supportive process.

We are committed to helping those who have the courage to seek therapy.

The first step toward starting counseling with us is to call our intake counselor.  We will speak with you about your counseling needs, discuss appointment times and fees with you, and try to make a good fit with one of our therapists.

The therapy process is not always easy.  It requires commitment from both the client and the therapist. 

Womencare is a leader in the treatment of trauma and traumatic stress disorders.  Our therapists offer knowledge, respect, presence, compassion and mutuality.  We will listen carefully and counseling will proceed at a collaborative pace.

Our areas of specialty include:

  • Relational Trauma
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Identity Issues
  • Relationship Difficulties
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Complex PTSD
  • LGBTQ+ 
  • Depression and Anxiety
  • Body Image and Esteem Issues
  • Grief, Loss and Complicated Grief
  • Mind-Body Healing
  • Sexuality and Sexual Identity
  • Trust and Intimacy
  • Self-Injury
  • Non-Traditional Families
  • School Difficulties
  • Life Transitions
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Eating Disorders

Questions

For questions or to discuss an initial appointment, please contact our intake counselor at 847-475-7003 x 10, or email at scheduling@womencarecounseling.com.

We look forward to having the opportunity to work with you.

Adolescent and Child Therapy

Children and adolescents need safe havens to allow them to feel a sense of security and control when facing life’s challenges.

Our team of skilled clinicians are trained in the complex issues of childhood and adolescence.

We help children strengthen their capacities to manage difficult feelings and build compassion for self and others. 

Parents play an integral role in their child’s successful treatment.  Each child’s needs are viewed within the context of their family and culture.  Our therapists use a variety of counseling techniques and tools tailored to each child.

Treatment may include: play therapy, individual talk therapy, group therapy, family therapy and a range of creativity-based interventions, including art, drama, role-play, journaling and poetry.

Children and adolescents seek counseling at Womencare for many reasons including:

  • Physical, emotional or sexual abuse/assault
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Peer pressure and bullying
  • Questions of identity
  • Loss of a family member
  • LGBTQ+
  • School anxiety/refusal
  • Self injury
  • Adjustment to divorce and blended families
  • Eating disorders and body image issues
  • Anger management
  • Disabilities

Questions

For questions or to discuss an initial appointment, please contact our intake counselor at 847-475-7003 x 10 or email at scheduling@womencarecounseling.com.

We look forward to having the opportunity to work with you.

Group Counseling

Isolation injures the spirit while connection can transform despair into hope.

We believe in the power of communities to heal.

Group therapy offers community,  creating something unique and complementary to individual therapy.  In group, stories and voices are shared, validated and appreciated. 

With the support of the group,  members confront the ways histories of abuse and neglect intrude on their present relationships.   Group therapy provides an opportunity to be understood by others and to know that our caring, courage and compassion can make a difference in someone else’s life.  It is, in a sense, a training ground for healthy and intimate relationships.

These groups are intended for individuals who are already in individual therapy.

For inquiry about a specific group, to see if a group is the right fit for you, or to schedule an in-person intake appointment, please contact the group leader directly.

Groups currently being offered:

In- Person Group for Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Time-limited group with repeating 10-week sessions

Too often men who are abused feel disconnected from themselves and the people around them. Gender expectations can interfere with men seeking help and receiving the support they deserve.  This structured group is intended for male survivors of childhood sexual abuse at all stages of the healing journey.  It will provide education about sexual and physical abuse and how current behaviors often are linked to past abuse.

*Womencare recognizes that gender is an expression. The term “male” may not accurately describe each member of this group. If you’re interested but unsure, please reach out!*

Led by Judith Ierulli, LCSW
847-475-7003 x 27
Thursdays, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

We are not currently running our full list of groups. We recognize there is a longing to be in more connection, and the valuable resource that groups can provide to support healing.  

Fees and Insurance

Fees

All of our therapists have established fee schedules based on annual household income.  We take into account special circumstances that impact the finances of an individual, couple or family.

Our fee scale ranges from $100-$190 per session. The range for group therapy is $25-$85 per session.

Our postgraduate therapists are able to offer a lower fee range of $25-$70 per session – not currently accepting clients

Insurance

Some Womencare therapists are paneled with BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois PPO and/or Northwestern University’s student health insurance, Aetna.  If your therapist is in-network with your insurance provider, Womencare will submit bills to your insurance company.  You will be responsible for paying your deductible, copay, or co-insurance, as determined by your insurance company.

For all other insurance companies our therapists are considered as out-of-network providers.  We suggest checking with your insurance provider about your out-of-network benefits.

We provide our clients with a monthly statement, which they can submit to their insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement based on their policies.

We also have a number of clients who use Flexible Healthcare Spending Accounts and debit cards to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for their therapy.  Check with your plan about its rules and policies.

If you plan to use your insurance, please contact the member services number on your insurance card and ask about your mental health benefits.  Our providers are LCSWs, LCPCs, and LMFTs.  Be sure to ask about your in- or out-of-network: 

  • Deductible
  • Timeline for reimbursement
  • Copay or co-insurance
  • Any limitation on the number of sessions

Questions

For questions or to discuss an initial appointment, please contact our intake counselor at 847-475-7003 x 10 or email at scheduling@womencarecounseling.com

No Surprises Act

Womencare Counseling & Training Center  1740 Ridge Avenue, Ste 201, Evanston 60201 

847-475-7003 womencarecounseling.com

YOUR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE MEDICAL BILLS

(OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)

The No Surprises Act is a federal rule, effective January 1, 2022, created to protect consumers from surprise health care bills. This Act requires medical workers, clinical social workers and other health care providers to notify consumers of their federally protected rights and to provide consumers with a good faith estimate (GFE) of expected charges that may be billed for these items or services when:

  • client services are rendered by an out-of-network provider
  • clients are uninsured (e.g., not enrolled in any health plan or coverage)
  • clients elect not to use their insurance (e.g., self-pay or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage)

 

The GFE must be provided both orally and in writing, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services and within specific timeframes.

This Act applies to both current and future patients who fit these guidelines. 

The notifications and GFEs do not need to be provided to patients who are enrolled in federal health insurance plans (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, Indian Health Service or the Veterans Affairs health system).  The notifications and GFEs also do not yet apply to other insurance plans when a consumer or client is working with in-network providers and using in-network insurance to pay for medical services.

You’re never required to give up your protection from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.

Please contact your therapist if you have questions or have not yet signed the No Surprises Act Standard Notification Form and the Good Faith Estimate.

 

Additional information related to the No Surprises Act

“Balance billing” is sometimes called “surprise billing.”  When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs,    such as a copayment, coinsurance, and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care – like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.

You are protected from balance billing for:

Emergency services:

If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable  condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.

Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center:

When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections  not to be balance billed.

If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance  bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following  protections: 

You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.

Your health plan generally must:

  • Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).
  • Cover emergency services by out-of-network
  • Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of
  • Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket

 

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact: Illinois Department of Insurance, Office of Consumer Health Insurance at (877) 527-9431.

Other Resources:

Visit https://www.cms.gov/files/document/model-disclosure-notice-patient-protections-against-surprise-billing-providers-facilities-health.pdf for more information about your rights under Federal law.

Visit https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-1523&GA=96 for more information about your rights under Illinois law.

Privacy

Notice of Privacy Practices:  HIPAA Policy for Womencare Counseling and Training Center
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY

Your health record contains personal information about you and your health.  This information about you that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services is referred to as Protected Health Information (“PHI”). This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your PHI in accordance with applicable law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), regulations promulgated under HIPAA including the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules.  It also describes your rights regarding how you may gain access to and control your PHI.

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices.  We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.  Any new Notice of Privacy Practices will be effective for all PHI that we maintain at that time. We will provide you with a copy of the revised Notice of Privacy Practices by posting a copy on our website, sending a copy to you in the mail upon request or providing one to you at your next appointment.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU

For Treatment.  Your PHI may be used and disclosed by those who are involved in your care for the purpose of providing, coordinating, or managing your health care treatment and related services. This includes consultation with clinical supervisors or other treatment team members.  We may disclose PHI to any other consultant only with your authorization.

For Payment.  We may use and disclose PHI so that we can receive payment for the treatment services provided to you.  This will only be done with your authorization. Examples of payment-related activities are: making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, processing claims with your insurance company, reviewing services provided to you to determine medical necessity, or undertaking utilization review activities.  If it becomes necessary to use collection processes due to lack of payment for services, we will only disclose the minimum amount of PHI necessary for purposes of collection.

For Health Care Operations.  We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI in order to support our business activities including, but not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may share your PHI with third parties that perform various business activities (e.g., billing or typing services) provided we have a written contract with the business that requires it to safeguard the privacy of your PHI.   For training or teaching purposes PHI will be disclosed only with your authorization.

Required by Law.  Under the law, we must disclose your PHI to you upon your request.  In addition, we must make disclosures to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of investigating or determining our compliance with the requirements of the Privacy Rule.

Without Authorization.  Following is a list of the categories of uses and disclosures permitted by HIPAA without an authorization.  Applicable law and ethical standards permit us to disclose information about you without your authorization only in a limited number of situations.

Child Abuse or Neglect.  We may disclose your PHI to a state or local agency that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings.  We may disclose your PHI pursuant to a subpoena (with your written consent), court order, administrative order or similar process.

Deceased Patients.  We may disclose PHI regarding deceased patients as mandated by state law, or to a family member or friend that was involved in your care or payment for care prior to death, based on your prior consent. A release of information regarding deceased patients may be limited to an executor or administrator of a deceased person’s estate or the person identified as next-of-kin.  PHI of persons that have been deceased for more than fifty (50) years is not protected under HIPAA.

Medical Emergencies.  We may use or disclose your PHI in a medical emergency situation to medical personnel only in order to prevent serious harm. Our staff will try to provide you a copy of this notice as soon as reasonably practicable after the resolution of the emergency.

Family Involvement in Care.  We may disclose information to close family members or friends directly involved in your treatment based on your consent or as necessary to prevent serious harm.

Health Oversight.  If required, we may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections. Oversight agencies seeking this information include government agencies and organizations that provide financial assistance to the program (such as third-party payors based on your prior consent) and peer review organizations performing utilization and quality control.

Law Enforcement.  We may disclose PHI to a law enforcement official as required by law, in compliance with a subpoena (with your written consent), court order, administrative order or similar document, for the purpose of identifying a suspect, material witness or missing person, in connection with the victim of a crime, in connection with a deceased person, in connection with the reporting of a crime in an emergency, or in connection with a crime on the premises.

Specialized Government Functions.  We may review requests from U.S. military command authorities if you have served as a member of the armed forces, authorized officials for national security and intelligence reasons and to the Department of State for medical suitability determinations, and disclose your PHI based on your written consent, mandatory disclosure laws and the need to prevent serious harm.

Public Health.  If required, we may use or disclose your PHI for mandatory public health activities to a public health authority authorized by law to collect or receive such information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, or if directed by a public health authority, to a government agency that is collaborating with that public health authority.

Public Safety.  We may disclose your PHI if necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.  If information is disclosed to prevent or lessen a serious threat it will be disclosed to a person or persons reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat, including the target of the threat.

Verbal Permission.  We may also use or disclose your information to family members that are directly involved in your treatment with your verbal permission.

With Authorization.   Uses and disclosures not specifically permitted by applicable law will be made only with your written authorization, which may be revoked at any time, except to the extent that we have already made a use or disclosure based upon your authorization.  The following uses and disclosures will be made only with your written authorization: (i) most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes which are separated from the rest of your medical record; (ii) most uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes, including subsidized treatment communications; (iii) disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI; and (iv) other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice of Privacy Practices.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR PHI

You have the following rights regarding PHI we maintain about you.  To exercise any of these rights, please submit your request in writing to our Business Manager at 847-475-7003 ext. 23.

Right of Access to Inspect and Copy.  You have the right, which may be restricted only in exceptional circumstances, to inspect and copy PHI that is maintained in a “designated record set”. A designated record set contains mental health/medical and billing records and any other records that are used to make decisions about your care.  Your right to inspect and copy PHI will be restricted only in those situations where there is compelling evidence that access would cause serious harm to you or if the information is contained in separately maintained psychotherapy notes.  We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies. If your records are maintained electronically, you may also request an electronic copy of your PHI.  You may also request that a copy of your PHI be provided to another person.

Right to Amend.  If you feel that the PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information although we are not required to agree to the amendment. If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us. We may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy. Please contact the Privacy Officer if you have any questions.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures.  You have the right to request an accounting of certain of the disclosures that we make of your PHI.  We may charge you a reasonable fee if you request more than one accounting in any 12-month period.

Right to Request Restrictions.  You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the use or disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  We are not required to agree to your request unless the request is to restrict disclosure of PHI to a health plan for purposes of carrying out payment or health care operations, and the PHI pertains to a health care item or service that you paid for out of pocket. In that case, we are required to honor your request for a restriction. 

Right to Request Confidential Communication.  You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location.  We will accommodate reasonable requests.  We may require information regarding how payment will be handled or specification of an alternative address or other method of contact as a condition for accommodating your request.  We will not ask you for an explanation of why you are making the request.

Breach Notification.  If there is a breach of unsecured PHI concerning you, we may be required to notify you of this breach, including what happened and what you can do to protect yourself.

Right to a Copy of this Notice.  You have the right to a copy of this notice.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe we have violated your privacy rights, you have the right to file a complaint in writing with our Business Manager at 847-475-7003, ext. 23 or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services at 200 Independence Avenue, S.W.  Washington, D.C. 20201 or by calling (202) 619-0257.  We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.