Frequently Asked Questions

Three ways: - Call: (508) 650-0991 - Email: katherine@auroracounselingassociates.com - Online: request an appointment We will talk through what you are looking for, match you with a clinician whose specialties and availability fit, and schedule an intake. The first call usually takes 5 to 10 minutes.

The first session is an intake. It is the same length as a regular session (45 to 55 minutes) and is billed at the same rate. We use it to understand what brought you to therapy, gather some background, talk through any logistics (insurance, scheduling, what to expect), and start to build the working relationship. By the end, you should have a clearer picture of what the work will look like.

It varies with the clinician and the time of year. Some clinicians have current availability; some have a wait of a few weeks. When you call, we will tell you.

Bring your insurance card if you are using insurance, a list of current medications if applicable, and any specific concerns or goals you want to make sure we cover. Nothing else is required. You do not have to prepare anything.

For an individual therapy intake, the session is typically just you and the clinician, though some clients bring a support person to the waiting room. For couples or family intakes, bring whoever is part of the work. We will discuss any exceptions when you book.

Yes, with narrow legal exceptions. We are required to break confidentiality if there is imminent danger to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, or in response to a court order. We will review the full confidentiality limits at intake.

Aurora Counseling Associates accepts: - Blue Cross Blue Shield - Tufts Health Plan (including HMO, PPO, and GIC plans) - Tufts Health Direct/Public Plans - Harvard Pilgrim - Point32Health - Optum - United Behavioral Health (UBH) - Mass General Brigham Health Plan - Health Plans Inc. Some clinicians also accept Aetna and United Healthcare. Insurance acceptance can vary by clinician; we will confirm at intake.

Self-pay sessions are ^$200 to ^$250 per session, depending on the clinician and session type.

We do not currently work with Medicare or MassHealth. For state-funded coverage, we are happy to help you find a practice that fits.

Yes. We provide superbills on request for clients who want to submit to their insurance for out-of-network reimbursement. The reimbursement amount depends on your specific plan; we recommend calling your insurance to ask about out-of-network mental health benefits before your first session.

Yes. We accept HSA and FSA payments along with credit and debit cards.

An EOB (Explanation of Benefits) is a document your insurance sends after a claim is processed. It is not a bill. It shows what was billed, what your insurance paid, and what your responsibility is (deductible, copay, coinsurance). The actual bill comes from us. If something on the EOB looks wrong or different than expected, call us and we will help.

Limited sliding-scale availability varies by clinician. Ask at intake. If sliding-scale is essential for you and not currently available with us, we can point you toward practices that focus on it.

It depends on the plan. Some insurers cover couples therapy when one partner has a billable diagnosis; others do not cover relational therapy directly. We will check your benefits and discuss billing options before you start, including superbills if out-of-network reimbursement is part of your plan.

Sessions are 45 to 55 minutes, depending on the clinician and session type.

Most clients come weekly to start. Some shift to every other week or monthly later in the work. Couples and family sessions often start weekly or every other week.

The practice is open Monday through Saturday, 8am to 9pm Eastern. Individual clinician availability within those hours varies.

Yes. Evening sessions until 9pm Monday through Friday and Saturday appointments are available with several clinicians.

Yes. Secure video sessions for clients located in Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan, Florida, or Connecticut at the time of the session. See our telehealth page for details.

We ask for at least 24 hours notice for cancellation. Late cancellations and no-shows are typically billed at the full session rate. We make reasonable exceptions for genuine emergencies. Specifics are in the intake paperwork.

Let us know if you can. We will use whatever time remains in the session window.

Yes. The therapeutic relationship matters more than almost any other variable in whether therapy works. If it is not the right fit, tell us, and we will help you transition either to another clinician in the practice or to a referral.

Yes. Many clients do focused work, take a break, and return when something new comes up. We are happy to leave that door open.

We write letters when there has been enough clinical work to make a thoughtful letter possible. Specific letter types (FMLA, academic accommodation, gender-affirming care, emotional support animals) vary in what they require and what we can responsibly attest to. Discuss with your clinician.

Children (approximately ages 3 and up), teens, adults, couples, and families. We are LGBTQIA+ affirming, perinatal/postpartum-friendly, neurodivergence-affirming, and culturally attuned.

Anxiety, depression, mood concerns, trauma (single-incident and complex), grief, life transitions, relationship difficulties, parenting and family conflict, perinatal and postpartum concerns, gender and sexuality, identity work, neurodivergence support, burnout, addiction and recovery, school-related struggles, and the general range of concerns that bring people to outpatient therapy.

We do not treat eating disorders, paranoia, or schizophrenia as primary presentations. If one of these is in the picture alongside something else we treat, we will discuss with you whether we are the right fit or whether a referral makes more sense.

We treat OCD-spectrum concerns when the clinician's scope and training fit. The gold-standard treatment for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and we will discuss at intake whether our scope is the right fit for your presentation or whether a referral to an OCD specialty practice is the better match.

EMDR is offered by clinicians at Aurora with that specific training. Availability varies. Ask at intake and we will tell you whether EMDR with one of our clinicians is currently an option or whether a referral is the better fit.

Yes. Our twelve clinicians span CBT, DBT-informed work, ACT, psychodynamic therapy, trauma-informed approaches, play therapy, art therapy, MBSR/mindfulness, Gottman Method couples therapy, and somatic and movement-based approaches. We will match you with a clinician whose modality fits what you are looking for.

We work with children as young as 3. Younger children's therapy is typically play-based.

We share themes and progress with parents. We do not share verbatim. Safety concerns are always shared with parents regardless of confidentiality. We will explain how this works in the first session so it is not a surprise.

This is one of the most common questions parents ask. Some moves that often help: do not frame therapy as a consequence; offer to let them choose between two clinicians; agree that they can stop after a few sessions if it is not working. We are experienced in building rapport with teens who arrive reluctant.

For younger teens, parents are typically involved; for older teens, the work is often primarily the teen's with periodic parent check-ins. We will discuss the right structure at intake.

Yes, when that helps. We do not unilaterally contact the school; we coordinate with you about when and how.

No. Therapy with children at Aurora is paced carefully and is collaborative. Most children leave sessions feeling like they had a good time, especially the early sessions.

No. We work with couples in any relationship structure: married, engaged, dating, cohabiting, polyamorous, and post-separation co-parenting.

You can still start. Individual therapy with a clinician trained in couples work can help you understand the patterns you are part of and decide what you want. Some of our most productive couples work begins this way.

Yes. Our couples work does not assume monogamy or two-person structures.

No. The structure of family therapy adapts as the work progresses. Sometimes the whole family is in the room; sometimes parents only; sometimes parent-child sessions.

Yes. Post-divorce co-parenting is a specific kind of family work focused on the working partnership of raising children together.

For most common mental health concerns, telehealth produces outcomes comparable to in-person therapy. The fit between you and the clinician matters more than the mode.

We will switch to phone for the rest of the session. We do not bill an additional fee for technical issues on our end.

You must be physically located in MA, VT, MI, FL, or CT at the time of the session. If you travel out of one of those states, we cannot meet that day.

Many do, successfully. The variables are privacy (no one overhearing) and a quiet space.

Call 911 immediately, go to the nearest emergency department, call 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 by call or text), or call the Advocates emergency line for MetroWest. Aurora Counseling Associates is an outpatient practice and is not a 24/7 crisis service.

Tell us at your first session. We will assess together and plan. Asking about suicide does not increase the risk; talking about it is one of the most protective things you can do. If you are in immediate danger, please use the crisis resources above before your first session.

We do not prescribe. We coordinate with your prescriber when medication is part of your care, or help you find a prescriber if that becomes part of the plan.

We are not a 24/7 service. For emergencies between sessions, use 911, 988, the nearest emergency department, or the Advocates emergency line. Our clinicians return non-urgent messages within typical business windows.

Since 1998.

13.

Our clinicians are supported with clinical supervision and continuing education.

Yes. The practice has a clinical director who oversees clinical care and supervision across the team.

20 N Main St, Natick, MA 01760. Contact us at intake to confirm current parking and accessibility details.

The office is not currently wheelchair accessible. If accessibility is essential, please let us know at intake and we will help you find a practice that can meet your needs.

English. Ask at intake about Korean-language availability.