FAQs

What are your fees?

Initial Session and Assessment (50 min): $190

Individual and Relationship/Couples Therapy (50 min): $175

Do you accept insurance?

I am not in-network with any insurance plans and am considered an “out-of-network” provider. All session fees are self-pay and due in full at the time of service. All major credit cards, including HSA/FSA cards, are accepted.

Will insurance cover out-of-network therapy?

Your insurance plan may reimburse you for out-of-network therapy services. You are responsible, however, for out-of-pocket session payments, verifying your insurance benefits, and submitting your claims to insurance for potential reimbursement. I’m happy to provide a superbill (an itemized statement of services) for you to submit to insurance. This requires that I assign a mental health diagnosis to you, which will be visible on your medical record. I recommend calling the number on the back of your insurance ID card and asking about your out-of-network benefits before our first meeting.

Some questions to ask insurance:

Do I have out-of-network benefits for psychotherapy? What deductible do I need to meet before services will be reimbursed? What percent of my session rate will be reimbursed? Are both individual and couple therapy reimbursed/covered? Is there a limit to the # of covered sessions per year?

How do I schedule an appointment with you?

Contact me to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation prior to scheduling an initial session. Email me at info@christineaiello.com, call me at 312-766-7025, or click below to complete my contact form.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please notify me of any cancellations or reschedules 24 hours or more before your scheduled session time. Any cancellations or rescheduled sessions received with less than 24 hours’ notice will be subject to the full session fee.

What will we talk about during the phone consultation?

We’ll talk briefly about your struggles, concerns, and what you’re hoping to get out of therapy. It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers. This is an opportunity for us both to see if we’re a good fit to work together. I’ll answer any questions you have about my approach or the therapy process.

If we both agree it feels like a fit, we’ll discuss availability and schedule an initial session. If I feel I can’t help you (I may not specialize in working with your specific concerns), I’ll provide referrals for other therapists and local practices who may be a better fit.

What can I expect when we start relationship therapy?

Here’s what you can expect for the first 4 sessions of relationship therapy and/or sex therapy:

• First session: Meet as a couple. Initial assessment of your concerns, goals, and getting to know you.

• 2nd + 3rd sessions: Individual sessions w/ each partner to explore individual mental health, relationship history, sexual history and concerns, and goals.

• 4th session: Feedback session. I’ll provide an overview of common themes I heard, initial impressions about what could be contributing to your problem, and discuss a treatment plan with you for ongoing sessions. At this point, you’ll have a much better sense of whether or not you’d like to keep working together, and where we’ll start focusing our work.

What approaches to therapy do you use?

I tailor treatment to your needs and goals. I thoughtfully integrate a few different evidence-based approaches and concepts to individual and relationship treatment, including:

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

• Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)

• Sex Therapy (including education, resources, and homework you can try on your own)

• Mindfulness & Self-Compassion

Are you offering in-person sessions?

All sessions will be offered via teletherapy for the foreseeable future. If/when meeting in-person at the office is an option, I’ll let you know. I’m happy to discuss any questions or concerns you might have about this.

What is teletherapy and how will our sessions work?

Teletherapy = virtual psychotherapy sessions that take place through electronic means, through face-to-face video sessions or phone call.

Is something lost when we’re not meeting in person? Not necessarily. I’ve seen teletherapy make sessions much more flexible, accessible, and comfortable for a lot of my clients. I’ve also seen my clients access the same kind of vulnerability, insight, and growth needed for change in our virtual sessions. It may be worth trying few sessions to see if teletherapy is right for you.

I use secure, HIPAA-compliant video and phone services for sessions. I’ll provide a secure link to our video session or will call you from my secure phone line. I’ll provide additional information when we schedule an initial session.

Can you give me a preview of what I’ll see?

Here’s a preview of what you’ll see (me) during a teletherapy session. Snake plant peeking out of the corner, included. :)