Joyful Life Institute, Inc.

Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions. 

 

A: Services offered include assessments, individual therapy, couple therapy, family therapy, hypnotherapy, EMDR, groups, parenting coordination, collaborative divorce communication coordinator, mediation, peak performance coaching, executive coaching, life coaching, and seminars.  For those who travel, have time-constrains, or are in crisis, intensive therapy is available. Dr. Richards provides training and supervision for student therapists and Marriage and Family Therapist - Associates. Practice management and development coaching is offered to new clinicians.

 

Products offered include articles, CDs, workbooks, and newsletters. Learn more about each service and product by clicking on its link.

A: Dr. Michelle Richards earned her Masters and Ph.D. in Child & Family Development with an emphasis on Marriage & Family Therapy in 1990 &1992, respectively. She began practicing marriage and family therapy in 1989. Dr. Richards has provided therapy to hundreds of clients in counseling agencies, served on the graduate faculty teaching and supervising in Family Sciences and Marriage & Family Therapy, and is now in private practice. Dr. Richards is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in the state of Texas since 1999. To learn  more about Dr. Richards go to About Us.

 

Student therapists have completed the required theoretical clinical coursework and are increasing their experience with clients at Joyful Life Institute, Inc. Students and Associates' clients' sessions are recorded so that their work can be closely supervised by Dr. Richards. Recordings will be used for training purposes only and will adhere to confidentiality regulations.

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A: Dr. Richards helps people who are hurting, confused, and/or seeking to develop new skills. She also supports those who have had or are dealing with difficult situations. Some of their symptoms include stress, trauma response, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. In addition, she assists those who have problems in living. For example, marital miscommunication and conflict, affairs, grief, violence, life transitions, and purpose of life issues. Dr. Richards also works with divorcing and high conflict people in Parenting Coordination, Mediation, and the Collaborative Law process. Finally, Dr. Richards offers personal coaching, executive coaching, and Peak Performance Coaching to those who want to take their skills and accomplishments to the next level.

 

She is an expert in guiding clients to change. You will learn a lot about yourself, motivators, behaviors, and interactions while working with Dr. Richards. Specifically, you will learn the skills and tools you need to make the desired change(s).

 

Whether you change or reach your goals is up to you. Here is a list of some roadblocks to change that may slow down your progress: ambivalence about requested change, hidden agenda, problem trusting others, fear of the unknown outcome, failure to disclose pertinent information, lack of honesty, targeting the wrong goal, skills deficit, a wall of defenses, lack of motivation, lack of commitment to the therapeutic process, failure to complete between session tasks, irregular therapy attendance, premature drop-out, and managing safety or addiction issues.

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A: The fee is $125 for a 45-minutes therapeutic hour. Longer sessions are available at a prorated fee.There are also administrative fees for late cancellation, "no shows," checks returned for insufficient funds, reports, court appearances, medical records release, lengthy phone consultation etc.

 

 

Joyful Life Institute, Inc. accepts most major insurance: AETNA, APS, CIGNA Healthcare, CHIPS, CIGNA Behavioral Health, Corphealth, Deer Oaks, GPA, LifeSync, Managed Health Network (MHN), Optum Behavioral Health, Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), United Behavioral Health, United Healthcare, Value Options TRICARE, and Wellsprings. Dr. Richards is not a Medicare provider.

 

We are pleased to offer a new option for low-cost counseling beginning in January, 2011. Clients who are financially strained can be seen by a student therapist who will be closely supervised by Dr. Richards. To facilitate this, these student therapists are required to obtain permission to record and record all of thier sessions with clients. Students cannot provide this low-cost service if  permission to record sessions is not given. Recordings will be used for training purposes only and will adhere to confidentiality regulations; recordings will be destroyed once they have accomplished their purpose. 

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A: Dr. Richards completed a modified residency in Pastoral Counseling. She is a practicing Christian who incorporates client's own faith traditions into counseling with those who are open to this. Dr. Richards respects others' religious affiliations. Therefore, she allows clients to take the lead on how spirituality is used as a resource in counseling.

A: Dr Richards office hours are generally from 9am-6pm. Occasionally, appointments may be made outside these hours to accomodate a short-term scheduling challenge in an ongoing client's availability.

 

Student therapists maintain more extensive and flexible office hours that include nights and weekends. Generally, pre-planned, pre-paid, intensive therapy may be scheduled on a weekend for a minimum of 4 therapeutic hours (i.e., 180 minutes) with Dr. Richards.

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