Hello and welcome,
This patient portal serves clients of James Fitzgerald Therapy PLLC and the Strengthening Your Conscious Self health and wellness program. The portal is administered by James Fitzgerald, MS, a Vermont State Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in private practice, and a National Certified Counselor (NCC) by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). James is a member in good standing of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and Vermont Counseling Network.
If you are not a current client and are requesting an intake, you can view my availability and schedule an intake session, unless I am not accepting new clients. Note: this process is a request for an appointment and does not guarantee the session is scheduled. I also recommend visiting my website (www.jamesfitzgeraldtherapy.com) to view a great amount of information about me and the program.
After making the request, you will be notified if the appointment was approved. I will likely send you a follow up email to explain next steps. Intake sessions typically take about 55 minutes. Please write down any questions you have to bring to your intake appointment. The first two questions I will ask you before committing to the consultation are: are you aware of your insurance policy coverages if you are using insurance, and how will we schedule the sessions around both our schedules.
After we clear up some of the the logistics, we will continue with the free consultation session. I will spend a few minutes describing confidentiality and informed consent. If we decide that we are a good fit, I will schedule you for the first six sessions. Your first 2 or 3 sessions will be full intake, assessment, planning, and therapy orientation sessions. You and/or your insurance will be charged for these intake sessions.
After scheduling your first appointment, I will send you an email with an invitation to register an account in the client account portal. Once you have created a user ID and password and logged into the portal for the first time, you will then receive a packet of forms for you to complete, review, and sign. The packet of forms will include instructions for the forms along with all the necessary legal and regulatory required paperwork. Please have these documents and forms completed before your intake appointment. At a minimum you should expect to receive a public disclosure, VT statutes and regulations, questionnaires, informational materials, client info form, client insurance form, and payment authorization form. Before your intake session, you will also receive informed consent documents, privacy policies, practice policies, etc.
If you are an existing client, you can log in to the portal to schedule an appointment, cancel or change an existing appointment, complete intake paperwork, view your electronic health records documentation, complete assigned homework (lessons and exercises), review your current account balance, and make payments. If you are scheduling as a new health coaching client make sure to change the location to Coaching Services. This client portal website should not be confused with the other public websites I use with clients. I am listed on the following directories: Vermont Office of Professional Regulation; National Board of Certified Counselors; American Counseling Association; Psychology Today; Good Therapy; and Vermont Counseling Network. Please review my rates and fees on my professional websites: (www.jamesfitzgeraldtherapy.com) and (www.strengtheningyourconsciousself.com)
For inquiries, new clients, and existing clients, when you're scheduling your appointment, please make sure to change the location for the type of service you're looking for.
There are 3 options:
1. Mental Health Counseling In Person
2. Mental Health Counseling Telehealth
3. Health & Wellness Coaching
BEFORE YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT
Please call to verify your insurance coverages, in network status, deductibles, copays, co insurance, etc., if you are planning to use your health insurance plan for reimbursement. Insurance companies have strict guidelines regarding the types of outpatient mental health services they reimburse. These include reimbursing only for services that are deemed medically necessary, (a diagnosable mental health issue) and only those service interventions with scientific evidence of effectiveness.
NO SURPRISES ACT
If you are not able to use insurance or choose not to use insurance, I still accept out of pocket payments, and am required to notify you of your right to a good faith estimate of services as guaranteed by the No Surprises Act.
PROBLEMS LOGGING IN?
If you have forgotten your password, you can reset the password on your own, and after 90 days of inactivity, you will have to request a password reset from the portal's administrator, please call or text (802) 855-1209 or email vttherapist@jamesfitzgeraldtherapy.com
PLEASE NOTE:
I am an individually professionally licensed clinician who operates a solo private practice. Although I follow the same regulations and ethical standards, I am not affiliated with or employed by any other hospital, public health organization, designated agency, clinic, facility, or group practice. Your medical records at my practice are not automatically a part of your records at your doctor, case manager, or any area hospitals or clinics.