FAQs | Adaptive Health Psychology

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect for my first session? Your first session is an intake session with Dr. Johnston that lasts approximately 90 minutes. Dr. Johnston will ask you a number of questions about your current concerns, prior history, and goals for therapy. The purpose of an intake is to get to know a client, understand their strengths and challenges, and start planning treatment that will best help a family. Dr. Johnston typically meets with children/ adolescents and their caregivers during the first session. Caregivers can be present for part of the intake or the full intake, depending on preference and child age. If you are 18+ years old, your intake is typically completed with Dr. Johnston one-on-one; however, it is also okay to have caregivers present.

How long do sessions last and how long does therapy last? Sessions typically last between 45-60 minutes. Session length can be determined by Dr. Johnston and families. Therapy can last anywhere between 4-12 weeks for brief, solution-focused interventions or for several months for more persistent concerns. How long therapy lasts is dependent on a number of considerations including the presenting concerns, the effort clients make to practice skills and changes, and life circumstances that may be outside of our control. Dr. Johnston can provide more information for families after an intake session.

How are parents involved in therapy and updated about progress? Caregivers' involvement in therapy looks different depending on child age, child's presenting concern, family preferences, and more. This will be discussed and agreed upon by family members throughout the course of therapy. Caregivers are routinely updated on their child's progress in therapy (e.g., symptom reduction, goals achieved). Dr. Johnston briefly speaks with caregivers at each of their child's sessions. Caregivers must be present or located in the same building as their child during their child's psychotherapy sessions. Exceptions to this rule must be established with Dr. Johnston prior to any session.

Is everything my child says confidential? Yes, with some limits. Safety concerns (such as risk of harm) will always be shared with caregivers and may be shared with other providers to ensure a patient remains safe. Patient confidentiality is balanced with parental involvement and discussed with families. For more information about limits of confidentiality, please scroll down to the "confidentiality" section on this page.

Do you work with schools, doctors, and other members of my or my child's medical team? Yes. Dr. Johnston often works with schools, teachers, doctors, or other members of your child's medical or support team. Dr. Johnston can provide more information about this during your initial consultation.

Do you accept insurance? Yes, we are in network with Aetna in Florida. We are not in network with other providers. We expect to be in network with United Health Care (Optum), Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas in September, 2026. We also accept fee-for-service payments. Billing is managed through a third party. You may also be eligible for partial reimbursement from your insurance company if Dr. Johnston is an out-of-network provider. For more information, scroll to the "Out of Network" paragraph on this page.

What is a super bill? A "superbill" is a document that includes a diagnosis code and summary of treatment you may receive at the end of psychotherapy appointments. If you chose, you may submit this bill and charge to your insurance company for reimbursement. Health insurance companies may provide partial reimbursement to you. The amount of reimbursement is entirely dependent on your health insurance network. We can make estimates about your out of network benefits but cannot guarantee specific results. Adaptive Health Psychology PLLC cannot guarantee any reimbursement from insurance companies.

How do I tell if my insurance covers psychotherapy? We recommend contacting your insurance company to ensure you have mental health benefits, inquire about your co-pay, and inquire about how many sessions are covered. Helpful questions for insurance include: Do I have mental health coverage for (myself or my child) with my current medical insurance plan? Is this psychologist Dr. Julia Johnston) in-network or out-of-network with my plan? What is my deductible and how many outpatient psychotherapy sessions are covered by insurance? What coverage is available for in-network and out-of-network providers?

Can you write prescriptions? No. Prescriptions are written by a psychiatrist, pediatrician, primary care doctor, or psychiatric advanced care practitioner. Dr. Johnston often communicates with medical providers and can speak with a provider of your choice if you would like for care coordination.

What is your cancellation policy? Cancellations due to illness, emergencies, and unexpected events are part of life. This is particularly true for patients with chronic medical conditions. Dr. Johnston will do her best to reschedule patients within the same week if it is at all possible. Patients who cancel an appointment with more than 24 hours notice will not be charged for services. Frequent cancellations may prompt Dr. Johnston to check in with families to problem solve to ensure that therapy can still be effective. Patients who cancel with 24 hours advance notice will not be billed for their first 10 "emergency" cancellations. If clients exceed 10 cancellations within 24 hours, over the course of therapy, they will be billed for the full amount of a therapy session ($175). In rare cases, these rules may be waived at the discretion of the clinician. Families will be notified if they are exempt from this rule at the start of therapy.

Do you write letters for emotional support animals or therapy dogs? Adaptive Health Psychology PLLC does not write letters, recommendations, or referrals for emotional support animals.