As of January 10th, 2024, the Keep Counsel office in Raleigh is OPEN and in-person appointments are available upon request
How do I request an in-person appointment with you?
To request to switch an online appointment to an in-person appointment, just shoot me an email or a text to let me know you would like to come to the office. I will be in the office during most business hours, so I can probably accommodate a last-minute switch request. To be on the safe side though, it’s best to do so with 24 hours advance notice. If you want to come in-person but need to change the day/time of your appointment, just include this in the email to me or discuss it next time we’re scheduled to meet.
Is it possible to do a blend of online & in-office appointments?
Yes! I am happy to coordinate with you to create a schedule for therapy that is convenient for you. I know some of you are interested in switching all of your sessions to in-person, others will want to continue online sessions only, and some of you will want to do a hybrid. I am happy to discuss these options and develop a treatment plan and schedule that best meets your needs and preferences.
Where is the office located & how do I get there?
The office address is 8319 Six Forks Rd, Suite 203, Raleigh NC 27615. For those familiar with the area, the office is (roughly) adjacent to the Whole Foods on Six Forks Rd, close to the 540 interchange. To get to the office, turn on Monument Dr. from Six Forks and swing your first left into the parking lot. We’re the first building on the right and our suite is upstairs from Wake Counseling and Mediation (it will take a couple of weeks to get our sign up).
When should I arrive for my scheduled appointment?
I would recommend arriving a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time, which will help you avoid getting stuck in traffic or feeling stressed or rushed. It’s fairly normal for my appointments to begin 5-10 minutes late (and end a little late too), and I extend this same grace period to all of my clients. Usually, I will recommend rescheduling for another time if you are more than 15 minutes late, unless we arranged for a shorter session in advance.
Where do I go when I arrive for my appointment?
When you arrive for your appointment, you can walk into the building and up the 17 stairs to the second floor (there isn’t an elevator). Suite 203 is the office on the right. The door will be open and there is no need to knock before you enter. Just come on in and take a seat on one of the couches in the waiting area, and I will be right out to greet you.
What are the office hours?
The office will be open Monday-Friday and some Saturdays, by appointment. In the beginning, there may not be someone at the office during all business hours, so plan to make arrangements in advance if you’re planning on stopping by. There will be times that the office will be used for other purposes besides counseling (i.e. group supervisions, peer consults, or trainings) so there may be scheduled workshops and groups when the office isn’t being used for counseling appointments.
What can I expect my first time in the office?
If we’ve only worked together online, it might take a little time to get used to in-person appointments, and you might feel a little nervous at first. That’s completely normal and I assure you we will work through whatever awkward bumps occur along the way, and I’m confident that within a session or two we’ll find a new stride.
I am also confident that eventually, you will feel like you get even more out of in-person appointments than you did from telehealth appointments. When I come greet you, let’s plan to shake hands and walk down the hall together to my office. There’s a small loveseat, an office chair and an armchair and you can sit in whatever seat you feel most comfortable in. After the initial meet and greet, I’ll check in, ask what you want to focus on, and we’ll dive into the session just like we’ve done before!
Will the cost of office-based appointments be the same & will my insurance cover it?
There is no difference in the cost of in-person and telehealth therapy sessions with me. If you’re using insurance for your sessions, you will continue to pay the same copay or coinsurance amount, and the insurance coverage for our sessions will also remain the same.
In the past, I have offered extended sessions to self-pay clients who are interested in doing a 90 minute session. I plan to offer these extended ‘deep dive’ sessions to in-person clients at a rate of $200 per 90 minutes, or $30 per additional 15 minutes. Most of the time, these will be booked in advance but on occasion, I may offer to extend a session if there is a need, and if I have the availability to do so. I will never charge you additional fees without your knowledge and consent.
What should I do if I am unable to keep my scheduled appointment?
The same cancelation policies apply for telehealth and in-person appointments. To avoid being charged a $75 late cancelation or no-show fee, please email me at least 24 hours in advance if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Occasionally, this fee is waived for unplanned emergencies so please notify me if there are exceptional circumstances. If you are
going to be late for your scheduled appointment, you can call or text me at 919-695-7291 or email me to let me know. As long as you will arrive within about 10 minutes of your scheduled appointment time, it’s also fine to just show up!
Who else will be in the office?
There are a total of four offices in our counseling suite, and you can expect to see other therapists and their clients here in the coming months. For now, the therapist you’re most likely to encounter (besides me) is Max Shafir. Max is a licensed clinical social worker, a clinical supervisor, and my partner of 13 years. If you see a big friendly guy walking around, it’s probably him. Feel free to say hello or ask for anything you might need, he’s here to help!
We’ll add more information to the website about Max and his areas of specialty in the coming weeks, but he often works with young men, couples, and families, as well as clients on the Autism spectrum. He has over a decade of experience in mental health, including extensive experience developing and managing programs and supervising clinicians. He is also in charge of the NC Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health and sits on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Committee in Wake County and on the NASW educational review board.
Will you be offering other services besides individual counseling in the office?
Yes, in the future we plan to expand our services to include couples, family, and small group counseling. We also plan to host occasional workshops to delve deeper into clinical topics and areas of special interest (i.e. archetypes, MBTI, couples retreats, etc.). Down the line, we plan to expand Keep Counsel and bring on clinicians with complementary specializations, who may be interested in hosting additional workshops or groups here. In addition to providing counseling services, Max and I also provide consulting, clinical supervision and continuing education for other therapists and agencies in the Triangle, including some which may be hosted in the office.
Are there any office policies I should be aware of?
There are some office policies and procedures, and all clients coming for in-office appointments will be required to review and sign an acknowledgement of these policies. This can be done electronically via the Keep Counsel patient portal, so look out for this email in the coming weeks. Most of the policies are standard for the industry, and include rules against bringing firearms, controlled substances, and other contraband to the office. There are also policies regarding confidentiality, cell phone usage, noise complaints, grievances and fees for late cancelations and no-shows.
How do I make suggestions or provide feedback?
It is our goal to provide our clients with the highest quality of service and support possible. This is not a fair-weather commitment, and we depend on your feedback and input to reach this standard. If you have suggestions, complaints, or requests related to the office or the services we provide, please feel free to use the suggestion box outside of the office door. We will provide notepads and pens in the waiting area for this purpose, and will regularly check the suggestion box for new feedback. Alternatively, I strive to make my counseling style feedback-friendly, so you can always provide feedback or suggestions in session.