FAQ
Where is your office located?
I have two offices!
My Orem office is just up the hill from the mouth of Provo Canyon. It’s an easy drive down 800 North from I-15 and convenient for those from the Provo or Heber areas. I share an office space with Canyon Breeze Counseling on the building’s second floor on the East side. The address is:
1458 E 820 N
Orem, UT 84097
The Spanish Fork office is in a shared space with Hobble Creek Behavioral Health just off Main Street. My office is down the stairs and on the right side at the end of the hallway. I will meet you in the lobby on your first visit, or the helpful front desk will direct you to me. (Also, as a hot tip, the front desk keeps small 3D-printed fidget toys to give to any child clients who happen to stop by!) The address is:
51 E 800 N
Spanish Fork, UT 84660
What are your hours?
Here is my School Year Schedule (mid-August – end of May)
Orem: Monday: 9 am – 3 pm, Wednesday: 10 am – 7 pm
Spanish Fork: Tuesday: 9 am – 3 pm
Summer Schedule (June – mid-August)
Orem: Monday: 10 am – 5 pm, Wednesday: 10 am – 7 pm
Spanish Fork: Tuesday: 9 am – 11 am
Holidays/Vacations
I often see clients on Monday holidays, but I will tell you if I am taking that day off. I also see clients one day over Christmas break for those who need it. If I’m out of town or on vacation, I will try to rearrange your session or cancel for that day.
How long are sessions?
Intake sessions and regular sessions are approximately 53 minutes. Neurofeedback Intake is 90 minutes, and the Neurofeedback session is 55 minutes.
Do you take insurance?
I only take DMBA insurance.
I am considered out-of-network with all other insurance plans. I have partnered with Thrizer, which can help you identify and request out-of-network benefits through your insurance. I will provide a Superbill to help you with this process.
Insurance plans typically do not cover neurofeedback sessions, but you can always call and ask.
How do I set up an initial appointment?
You can call or text me at (801) 210-0696. You may also email admin@phoenixfamilycounselingutah.com.
I will reply with a link to set up a profile in my electronic portal, and you can schedule a free 15-minute consult call from there. After that, if you decide to move forward with an initial intake session, I will send you all the necessary paperwork to sign through the portal.
The initial intake session for all child clients will be a meeting with PARENTS ONLY.
What is your cancellation policy?
If you need to cancel, notify me 24 hours before your scheduled session. If you inform me after that point, you will be charged a $100 no-show fee. If possible, I will try rescheduling for the same week to avoid the fee.
Exceptions may be made for emergencies.
What is your professional training and experience?
My training and expertise are as follows:
- Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Utah Valley University
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (12296777-3902)
- Registered Play TherapistTM (RPTTM )
- Trained in EMDR
- Trained in Neurofeedback
What age ranges do you work with? Do you only work with kids?
I work with all ages!
While I have significant training in working with kids and love working with them, I enjoy having a caseload that includes individuals, couples, and families across the lifespan.
Is play therapy only about playing games?
Garry Landreth, one of the founders of Child-Centered Play Therapy, said, “Toys are children’s words, and play is their language.”
When I am in a room with a child playing, I’m looking for patterns of understanding, themes of play, and areas where a child is seeking reassurance. If you learn to look, you will see this in your child’s play at home. You can see how easily they lose their confidence when a game isn’t going their way, or how they are repeatedly drawn to certain types of play.
This information helps me understand your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and needs so that I can help them begin to build resilience, confidence, and growth through play.
Do you see siblings? How does that work?
I often see siblings within a family, sometimes individually and sometimes together. How we approach work in therapy will depend on each individual and the family’s needs.
What does an EMDR session look like?
EMDR helps individuals learn to process traumatic memories or negative experiences to allow them to move forward with life. It focuses on negative beliefs that control responses and behaviors, and facilitates allowing your thoughts and feelings to align with your values and positive beliefs. Each person works through EMDR at different rates and needs different levels of support as they move through the process.
Before we begin, I will explain the process and prepare you for the experience. I use small ‘buzzers’ you hold in each hand that vibrate back and forth for short bursts. They feel like a cell phone vibrating when you receive a notification. One of the most important things we do at the beginning is ensure you feel safe and comfortable in my office. As you progress, you can choose your pace and decide when you are ready to pause or want to keep moving forward.
What does neurofeedback look like?
Neurofeedback is a great, non-invasive way to help your brain strengthen its ability to regulate emotions. It can be used to treat a variety of issues, including anxiety, anger, depression, ADHD, dissociation, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, trauma, and chronic pain, just to name a few.
We spend the first few minutes of each session reviewing your symptoms. Then, I get you set up with electrodes placed on your head in specific locations based on your treatment plan. I may move the electrodes during the session to treat all the needed areas of your brain. The small area where the electrode is placed is cleaned with a cleansing gel and then adhered to your head with a wax-like paste.
While the electrodes are connected, you will either watch a movie or play games. As the electrodes read your brain patterns, the screen will adjust based on the brain activity. After we’ve completed the treatment for the day, I will remove the electrodes. While I try to clean the wax off as well as possible, some residue is typically left behind, especially on long hair. It is easily washed out in the shower.
Can you diagnose ADHD/Autism?
The short answer is Nope.
The long answer: An autism diagnosis is only recognized in Utah if given by someone with a Ph.D. or a medical provider such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. If my initial assessments indicate autism may be present, I can help you navigate finding a provider who can help diagnose.
For ADHD, if I feel further evaluation is needed, I will provide parents with a screener they can fill out. Suppose this screening is combined with observations in therapy and from parents at home. In that case, I may recommend seeking a psychologist or psychiatrist (or even better, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, because they are faster to get you on their schedule) for a formal diagnosis. I typically do not recommend seeking a diagnosis of ADHD from your pediatrician, as ADHD can often mimic a variety of other disorders.
I share custody of my child with a former spouse, and they don’t believe in therapy. Do you need their permission?
Yes. If you share custody and medical decision-making, I must have approval from both parents to treat your child.
Do you provide letters?
I do not guarantee that I will fulfill requests for letters. This includes, but is not limited to, treatment summaries, disability paperwork, and work accommodations. I will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis and only after you have attended enough sessions where I have a complete understanding of your mental health needs. In addition, I do not write letters for emotional support animals or get involved in legal matters.
Do you use video games in therapy?
I do not do video game therapy at this time.
Is therapy hard?
Yes. No mincing words here. While there may be moments of relief, and those can grow longer-lasting and stronger over time, all therapy comes with ups and downs.
I hate crying. Do I have to cry when we meet?
Crying is not expected but is welcome, as are our friends’ anxiety, anger, annoyance, resistance, and any others you care to bring with you. I have an ample Kleenex supply on hand. Big emotions are part of the process, so buckle up! Your emotions will not inconvenience or burden me. Although smelly feet might! (see shoes LINK below)
What if you ask me to do something I don’t want to do (especially when you ask me to reduce my child’s screen time)?
The power to choose is always yours. We all resist specific changes when we’ve lived a certain way for a long time. If you aren’t ready to make a change but still want to move forward, we will work together, one step at a time, to help you move to where you want to be.
One of the most challenging things I may ask of any client is to reduce or remove specific digital influences. Parents may feel especially burdened if asked to disengage their child from social media or other online platforms. While this can be an incredibly draining challenge for everyone involved, it is often a life-saving measure and should be taken seriously.
Are shoes required?
Nope! Unless you’re having an especially smelly foot day. I will often join you if you remove your shoes (assuming I also have a non-smelly foot day).
Which Hogwarts House are you?
I like to think of myself as a Gryffinpuff.
What should I call you?
Anything but late for dinner. Just kidding! Jenni is fine. I like children to call me by my name as well, so they can feel like we are working together rather than me directing their every move.
Why do you wear leggings to therapy sometimes?
While some days I dress a bit more formally if I’m feeling exceptionally professional that day, I often wear more casual clothing to help facilitate the time I spend sitting on the floor with children, playing ‘horse’ with the hoop on the back of my door, or doing yoga poses to help clients regulate. Sometimes, we may even walk in the park across the street! Feel free to dress as casually or as classily as you like. Just please, no bathing suits or birthday suits!