Welcome to Existence Services

​Counseling, often referred to as therapy or psychotherapy, is a professional and confidential relationship between a trained and licensed mental health professional and a client. The purpose of counseling is to enhance the client's mental health and overall well-being. Through counseling, individuals can address specific issues related to thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that may hinder their ability to feel their best. It also provides valuable support in developing coping skills, improving communication and relationships, and addressing various issues that may affect their ability to function optimally in day to day life.​

We honestly believe that nearly everyone can benefit from counseling at some point in their lives. Just as you would visit a doctor for physical symptoms, many people turn to counseling to enhance their mental and emotional well-being. 

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Whether it's feeling down, experiencing anxiety, dealing with past trauma, or facing challenges in relationship, counseling can provide the support you need. If you're struggling with daily stress or finding yourself coping in ways that create more issues, we're here to help you navigate those feelings and find healthier paths forward. 

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If you are unsure whether or not you need counseling, we encourage you to get in touch with us. One of our counselors would be happy to set up a free consultation phone call to help you explore your options and decide what is right for you. 

The first step in beginning your counseling journey is to contact us. One of our caring counselors will get in touch with you to help determine your needs. After you're assigned to a counselor, you will be sent all of the necessary paperwork via email using a confidential platform called Simple Practice. You'll be able to electronically sign documents, and share some additional information about your current symptoms, your history, and goals for counseling. Plus, we'll send you a link to easily access your telehealth appointment through your confidential client portal. We're here to support you every step of the way!

Typically, your counselor will want to start with an intake appointment. In the intake, your counselor will take the time to really get to know you, your history, and understand the issues you are currently facing. During this appointment, your counselor will also collaborate with you to establish goals for treatment to ensure you are both on the same page about what you are hoping to achieve throughout your counseling experience. 

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Once the intake appointment is completed, you will begin your counseling appointments. The purpose of these regulary scheduled, ongoing appointments is to work towards and address your treatment goals. Your counselor will use their professional expertise and training, and may use a variety of therapeutic techniques, modalities, and interventions to help you with your goals. 

We typically recommend that in the beginning, you start with weekly counseling services. This may be more or less based on symptoms severity, as well as availability of schedules. Appointments typically last anywhere from 45-60 minutes, but again, may be more or less based on what your individual needs are. 

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Counseling may last anywhere from a few appointments, to several months or longer based on individual needs. The important thing to keep in mind is the treatment goals set at the beginning of counseling. Your counselor will review these goals with you from time to time, and once you both agree that you've completed your goals, or are getting close, you may reduce the frequency of your counseling for a "maintenance phase" and once you've successfully completed all goals, and feel ready to move forward without counseling, services will be ended. 
 

Of course, you are are in the driver's seat, so if new issues arise, or if things seem to be resolving for you naturally, just let your counselor know, and we will work with you to adjust services as needed. 

We do our best to ensure that the counselor you are assigned to will be an appropriate match, and encourage clients to take a few sessions to get comfortable with their counselor before deciding whether or not they are a good fit for them. 

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With that being said, we sometimes joke that counselors are like shoes and you need to try a few on before finding the perfect fit. At Existence Services, we value your time and understand that if you don't feel comfortable with your counselor, it can be difficult to work on your goals for counseling together.

If after a few appointments you are just not connecting with your counselor, we encourage you to contact our Clinical Director to discuss the matter. We will work with you to either match you to a different counselor within the agency, or help you find a counselor at another agency. We want you to get the services you need, regardless of whether that is with us, or somewhere else. 

Existence Services is credentialed with most major insurance companies, so it's likely that if you have insurance with mental health coverage, we will be able to accept it. However, insurance companies and plans vary widely in their mental health coverage. We will ask for your insurance information upfront, and our billing team will work with your insurance company to verify what your benefits are for mental health services. 

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While we work our very hardest to ensure that the information we get regarding your insurance coverage is accurate, sometimes the information we receive from the insurance company isn't completely up to date. Therfore, we strongly encourage our clients to also call their insurance company to verify their benefits and coverage as well.  

Again, this depends a lot on your insurance coverage. Some insurance plans cover mental health services fully, and there is no out of pocket expense to you. Other plans require the client to make a copayment for appointments, or the client's deductible has to be met before the coverage for mental health services will begin to kick in. We never want clients to feel surprised by this, so we try our best to verify coverage prior to meeting with you. Some clients chose not to utilize their insurance and instead choose to pay for services out of pocket. 

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Whether you decide to pay for counseling out of pocket, you are working towards your deductible, or you have a co-payment, Existence Services requires that payments are made on the day that the service is provided. These payments can be made easily through your client portal in Simple Practice.

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Ultimately, the client is responsible for the cost of services and when signing up for counseling the client agrees to pay for any expense that their insurance may not cover. Our financial policies will be included in the paperwork we send to you before starting services, and if you have any additional questions, our Clinical Director is happy to answer these for you. 

One of the benefits of tele-health counseling is that we are able to serve clients across the state of Idaho, regardless of where they reside. However, due to restrictions with licensing, and insurance regulations, in most cases, our counselors are unable to provide services to individuals who reside outside of Idaho. 

​​​​Simply put, telehealth is participating in health care services such as counseling using remote technologies. See our tele-health FAQ  below to learn more.

Q. How does tele-health work?

A. At Existence Services, we use an all-inclusive, online telehealth platform called Simple Practice. Once you become a client, a secure link will be sent to your email and you can sign all necessary paperwork and documents through your Simple Practice Client Portal. You will be able to see upcoming appointments, message your counselor, and much more through this portal. When an appointment is scheduled through Simple Practice, you will be sent reminders via email or text if you prefer, and you can easily access your live, video appointment with one click of a button. It's as simple as that!

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Q. Is tele-health confidential? 

A. Yes! As mentioned, Simple Practice is a HIPAA compliant software, and you can rest assured knowing that all of your appointments and client information are completely confidential an secure. That being said, it is important for clients to have a plan for where they will participate in their appointments that ensures privacy. Your counselor will discuss this with you during your intake to make sure there is a good plan in place. 

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Q. Do I have to have special equipment to do tele-health?

A. Not really. As long as you have a good internet connection and a device that has a camera and microphone such as a computer, tablet or cell phone, you should be good to go. 

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Q. Will my insurance cover tele-health counseling?

A. Most likely. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become a widely accepted practice, and most insurances cover telehealth services just as they would face to face services. We encourage all of our clients to check with their insurance provider to find out more about telehealth coverage. 

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Q. Is tele-health as good as traditional in-person counseling? 

A. Yes. A growing body of research has shown that telehealth is just as effective as in-person counseling services, and many people have found that the flexibility and convenience of telehealth has made their counseling experience more successful. 

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Q. What are the benefits of tele-health counseling? 

A. As we just mentioned, many people find that having the flexibility to participate in counseling from a location that is convenient for them such as home, school, the office, or even in the car is a huge benefit of telehealth. Additionally, not having to take the time to drive across town only to spend time in a waiting room full of other people is something that many telehealth clients enjoy. Another benefit of telehealth is increased access to providers. Telehealth can be a great solution for individuals living in a rural community, or for those who would like the anonymity of seeing a counselor who does not necessarily live in their same community. 

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Q. Are there any cons to tele-health counseling? 

A. Yes, we would be remiss if we didn't mention some of the cons of telehealth. While we strongly believe in the benefits of telehealth counseling, we know it is not for everyone. The most obvious con of telehealth is the potential for glitches in technology. While the Simple Practice software we use at Existence Services minimizes the opportunity for these glitches, they can still happen from time to time. Additionally, some clients find that they are more easily distracted when they are participating in telehealth vs face-to-face counseling. This is part of the reason we emphasize the importance of having a private place to participate in appointments, and encourage clients to take measures to minimize any distractions. Lastly, by nature of being on video vs. in person, a counselor may miss subtle cues or physical issues that are more easy to detect in traditional counseling (i.e. a client who has cut themselves, changes in appearance or hygiene, a client who is fidgeting etc). We encourage anyone seeking out services to consider the benefits as well as potential downsides to telehealth services. 

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To find out if tele-health is right for you, contact us today. 

If you are looking for counseling in Idaho, you're in luck. No matter where you are, we can help you out. 

Now Serving residents of: 

• Aberdeen, Idaho

• Acequia, Idaho

• Albion, Idaho

• American Falls, Idaho

• Ammon, Idaho

• Arco, Idaho

• Arimo, Idaho

• Ashton, Idaho

• Athol, Idaho

• Bancroft, Idaho

• Basalt, Idaho

• Bellevue, Idaho

• Blackfoot, Idaho

• Bliss, Idaho

• Bloomington, Idaho

• Boise, Idaho

• Bonners Ferry, Idaho

• Bovill, Idaho

• Buhl, Idaho

• Burley, Idaho

• Butte City, Idaho

• Caldwell, Idaho

• Cambridge, Idaho

• Carey, Idaho

• Cascade, Idaho

• Castleford, Idaho

• Challis, Idaho

• Chubbuck, Idaho

• Clark Fork, Idaho

• Clayton, Idaho

• Clifton, Idaho

• Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

• Cottonwood, Idaho

• Council, Idaho

• Craigmont, Idaho

• Crouch, Idaho

• Culdesac, Idaho

• Dalton Gardens, Idaho

• Dayton, Idaho

• Deary, Idaho

• Declo, Idaho

• Dietrich, Idaho

• Donnelly, Idaho

• Dover, Idaho

• Downey, Idaho

• Driggs, Idaho

• Drummond, Idaho

• Dubois, Idaho

• Eagle, Idaho

• East Hope, Idaho

• Eden, Idaho

• Elk River, Idaho

• Emmett, Idaho

• Fairfield, Idaho

• Ferdinand, Idaho

• Fernan Lake, Idaho

• Filer, Idaho

• Firth, Idaho

• Franklin, Idaho

• Fruitland, Idaho

• Garden City, Idaho

• Genesee, Idaho

• Georgetown, Idaho

• Glenns Ferry, Idaho

• Gooding, Idaho

• Grace, Idaho

• Grand View, Idaho

• Grangeville, Idaho

• Greenleaf, Idaho

• Hagerman, Idaho

• Hailey, Idaho

• Hansen, Idaho

• Harrison, Idaho

• Hauser, Idaho

• Hayden, Idaho

• Hayden Lake, Idaho

• Hazelton, Idaho

• Heyburn, Idaho

• Hollister, Idaho

• Homedale, Idaho

• Hope, Idaho

• Horseshoe Bend, Idaho

• Huetter, Idaho 

• Idaho City, Idaho

• Idaho Falls, Idaho

• Inkom, Idaho

• Iona, Idaho

• Irwin, Idaho

• Island Park, Idaho

• Jerome, Idaho

• Juliaetta, Idaho

• Kamiah, Idaho 

• Kellogg, Idaho

• Kendrick, Idaho

• Ketchum, Idaho

• Kimberly, Idaho

• Kooskia, Idaho

• Kootenai, Idaho

• Kuna, Idaho

• Lapwai, Idaho

• Lava Hot Springs, Idaho

• Leadore, Idaho

• Lewiston, Idaho

• Lewisville, Idaho

• Mackay, Idaho

• Malad City, Idaho

• Malta, Idaho

• Marsing, Idaho

• McCall, Idaho

• McCammon, Idaho

• Melba, Idaho

• Menan, Idaho, 

• Meridian, Idaho

• Middleton, Idaho

• Midvale, Idaho

• Minidoka, Idaho

• Montpelier, Idaho

• Moore, Idaho

• Moscow, Idaho

• Mountain Home, Idaho

• Moyie Springs, Idaho

• Mud Lake, Idaho

• Mullan, Idaho

• Murtaugh, Idaho

• Nampa, Idaho

• New Meadows, Idaho

• New Plymouth, Idaho

• Newdale, Idaho

• Nezperce, Idaho

• Notus, Idaho

• Oakley, Idaho

• Oldtown, Idaho

• Onaway, Idaho

• Orofino, Idaho

• Osburn, Idaho

• Paris, Idaho

• Parker, Idaho

• Parma, Idaho

• Paul, Idaho

• Payette, Idaho

• Peck, Idaho

• Pierce, Idaho

• Pinehurst, Idaho

• Placerville, Idaho

• Plummer, Idaho

• Pocatello, Idaho

• Ponderay, Idaho

• Post Falls, Idaho

• Potlatch, Idaho

• Preston, Idaho

• Priest River, Idaho

• Rathdrum, Idaho

• Reubens, Idaho

• Rexburg, Idaho

• Richfield, Idaho

• Rigby, Idaho

• Riggins, Idaho

• Ririe, Idaho

• Roberts, Idaho

• Rockland, Idaho

• Rupert, Idaho

• Salmon, Idaho

• Sandpoint, Idaho

• Shelley, Idaho

• Shoshone, Idaho

• Smelterville, Idaho

• Soda Springs, Idaho

• Spencer, Idaho

• Spirit Lake, Idaho

• St. Anthony, Idaho

• St. Charles, Idaho

• St. Maries, Idaho

• Stanley, Idaho

• State Line, Idaho

• Stites, Idaho

• Star, Idaho

• Sugar City, Idaho

• Sun Valley, Idaho

• Swan Valley, Idaho

• Tensed, Idaho

• Teton, Idaho

• Tetonia, Idaho 

• Troy, Idaho

• Twin Falls, Idaho

• Ucon, Idaho

• Victor, Idaho

• Wallace, Idaho

• Wardner, Idaho

• Warm River, Idaho

• Weippe, Idaho

• Weiser, Idaho

• Wendell, Idaho

• Weston, Idaho

• White Bird, Idaho

• Wilder, Idaho

• Winchester, Idaho

• Worley, Idaho