FAQ

Cost per session is $300 for a full sixty minutes. Initial assessments and group meetings may be charged a different price.

Emily Krushefski does not participate with any insurance companies; sessions are provided on a fee for service basis. A “superbill” or summary of visits and charges can be issued for a client to submit to their insurance for possible reimbursement. Unfortunately, no guarantee of any payments or coverage can be made as insurance carrier policies vary greatly between consumers.

Yes, counseling has been shown by research to help relieve emotionally uncomfortable symptoms such as, but not limited to, anxiety and depression. Certain treatments have undergone numerous scientific studies, giving us more confidence in administering those methods for the best chances for success. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) are three psychological treatments which have a robust research base, which is why they are offered by Emily Krushefski. Please keep in mind that there are no guarantees for success with any type of treatment in mental health therapy.

DBT is a form of mental health treatment that has been tested and shown to work by research. It was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan at The University of Washington. The treatment has been found to be effective for many different types of problems including those suffering from anxiety, chronic depression, addictions and personality disorders. DBT in its true form is a program, consisting of four components which, when used together, help people get better efficiently. The four components are:

• Skills class
• Individual therapy
• Phone coaching
• Consultation for the clinician

The skills class focuses on helping clients to learn tools for mindfulness (teaching clients to be able to direct the focus of their thoughts), interpersonal effectiveness (teaching clients to get along better with others), emotional regulation (helping clients to understand and manage their emotions), and distress tolerance (helping clients to keep from making things worse when they are in a tough situation).

Individual therapy allows the client to strategize with the therapist in the office on ways to use the skills for their particular problems.

Then, in the moment phone coaching gives a client access to the therapist’s help in applying skills at the time of the problem, increasing the potential for learning and allowing for real changes in tough life situations.

Consultation for the clinician is for the therapist to gather perspective and support from other trained counselors. It helps the therapist be centered, challenged and clear-headed, fundamentally making them better prepared to deliver high quality care.

Learn more here.

Dr. Melanie Harned developed a process for using Prolonged Exposure (PE) with clients being treated with DBT. Prolonged Exposure is a treatment shown to work by research that reduces uncomfortable emotional responses resulting from traumatic events by having people talk about those events in the care of a trained clinician such that the event becomes less upsetting over time. DBT-PE has been shown by research to reduce the uncomfortable feelings from trauma that upset many people as they participate in a DBT Program.

For more information on DBT-PE, please visit the DBT-PE website at:
https://dbtpe.org/treatment-overview

CBT is a practical approach to shifting behavior and emotion by bringing one’s attention to and eventually changing the automatic thoughts in a person’s mind. For example, a thought such as, “Things are never going to get better no matter what I do,” may on its own create feelings of depression and an urge to avoid problems. CBT would help a client to identify and shift this thought to a more helpful version, creating more effective emotional and behavioral responses.

For more information on CBT, please visit the BECK Institute website at:
https://beckinstitute.org/get-informed/cbt-faqs/

Dr. Francine Shapiro developed EMDR and brought a mode of treatment to relieve many people living with emotional discomfort related to past trauma. EMDR utilizes bilateral stimulation of the central nervous system through eye movements, tapping or sound. While it remains a mystery to scientists how EMDR works in the brain, the research is clear that many symptoms of anxiety can be treated effectively with this method.

For more information on EMDR, please visit the EMDRIA website at:

https://www.emdria.org/page/what_is_emdr_therapy

Certification in DBT is an intensive third party evaluation of a clinician’s skill in administering the treatment. The process involves an application to be considered, an exam, a written case evaluation and coding of videotaped sessions to ensure accuracy in treatment delivery. Substantial time and financial commitments are required on the part of the certified clinician in order to earn this high level of credentialing. Successful completion of the requirements for DBT Certification ensures the client that their clinician is able to provide the type of quality care that leads to good results. The challenging DBT Certification process has approved just a few hundred Certified Clinicians in the world and Emily Krushefski is one of a limited number of DBT Certified Clinicians in the states of Arizona and Montana.

For further information on the Certification process from the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, click here:

https://dbt-lbc.org/index.php?page=101118

To review the list of Certified Clinicians, click here:

https://dbt-lbc.org/index.php?page=101163

Empirically-supported means that a certain treatment has been extensively evaluated and researched. The more research we have that indicates positive outcomes from a particular treatment, the more we can offer that treatment with confidence. This does not mean that treatments without research don’t work, it just means that we aren’t sure if they work or not. As such, Emily Krushefski offers therapy that has been shown to be effective through research, giving clients assurance that they are likely to feel better as fast as possible.

To begin the treatment process, potential clients reach out to Emily Krushefski by phone at (406) 539-7464 or by email krushef@gmail.com. She will respond within 24 hours to schedule a 30-minute free consultation. During the consultation, both parties decide if it seems like the client can feel comfortable speaking with Emily and Emily will decide if her skill set matches the client’s needs. If it is determined that it is not a fit, Emily will give referrals for a better match. If it is a fit, an 80-minute initial assessment will be scheduled. During the assessment and first few sessions, Emily will work with the client to identify diagnostics (figuring out what needs to be treated) and setting specific goals (outlining exactly what will be done to best bring resolution to the client’s discomfort).

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is a frustrating, “it depends.” Each person’s treatment is quite individualized and varying time periods may be required to make changes. Aspects that tend to speed results involve a client diligently practicing new skills at home and regular attendance at sessions. Clients of Emily Krushefski can rest assured that she will make every effort to provide the least intrusive interventions using the fewest number of sessions possible to obtain optimal results.

Once treatment goals are completed, nearing completion or in the unlikely event that progress is not made, Emily and the client will decide to stop or decrease session frequency. Clients have the right to end treatment at any time and it is preferred to have two weeks notification prior to ending. This two week transition gives time for Emily Krushefski to work with the client to make appropriate referrals for continuing or aftercare as needed.

Emily Krushefski is dedicated to providing optimal experiences to her clients in both customer service and results. Toward this end, she has developed a concierge service, providing treatment the way people learn in today’s world. Concierge service includes:

• Direct access to Emily’s cell phone; you can call her cell and leave a message at any time. Messages left after 5:00pm will be returned on the next business day.
• Emily will return phone calls within 24 hours, even on Saturday and Sunday. So there is no need to wait until Monday if you need help with a problem now or just want to reschedule an appointment.
• Nearly 20 years of experience, high-level training and the calm responses attained from a seasoned clinician.
• Emily offers on-line video counseling sessions for the comfort of her clients, increasing accessibility to quality care.