Terms of Use

By using this website you agree to these terms. Please read the section on therapy versus coaching carefully, because the distinction determines what services can lawfully be provided to you and where you must be located to receive them.

This website is not treatment

Everything on this site is general information. Reading it does not create a therapist and client relationship, and nothing here is a substitute for individualized assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. A professional relationship begins only after a consultation, completion of intake paperwork, and written agreement on both sides.

Therapy and coaching are different services

Psychotherapy is a licensed healthcare service. Alexis Kimball is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, licence LH61448810, licensed in the State of Washington. Therapy involves clinical assessment, may involve diagnosis, and is governed by Washington State law and professional ethical standards.

Therapy clients must be physically located in a state where I hold a licence at the time of each session. Currently that is Washington State. This is a licensing requirement, not a preference. Mental health licensure is granted by individual states, and a counsellor may only provide therapy to clients located in a state where they hold a licence. If you relocate or travel outside those states, therapy sessions may need to be paused until you return. Please tell me if your location changes.

Coaching is not therapy and is not a healthcare service. Coaching is focused on goals, reflection, education, and forward planning. Coaching does not include assessment or diagnosis of any mental health condition, and it is not covered by health insurance.

Because coaching is not a healthcare service, it is not restricted by your location. That difference in geography exists precisely because the services are different in kind. Coaching will never be used as a substitute for therapy, and a coaching relationship will not be converted into a therapy relationship, or the reverse, without a separate agreement appropriate to that service.

If clinical concerns arise during a coaching engagement, the appropriate response is a referral to a licensed provider in your state, not a shift in the nature of the coaching conversation. Each service has its own agreement, its own records, and its own terms.

The consultation decides which service you receive

The free 15 minute consultation exists to determine whether the practice is a good fit for you, and if it is, which of the two services is the appropriate one. It is not a therapy session, no assessment or diagnosis occurs, and no professional relationship is created by it.

You do not need to know in advance whether you are looking for therapy or coaching. Working that out is part of what the consultation is for. Two things are settled on that call before any sessions are scheduled: which service is appropriate to what you are looking for, and where you will be located when we meet. If therapy is the right fit, you must be located in a state where I hold a licence. If coaching is the right fit, your location does not restrict it.

If neither service is appropriate, or if I am not the right person for what you need, I will say so and help you work out where to look instead.

Sessions, packages, and payment

Sessions are 55 minutes and are held virtually. Single sessions and multi-session packages are paid in advance through Stripe. Packages expire one year after the date of purchase. Within that year they may be used at whatever pace suits you.

Buying sessions reserves time. It does not determine which service you will receive, and it does not by itself create a professional relationship of either kind. Whether we work together in a therapy or a coaching capacity is settled at the consultation, as described above. Sessions purchased before a consultation are held until that call has taken place.

Purchasing a package does not guarantee eligibility for services. If it turns out that neither service can lawfully or appropriately be provided to you, including because therapy is what you need and you are not located in a state where I hold a licence, or because the practice is not the right fit, unused sessions will be refunded in full.

Cancellation and missed appointments

Please give at least 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice, and appointments missed without notice, may be charged in full or deducted from a package. Exceptions are made for emergencies and illness at the practitioner’s discretion.

Refunds

Unused sessions in a package may be refunded on request. Sessions already attended are not refundable. Refunds are returned to the original payment method and may take several business days to appear.

Insurance

This practice is private pay. Insurance is not billed directly. A superbill can be provided on request for you to submit to your insurer for possible out of network reimbursement, though reimbursement is never guaranteed. Coaching services, where offered, are not eligible for insurance reimbursement under any circumstances.

Communication

Email, text, contact forms, and social media are not secure channels and should not be used for clinical content or urgent matters. Expect a response to non-urgent messages within two business days.

Intellectual property

The writing, images, and design on this site belong to Alexis Kimball and may not be reproduced without permission.

Changes

These terms may be updated. The date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

Contact

Questions about these terms can go to alexis@alexiskimball.com or (206) 651-5054.