Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO I BECOME A PATIENT?

The fastest way to inquire about services is to send a message through the contact page on this website. The contact page will also list current availability, which can fluctuate due to the nature of mental health treatment. Although Dr. Vigil wishes she could accept all new inquiries, there are times when she does have to limit the number of new cases she accepts. Dr. Vigil makes efforts to return emails and calls promptly. However, because she returns all messages herself, you may experience a delay before your message is returned. We appreciate your patience with any wait time that may occur. New patient paperwork can be downloaded from the forms page of this website.  

Why is Dr. Vigil’s schedule sometimes full and how does she determine availability?

Mental health treatment has unique features that make scheduling different than it may be with other medical professionals you might see on a less consistent basis. Dr. Vigil’s availability is determined by a number of factors, which include schedule demands, specific needs/services being requested and the age of a patient.  A portion of Dr. Vigil’s practice is reserved for children and adolescents and a portion of her practice is reserved for adults. Thus, her availability does fluctuate based on her current caseload and openings can be difficult to accurately predict. Dr. Vigil is mindful about when she accepts new patients to ensure quality of her services and to ensure she can offer consistent follow up sessions to her active patients, which can be key to positive treatment outcomes.  Your understanding and patience with regards to scheduling is much appreciated.  You are welcome to check the contact page for updated availability, as her schedule changes throughout the year.

Why can’t i put my child or teen on a waitlist?

Dr. Vigil mindfully does not keep a waitlist for minors due to their unique developmental needs. At times minors in need of treatment can present with greater risks and needs than parents might realize. Thus, minors sometimes need to be seen more immediately than parents can gauge.  Because Dr. Vigil can often not predict when her next opening will be, she believes an undetermined wait time for minors in need of services is ill-advised.

DOES DR. VIGIL ACCEPT INSURANCE?

No, Dr. Vigil is not on any insurance panels. Patients with out-of-network benefits may be able to submit a receipt and receive direct reimbursement for a percentage of Dr. Vigil’s fee.   

What are dr. vigil’s fees?

Therapy fees are $180 an hour. Gifted testing is $250.

IF I DECIDE TO USE OUT-OF-NETWORK BENEFITS, HOW DO I RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT?

After payment is made to Dr. Vigil, she will provide you with a specific receipt, called a superbill. You will then need to submit the superbill to your insurance company who will mail the reimbursement check directly to you. Please call your insurance company to inquire about your specific out-of-network benefits for outpatient mental health services, sometimes called behavioral health. You will want to ask about:

1. Your specific rate of reimbursement (typically a percentage, often 60%)

2. Any out-of-network deductible that must be met and

3. The mailing address to submit suberbills.

CAN I USE CREDIT CARDS, DEBIT CARDS, HSA OR FLEX SPENDING?  

Yes

DOES DR. VIGIL REQUIRE NOTICE TO CANCEL A SESSION?

Yes, Dr. Vigil requires 24 hours to avoid cancellation charges. If you do need to change your appointment, we appreciate as much notice as possible in order to notify others who may be on a waiting list.  

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AT THE FIRST APPOINTMENT?

The first session is an intake appointment to obtain your history and current concerns. Dr. Vigil will ask about past history, current concerns and areas you wish to improve. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and collaborate on your specific treatment plan. Dr. Vigil will provide initial feedback and provisional impressions at this first session. The first few sessions will involve an ongoing assessment of your needs.  By the end of the assessment, Dr. Vigil will be able to offer you more specific impressions of related to diagnosis and treatment.

HOW DOES DR. VIGIL SET UP THE FIRST SESSION FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS?                               

For patients in elementary or middle school, the first session is scheduled with parents only. The child is not present at the first intake session to allow for more efficient and transparent history gathering that may be  difficult to obtain with a  child present. For high school patients, Dr. Vigil allows parents to choose if the first session will primarily be with the teenager or if they they would like to schedule the first session with parents only.  Parents may want to schedule the first session without their teen if they 1) feel more comfortable meeting Dr. Vigil first,  2) if there are factors Dr. Vigil should know that the teenager is not privy to or likely will not share and/or 3) if the teenager is initially reluctant or avoidant of therapy.  Arrangements can be made to schedule both parents and child sessions on the same day. Dr. Vigil has a separate waiting area for minors should parents need to consult with Dr. Vigil privately.   

HOW FREQUENT ARE THERAPY SESSIONS? HOW LONG DOES TREATMENT LAST?

We will discuss this at greater length at your initial session. In general, therapy is most effective on a consistent basis. Typically, weekly or biweekly sessions are recommended for a period of three to four months. After an active phase of consistent therapy, some patients opt to end sessions and others return as needed for maintenance or booster sessions. The process of ending therapy is called termination and this can be a very valuable part of treatment.  At the conclusion of therapy, patients are typically encouraged to meet for a termination session to review their progress and treatment.

WHAT TYPE OF PATIENTS DOES DR. VIGIL TREAT?

Dr. Vigil treats children ages 8 and up, as well as adolescents and adults. She also provides gifted testing. Dr. Vigil treats a variety of concerns including depression, trauma and anxiety.  Dr. Vigil works with individuals seeking increased personal growth and life satisfaction. Additionally, she also works with individuals dealing with specific stressors or clinical disorders, such as generalized anxiety or major depressive disorder.  

FOR MINOR PATIENTS, ARE PARENTS INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILD’S TREATMENT?

Yes, Dr. Vigil believes it is important for parents to be involved in their child’s treatment, especially in cases with younger children. Although Dr. Vigil will work hard to maintain a minor’s confidentiality, she will want parents to share impressions of progress or setbacks and help children generalize skills outside of therapy. In some cases, parents may be asked to come in for separate parenting sessions without their child present, depending on the nature of the presenting problem.  

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH DR. VIGIL?

For quick scheduling questions, existing patients can email Dr. Vigil. Please do not include any clinical, confidential or sensitive information in emails. Dr. Vigil has limited time to answer clinical questions in between sessions and is not able to address clinical issues via email. Unless an urgent matter has arisen, patients or parents of minors are encouraged to share information and ask clinical questions during a scheduled appointment time.

New patients are encouraged to use the contact page on this website. Every effort will be made to return new patient inquiries promptly. However, due to the nature of Dr. Vigil’s schedule, there likely will be a delay in getting back to you.