FAQ

Parking is available on the front, side, and back of the building. There also is a parking garage in the back (west) of the building that is free and open during business hours.

Yes. There is a handicap entrance in the back (west) of the building with access to elevators.

Office hours vary based on need and availability. Please contact me with your desired schedule, and we can discuss your options.

Initial sessions are 15-20 minutes over the phone or through Zoom. The purpose of this session is to gather information and determine if we are a good fit for your needs.

Psychotherapy sessions are typically 50 minutes. If a session needs to run over for some reason, I bill clients in 15-minute increments.

Contact me to get started.

You can reach me through any of the following: Phone (call or text): (303) 731-2890; Email dbailey@abstractcounseling.com; Social Media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) by searching Abstract Counseling; or PsychologyToday.com and GoodTherapy.com by searching Darby Bailey.

Rates vary depending on the service needed. Please contact me for a quote.

I manage billing through Simple Practice, which will provide you with your login to manage your billing. I also accept cash.

I am considered an ‘out of network’ provider. Therefore, I do not accept insurance directly, but I can provide you with a ‘superbill’ that you can submit to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement.

I have a 24-hour cancellation policy. You can contact me outside of the 24-hour window and cancel or reschedule at no charge. If you cancel, reschedule, or do not show for a scheduled appointment within the 24-hour window, I will charge for the full fee.

The initial session is a 15–20-minute phone call or Zoom meeting to gather some information about you and your needs. This session also provides you an opportunity to interview me and ask me any questions as well. Then, we determine if we are a good fit to work together and discuss the next steps moving forward.

If you are here reading this, my ideal client is you!

Come ready to work, and I will match you every step of the way.

I work with people ages 12-120.

I work with all types and varieties of unique individuals, couples, and adolescents. That includes all ranges of gender identities.

Yes! I specialize in the unique dynamics of all humans.

Yes! I value diversity as one of the fundamental components of therapy. We must celebrate our differences through empathy and reality.

The first session is often the hardest to get through the door. You may feel nervous and anxious. But once you get through the door, the first session is also often the easiest. This session is all about getting to know each other and starting to paint the picture of your life story.

My clients would likely say that therapy with me is ‘outside of the box.’ We will often venture outside of a traditional approach, and it certainly is not like what you see in the movies! Overcoming your unique struggles requires unique solutions.

That depends on many things. We tailor solutions to your needs and timeline to find those uniquely yours. Therapy is not a race or a competition but rather a quest for personal best.

We will set a clear path with goals and open communication about where we are going. The rest is dependent upon your desire and commitment to go down that path.

You may cry, and I may cry. We may even cry together along the way. Someone once told me that crying is pain leaving the body in saltwater form. I keep a full stock of tissue to wipe up the pain, so you no longer need to carry it inside.

Clients often ask me this. And the short answer is no.

I like to point out that the power of information is entirely yours. If I could read minds, I would charge a lot more for my services! You determine what you want to share and when.

There are a few benefits of sharing information with me.

1. We have legal confidentiality, which means that within the limits of safety, I cannot share your information with others.
2.  The more information I have, the more I can understand and support you. If I know you are allergic to peanuts, I will not suggest peanut butter when you feel sad.
3. There is no judgment. I do not believe ‘normal’ is a thing.

Therapy has a ripple effect, like when you throw a stone into a calm lake. The stone makes a splash, just like therapy will make a splash in your life. But the interesting thing is that the splash causes ripples to flow out across the entire lake.

The work you do in therapy can cause ripple effects that flow across your family, friends, coworkers, and even people you come across for a few minutes.

I believe that we all have the tools within us that we need to thrive. Access to those tools can become blocked by trauma, life experiences, learned behaviors, and more. My role is to help you discover and remove those blocks to have access to the tools you need to maintain a healthy and happy life.

And a good dose of humor is one of the greatest medicines available!

Naturally, personalities do not always fit well together. That is not a reflection on you or me but rather mere practicality. If we are not the best possible fit for you to find the healing you need, I will refer you to other professionals who can.

A therapist can walk alongside you and provide support on your path. I provide professional insight and guidance to help get you to where you want to be.

A therapist cannot be the expert on your life experiences or magically fix the problems. Only you have the power to do that.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a process designed to help you heal from the emotional and psychological distress from traumatic or disturbing life experiences. EMDR works similarly to healing from a physical cut. Your body works to seal and heal the wound as fast as it can.

But if you keep reopening the wound, it takes longer to heal. EMDR works to treat your mental injuries allowing those wounds to heal and not keep reopening.

A benefit of EMDR is that it often produces results in less time than other approaches.

Risks – There are financial and emotional risks involved in therapy. You pay money for gains that are not immediately tangible, and you are trusting a stranger with your deepest secrets.

Benefits – You can cultivate a life of peace that you desire. Everyone deserves to be happy and have a fulfilled life. Your financial investment is worth the price to have the life you want.

I may be a stranger initially, but I am also a trained professional in secret management. I will quickly move from stranger to your safe place to drop off your emotional baggage.

Yes. I want to accommodate your preference and provide therapy that fits your life. Therefore, if you prefer the flexibility of therapy from home (or wherever your phone takes you), I have those options available.

Currently, my groups include suicide prevention, couples intensives, and LGBTQ+. I work with other therapists and professionals to provide unique group dynamics based on need. Groups also have taken on a whole new look post-COVID.

Contact me for more information.

Trying to help yourself probably is not working anymore, or you would not be here. I have been there. I found that having help was the last thing I wanted to do but the best decision I ever made. Even if we are not a perfect fit, I recommend finding support from the right therapist.

In the meantime, you want to try and find any healthy relief from the weight you are carrying.

Find things that make you happy and do them, even it is five minutes of relief while you are taking a shower. Do those things as often as possible!

Be honest with yourself about what you are looking for and ask questions.

Research has shown that the most effective thing in a person’s healing is the relationship with the therapist. That is why I offer a free initial session. This session allows us to decide if our working relationship will be a good fit. If it is not, I will give you information to point you in the right direction.

There are a couple of reasons for not seeking help from friends and family, but the biggest one is that your friends and family are blinded by love for you. Even as a therapist, I am not qualified to help my friends or family, and there are restrictions in place to prevent therapists from doing so.

When we love people and are intertwined in their lives, it is hard for us to be objective and not have a personal investment in their failure or success.

As your therapist, I have a level of separation that allows me to have a fresh perspective. When you add the education and several years of experience, I also have some effective tools proven to work.

Yes. Legally and ethically, all information you share with me is confidential. We will discuss this in our initial session as well.

I have been in private practice for the last 5 years but have been in the mental health field for the last 15 years in various settings.

I am Empathetic, Creative, Compassionate, and Honest.

I never have a boring day. I love the unique components of people, and I learn something from every person I meet.

Yes. There is no way I could take on the weight of other people’s struggles if I had not dealt with my issues first.

I regularly schedule sessions with my therapist to get a ‘tune-up’ and address any struggles that have come up. Seeking personal therapy allows me the space to walk through your pain with you and not get lost in it all.

I have a clinical background with an MS in Clinical Psychology. I am pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology with an emphasis on suicide prevention and trauma.

No. You would need to see a medical doctor or a psychiatrist for that. They will recommend that you see someone like me along with the medication for the best care.