New MN Clients
© 2023 Richard Chandler, MA, LPC, Masters in Psychotherapy, Licensed Professional Counselor
How to Become a Client Of Richard Chandler, MA, LPC. Online therapy (not in-person) for Minnesota Residents Only
Thank you for considering working with me. Please note that I do online and telephone therapy only, throughout the entire State of Minnesota including the Twin Cities Metro, Northern MN, The Iron Range, Central, and Southwest and Southern Minnesota. All you need is a phone and internet access to do online individual, career, or couples counseling.
Please go through this page step-by-step so you are confident that it makes sense to work together before registering as a new client from the state of Minnesota. (Licensing of counseling therapists is on a state-by-state basis. Richard Chandler, MA, LPC is only licensed to counsel Minnesota residents.)
Richard Chandler, MA, LPC is Private Pay Only & Not Covered By Insurance
My practice is devoted to helping you with your life, not treating mental illness. The advantages to you are:
Therapy Focused on Improving Your Life & Relationships
- Many times mentally healthy people have complex challenges in their lives. We can focus on meeting those challenges rather than treating you for mental illness that may not even be present.
- It is more confidential because you do not receive a diagnosis that will stay on your permanent health records with your insurance company.
Pricing
The 60-minute session fee is based on combined household income before taxes:
Less than $100,000 = $135.00
$100,000 - $149,999 = $155.00
$150,000 - $199,999 = $175.00
$200,000 - $249,999 = $200.00
$250,000 or More = $250.00
New Client?
Register on the client portal; registration takes approximately 15 minutes.
Once this is complete, you can schedule an appointment through your client portal.
Couples & Relational Counseling is Not Covered by Insurance Because it Isn't a Mental Illness
Except for one or more “no-cost” sessions provided by some employers for their employees for counseling, Marriage Therapy is not covered by insurance, as it is not medical treatment of a mental health condition.
Sessions are High-Quality, HIPPA-Compliant Online Teletherapy
From March 2020, therapy has been totally online or by telephone:
- I invested in a professional camera, lighting, and sound, so your experience can be like in-person therapy.
- Unless the internet connection is poor, you will be able to see and hear me as clearly as if we are in an office together.
- It is of similar quality to my videos on this website.
- You have the convenience of not having to travel to sessions.
- If privacy is a concern, many clients do sessions from their vehicle.
Appointment Times
Unlike most counselor therapists, I do not schedule on the hour, but instead, space sessions 1.5 hours apart. You will receive a full hour of therapy. If your session lasts a little longer than one hour, I will not charge you an additional fee beyond the hourly rate.
To best accommodate clients who work during the workday, my standard Monday through Wednesday appointment times are:
- 8:30-9:30 am
- 10:00-11:00 am
- 11:30-12:30 pm
- 1:00-2:00 pm
- 4:00-5:00 pm
- 5:30-6:30 pm
If my standard times do not work in your schedule, I make exceptions to accommodate you with Thursday times of:
- 2:30-3:30 pm
- 4:00-5:00 pm
- 5:30-6:30 pm
I have non-standard times for clients who cannot schedule during the work week on Saturday morning:
- 8:30-9:30 am
- 10:00-11:00 am
- 11:30 am-12:30 pm
Become a Client Begins by Registering Through My Client Portal
My client portal practice management system enables you to fill out your intake information, schedule and reschedule appointments, have an online teletherapy session, and make payments for sessions.
The link below is the same one as you will find on the top of every website page when you click “Client Portal.” After reading these steps, go to my "Client Portal."
Once there, click the lower right-hand link called “Register.” For Couples' Counseling, each of you must register separately and each must fill out your own intake forms.
Provide your basic information and digitally sign the Confidentiality and Informed Consent Agreement.
Link to Register
Click this link: richard-chandler-ma-lpc.secure-client-area.com/portal
Registration and Intake takes Most People 20-30 Minutes to Complete
Register, then fill out all intake forms for either couples and individual therapy, or career counseling.
Before scheduling your appointment time, please text me the rate you will be paying based on your combined household income before taxes. If you are doing couples counseling and you do not live in the same household, add up both incomes and see where you fit in the fee schedule chart above.
Please put your credit card information into the system. You can find it in the Billing section of my Client Portal. It is secure. The major credit card processing company, CardConnect, has the actual data. Neither employees of my practice management system nor I have your credit card information.
Payment is due at the time of your session, but you are welcome to authorize payment at any time prior to your session.
You May Schedule Your Own Online Counseling Session
After completing your intake information, schedule your session by looking at the available time spots and selecting one that works for you.
- Please note that my client portal CounSol.com system will generate an invoice at the time that you are scheduled.
- The system automatically defaults to my full rate of $175.00 for a full-hour session.
- Please contact me by email or text and I will adjust the rate to the proper amount for you based on the sliding fee scale shown above.
Your Online Session
Have a dedicated notepad or journal to take notes and draw diagrams. For couples counseling you each need your own notepad.
Please authorize payment for your session before your session or by the end of your session. If you prefer, I can also authorize payment at the end of your session.
Please click on the link below or copy and paste it into either a Google Chrome or Firefox browser (other browsers can work, but they are less stable). Then enter your name. We can communicate with each other in chat before starting your session. https://sessions.psychologytoday.com/richard-chandler
With videoconferencing, sometimes there are technical issues to sort out before beginning. Text or call me at 320-223-9481 and we will work together to solve them. See additional online tips below.
Things to Know About Online Therapy
For couples counseling you have the choice of sharing a screen or each having your own computer or cell phone. All of us will be able to see and hear each other, even if all of us are in remote locations.
Often, it takes a minute or so to adjust volumes and positioning so we can all hear and see each other easily. If there is any technical difficulty at all, I will call you, and we problem-solve the technical issues together. Sometimes, the video is OK, but the audio is not clear enough. In that case, there is a microphone icon on the video screen for us to turn off, and we use our phones as the audio.
If the technical issues are not able to be resolved quickly, we continue the session as a telephone session. And phone sessions are just fine if you are OK with not having video.
"I would recommend talking to Richard for anyone who struggles with selecting a career choice. I was a sophomore headed into college with no idea what I might want to continue doing but one session with him made me feel confident and happy with my decision."
-Google Business Review