Questions and Answers

The one you can be honest with. That matters more than any list of letters after a name. Call us, ask whatever you want to ask, and see how the conversation feels. If it does not feel like the right fit, let us know. We are happy to help and support you in any way we can.

We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Care Network, Blue Cross Complete, Priority Health, McLaren and HAP, and we also take commercial insurance, Marketplace plans, cash, check, credit card and health savings plans. Two people with the same insurer can have different coverage, so call the number on the back of your card and ask what your outpatient mental health benefit is. Then tell us what they said and we will help you make sense of it. If you are on Medicaid, we take Blue Cross Complete, and the insurance page covers the rest.

We administer an intake and assessment at the first session, and most of it is getting to know each other. We gather your history, your strengths and what you are struggling with, and you tell us what brought you in and what you would like to be different.

It depends on what you are working on, and there is no set number. Some people come for six to twelve sessions and feel finished. Others keep going for longer. You and Ann Marie decide together how long is right for you, and you can ask how things are going at any time.

With insurance, it depends on your plan: a copay, a deductible, or nothing at all. If you are paying for yourself, call us and ask. We will be happy to give you a straight number, and a written Good Faith Estimate if you would like one.

Thirty or sixty minutes. The first appointment runs about 90 minutes, because most of it is Ann Marie getting to know you. The appointments page sets out the kinds of appointment and what to bring to the first one.

We warmly welcome children from age three, teenagers, adults and older adults, on their own, as couples and as families, and since 2012 we have worked with more than 10,000 people.

Usually not. Some plans do want one for outpatient mental health, so ask yours, and ask about prior authorization while you have them on the phone. Then tell us what they said and we will take it from there.

Almost all of it. Michigan law requires licensed counselors to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult, and there are narrow legal exceptions where someone is at serious risk of harm. If you want to know exactly how that works before you book, call us and ask. It is a fair question, and we will give you a straight answer.

The office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and messages are not monitored outside those hours. Call or text 988 any time, or call Wellvance at 1-844-865-5569. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

We are at 4093 M-65 in Hale, in Iosco County, with a covered entrance and parking behind the building. By road, Tawas City is about 32 minutes away, West Branch about 40 and Oscoda about 45. If you are further out, call us anyway and we will talk through what works.

Yes, and you are welcome to. Plenty of people bring a partner, a parent or a friend to the first appointment. Who comes into the room, and what you talk about there, is up to you.

Then Ann Marie will say so, and she will not leave you without a next step. If part of what you need is testing, medical care or something she does not offer, she will tell you early and help you find the right person for it. Ann Marie is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She does not prescribe medication. Some people do better with medication alongside counseling. If that looks likely, she will help you talk to your doctor and, with your written permission, work alongside them.

Call us at (989) 728-2364 during office hours, or leave your name and number on the request a call form and we will be more than happy to call you back. You do not need to explain everything up front, and you do not need to have anything worked out. The appointments page covers how appointments work and what to bring.