All new clients tell me that they feel nervous about the first meeting with a counselor. I will do my very best to put you at ease by preparing you for the first session.
First step, NEW CLIENTS should REGISTER WITH
FOR ANDROID PHONES AND IPHONE/IPAD USERS. Before your first appointment/session, go to the Google Play or Apple App store and download the Jituzu application for your device.
FOR DESKTOP AND LAPTOP USERS. The best browsers for the Jituzu website are:
Google chrome
Mozilla Firefox
When you set up your account, please write down your login information somewhere safe. It will really help you login in for your first appointment if you keep track of your account information. On the Jituzu website you will complete a client face sheet during registration which will automatically notify me that you are a new client. The Jituzu service will then allow you to look at my schedule for an appointment opening. At times, my calendar is full so don’t get discouraged, look further ahead and grab a time that works for you. If your need is urgent, please email me and let me know you are having trouble finding an appointment, I can double check my calendar to see if I have any flexibility for that week.
My office hours are Tuesdays 7am to 6pm, Weds 7am to noon, and Thursday 7am to 6pm. I try to keep good work life balance by answering work related emails, phone calls and text messages during work days. If you have reached out to me, for example, on a Friday, I will get back to you on the next work day.
Second Step: Before your first session, I will need certain forms completed so I know a little about your history. Any forms with signatures and dates, you can just sign it or type in your name (which I will accept as a digital signature) take a picture of the signed page and upload it to email on Jituzu.com or my gmail account at caamsw@gmail.com. Just a reminder, I do not recommend you text or send personal information to regular email accounts as they are not secure. I recommend that you use caution to protect all of your own confidential information, for instance be sure that you close your browser after sending information, delete emails with confidential information, etc. For forms that require complete information such as the Adult and Child History form, I will need the whole form sent to me so save the form after completion and send it to me through Jituzu or email. If a child is involved age 16 and under a legal custodian must sign for the forms.If your child is 16 or over, please ask them to also sign the forms so that I know they are aware they are attending counseling. In the State of Texas, in the event of a divorce, both parents must provide consent to treatment unless the child is in a life-threatening situation.
Third step: If you are using insurance I will need a picture of your insurance card on the front and back. If you are using your company’s Employee Assistance Program, please get an approval number, the name of the company authorizing the EAP (USUALLY EAP SERVICES ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOUR REGULAR INSURANCE) and the number of sessions.
The day and time of your appointment. Telehealth Instructions – For Clients – Jituzu Knowledge Base
On the day of your appointment, login to your account.
*** If you cannot remember your login or password or you make too many attempts, don’t worry, contact me directly so I can remove your account and then reinvite you again to make a new account. In that instance, please use a completely new username and password.
Open your calendar. You will see a camera icon, click on the camera and follow the instructions to get your camera and microphone working. Go ahead and start the appointment. I will login after I close my previous appointment with another client, sometimes this takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
***Your appointment will not be seen on the calendar until I turn on the video capability, sometimes I forget to turn it on.
With electronics, anything can go wrong, especially it seems on the first session. Pick a comfortable and private place to set up your video device, make sure there is light for me to see you. When there are other people who are in the area you may not have good privacy. My clients have used places like a closet, bathroom, car, park, or backyard for privacy. I also recommend using headphones so that at least 1/2 of the conversation cannot be heard if someone accidentally walks near you.
If you have any difficulty starting your session or the video freezes during the session, try disconnecting and let it reconnect you within a few seconds. You can also text me at 972-814-0164, be sure and identify yourself. If it takes me a few minutes to respond, please be patient, I may be closing a session with a client or responding to a client in a critical crisis but I will get to you as soon as physically and technically possible.
I want to thank you in advance for being flexible if we run into any problems.
What happens at the first session: The first session usually takes a full 60 minutes sometimes a few minutes more, this is my opportunity to get some history about you and the circumstances you are facing. We can also discuss questions about payment. My appointments are $100 per hour. If using insurance, I prefer to submit billing first before collecting your deductible or co-pay. If for any reason insurance will not cover the services (this is rare but can happen for services like marriage counseling or for a diagnosis which is not covered) I will notify you as soon as possible, so I can help you with information on what to do next.
Most insurance companies are covering 45 minutes per session. My sessions usually are longer approximately 50 to 55 minutes. After our session is over, if you feel you wish to continue, you can pick the date and time for your next session.
Please email me through Jituzu.com for questions regarding personal concerns that may be confidential.