Frequently Asked Questions

Research and clinical experience show that the strongest predictor of successful therapy is the therapeutic relationship. Feeling understood, respected, and aligned with your clinician matters.

This is why we offer a complimentary phone consultation and screening process. Our goal is to help match you with a clinician whose approach, personality, and experience best fit your needs. If at any point we believe another provider may be a better fit, we are happy to offer referrals.

The length of therapy depends on your goals, needs, and circumstances. Some concerns resolve more quickly, while others benefit from longer-term support.

Progress is continually assessed, and therapy remains collaborative. If you or your clinician feel progress has stalled, this will be addressed openly. It is our ethical responsibility to respect your time, finances, and energy.

It is common for partners to move at different paces. While couples therapy can be incredibly helpful, individual therapy can still support meaningful change in relational patterns.

Caring for yourself, increasing awareness, and shifting how you relate can influence the dynamic of a relationship over time. You may also choose to let your partner know you are open to their involvement if or when they feel ready.

(OMB Control Number: 0938-1401)

You are protected from balance billing when receiving emergency services or certain services at in-network hospitals or surgical centers, even if providers are out-of-network. This includes emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeons, hospitalists, and intensivists.

You are only responsible for your in-network cost-sharing amounts. Out-of-network providers may not bill you for additional charges unless you provide written consent.

If you believe you have been wrongly billed, you may contact the Tennessee Secretary of State at (615) 741-2286.

For more information, visit the CMS website for patient protections against surprise billing.

We offer a range of session fees based on clinician experience and credentials.

• 45–50 minute sessions: $39–$165
• 90-minute sessions: $65–$235

Occasionally, sessions may extend to 60 minutes at no additional charge. Sessions exceeding 60 minutes are billed at a prorated rate.

Each clinician offers a limited number of income-based sliding scale spots. Accepted forms of payment include cash, check, credit or debit card, and Health Savings Accounts. A minimum of 24 hours notice is required to cancel or reschedule appointments.

In Tennessee, clinicians must clearly identify their licensure status. After completing a Master’s degree, Marriage and Family Therapists complete a supervised clinical process before full licensure.

A clinician under supervision has graduated from an accredited program and practices under both their own temporary license and the supervision of Cadey Phipps, LMFT, AAMFT-Approved Supervisor (License #1348).

Clinical interns are current Master’s-level students completing supervised clinical hours as part of their graduate program. Interns practice under supervision from both their academic program and Cadey Phipps, LMFT.

Interns cannot legally use the title “therapist” until licensed but provide ethical, supervised care.

All clinicians at the Center for Authentic Growth hold accredited Master’s degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and follow professional ethical standards and confidentiality laws.

Licensed and pre-licensed MFTs are bound by state laws and licensing regulations. Identity Doulas, Healing Practitioners, and Coaches are not governed by the same legal frameworks, which allows them to provide certain types of gender-affirming care more flexibly, particularly for minors or clients across state or international boundaries.

All providers prioritize ethical care, consultation, and ongoing education.

In Tennessee, clinicians must clearly identify their licensure status. After completing a Master’s degree, Marriage and Family Therapists complete a supervised clinical process before full licensure.

A clinician under supervision has graduated from an accredited program and practices under both their own temporary license and the supervision of Cadey Phipps, LMFT, AAMFT-Approved Supervisor (License #1348).

Brainspotting is a body-based therapy that helps access deeper emotional processing beyond cognitive awareness. By focusing attention on specific visual points, the brain and nervous system are able to process unresolved experiences and trauma.

EMDR is an evidence-based therapy used to treat trauma and distressing experiences through bilateral stimulation. Research supports EMDR for trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, and more.

Imago is a couples therapy approach that views conflict as an opportunity for growth and healing. The Imago Dialogue helps partners build understanding, empathy, and connection while addressing relational wounds.

Expressive and art therapy uses creative processes alongside psychological theory to support healing and self-expression within a therapeutic relationship.