Dana Steiner, MA, LCPC

After you accept my offer of services, I will contact you by phone to arrange a day and time.  We will confirm the type of counseling you desire (in-person, coming to you or vice versa, virtual or telephonic).  If not using insurance, sessions are one full hour.  Depending upon your insurance, sessions are 50 or 60 minutes.  You may purchase additional time and pay out of pocket.  During our first and second session I will ask some basic questions regarding your current life situation (home and work life) as well as what brought you to take action and begin therapy.  We will discuss your expectations and any specific goals you have.  If you are unsure, I will help you formulate initial goals.  Often as we work together, these may be updated or more added.  Everything is confidential except in the following situations:  I believe you're a danger to yourself or others, I believe there is child or elder abuse, I believe you are abusing opioids, or you own a firearm and the information I have leads me to believe you are not stable to own one.  The law requires me to break confidentiality in these situations however, I will discuss this with you before a report is made to ensure I have not mis-interpreted what I've been told.

I obtained my Master's degree in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in 1991. I attended Washington University in St. Louis where I obtained my Bachelor's degree in psychology in 1989.  In 1996 I obtained my designation as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor which allows me to practice independently.  I've completed training to supervise other therapists and am a Certified Gottman Trained therapist.  Gottman has developed the only scientifically proven methods in couple's counseling. Other advanced training has been in women and weight loss, LGBTQ issues, grief and loss, chronic/terminal illness and mindfulness techniques which can be modified to be significantly effective with all issues.  I have taught psychology and the undergraduate level and provided mental health education and services to Navy personnel at all ranks.  Additonally, I have established three successful businesses; a group private practice, consultation on worker's compensation cases and a solo private practice which is where I currently work.  Attorneys for insurers and individuals have employed me as an expert witness for worker's compensation cases and I've assisted individuals in making major life and career changes mid-life.

My rates reflect the superior quality of my services, extensive experience and my ability to address crisis situations or other concerns that come up between sessions.  The rate includes up to 2 emails per week (assuming these take no more than 20 minutes to address).  If I travel to you, I charge an additional $80/hour, broken down by the quarter hour, costs associated with in-person sessions (rent if you travel to me). Virtual sessions are less but take into account my cost for HIPPA compliant software.  My one hour rate is $160 which is available if I am out of network with your insurance or you are not using insurance.  If using insurance, I accept BCBS and Cigna. Cigna pays for 45 minute sessions only.  You may pay an additional $40 for an hour session (or more, again broken down by the quarter hour should you want a longer session). You may use your out of network benefits if you have other insurance.  Reduced rates are available with financial documentation (pay stub and latest tax return).

At the age of 14 my father passed away from cancer.  My mother experienced a deep depression and I was left to fend for myself.  No services existed to assist us during his illness nor to manage our individual and familial reactions when he died.  This had a profound impact on me and I decided I would see to it that no child nor parent ever went through this without professional support.  My high school yearbook states that my professional goal was psychologist.  I began taking psychology classes in high school and the rest is history.

I've worked exclusively with adults (ages 18 through 96).  My clients have been civilians and members of the military (including their spouses).  I've worked with people of all socioeconomic levels and educational backgrounds including other therapists.  I provide supervision to therapists as well.  My areas of expertise are relationship/marital counseling (including pre-marital and those going through divorce as well as those already divorced, adults facing major life transitions such as a new career, empty nesters, family crisis, women who have issues with their weight, chronic and terminal illness, grief and loss, and anxiety and depression.  My clients want results and seek out those who are outstanding in their field.  They understand the value of therapy and expect to get what they pay for (which they do).

I often receive referrals from clients which is a very high compliment.  Many clients return to see me when facing a new life event or challenge; others come in for what they refer to as a "tune-up".  Recently a client I first saw 15 years ago to deal with his divorce came back to discuss issues in his new marriage.  Several years later I received a card from him with photos of his new baby.  It said "this life would never have been created without your help".  I called him and said he gave me too much credit but he insisted I was an integral part of his new, healthy marriage which includes this baby.  It brought tears of joy to my eyes to know my work with him had been so powerful.

Do your homework.  After reading a profile, visit Psychology Today which in my opinion is the best site to judge a therapist's qualifications and fit for you.  It has the same information for all therapists which "evens the playing field".  Unlike a website that reflects more about the investment than the therapist, Psychology Today has every therapist complete the same forms for the same price.  That way you are comparing apples to apples.

Imagine yourself working with a therapist.  What would you want to feel and know before you got there?  While working with the therapist?  Get the therapist's license number and look them up (in Illinois) on line at idfpr.com.  Make sure their license is in good standing and they have never been reprimanded.  This is an excellent beginning.