FAQ
Your Guide to Starting Therapy
With Modern Therapy Alliance (MTA) For Individuals, Couples & Families
What is Modern Therapy Alliance (MTA)?
We are a community of licensed and supervised therapists providing conversational, direct, and personalized care for professionals, parents, and couples navigating life transitions, stress, and emotional challenges.
Learn more about our values and team on our About page.
How do I start therapy with MTA?
You can begin by scheduling a free 15-minute consultation. This short call helps us understand what you’re looking for, answer your questions, and make sure we’re a good fit.
If you decide to move forward, we’ll help you complete intake paperwork, verify insurance, and schedule your first full 60-minute session.
Reach out on our Contact page to get started.
Is the consultation free, and what happens on the call?
Yes. It’s a free 15-minute phone call where you share what you’re looking for and ask questions. The therapist will call you at the agreed time using the number you provided. If you miss the call, just text or email us and we’ll reschedule.
Visit our Consultations page for more info.
How soon could I begin after the consultation?
It depends on your preferences and therapist availability, but we move quickly. Often, you can have your first consultation within 24 hours, and our intake coordinator will follow up via text to get you started with paperwork and a welcome letter.
Can I text you about appointments or billing?
Yes. You’re welcome to text us about scheduling or billing questions. If you reach out through our website, our first follow-up will usually be by text so we can coordinate efficiently.
We’re also happy to communicate by email if that’s your preference — just let us know what works best for you.
All contact options are available on our Contact page.
What should I expect in a typical session?
Sessions last about 50–60 minutes and are conversational and direct.
Our primary approach is relational, with an emphasis on Self and Narrative modalities. We focus on the relationship between therapist and client, your internal narrative, and how your sense of self shows up in your relationships and decisions.We also draw from evidence-based practices like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
Learn more about our perspective on growth and emotional accountability on the Self-Esteem and Individual Therapy pages.
I’m new to therapy. What do sessions feel like?
Sessions are conversational and focused on what’s hard for you right now. We’ll ask direct questions, offer practical ideas you can try between sessions, and track what helps so we can adjust together.
Visit our New to Therapy page for more information.
How are MTA therapists selected and vetted?
Our therapists are vetted through a very intentional screening process to make sure they’re the kind of people who are comfortable being authentic and direct — and who have strong clinical knowledge so they know what they’re talking about.
Most of our therapists already have years of experience before joining MTA. Some are pre-clinically licensed and work under supervision for insurance purposes, but all are fully licensed to provide therapy in Illinois.
You can meet our clinicians on the Team page.
What kinds of clients and issues do you work with?
We work with a wide range of adult clients, couples, and families. Common reasons people come to MTA include:
Anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm
Relationship struggles or communication breakdowns
Self-esteem, shame, and identity issues
Work and career stress, leadership challenges
Parenting and family conflict
Grief, anger, or major life transitions
ADHD and emotional regulation
Difficult divorces or post-breakup recovery
We can also coordinate with your legal counterparts when you’re navigating divorce or custody issues to support emotional and practical stability.
Explore these topics further under Individual Therapy, Couples Therapy, and Parenting.
Do you have evening or weekend availability?
Yes. We offer evening sessions on weekdays and in-person sessions on Saturdays to make scheduling easier. Telehealth appointments are also flexible depending on your therapist’s schedule.
Do you offer in-person and telehealth sessions?
Yes. We see clients in person in Chicago and by telehealth anywhere in Illinois.
Our secure telehealth system runs through SimplePractice, which is fully compliant with all legal and medical record requirements. It works easily on computers, tablets, and smartphones. We don’t provide texting-based therapy or voice-only sessions.
Can I start individually and add my partner later?
Yes. You can begin with individual therapy and add your partner when it feels helpful — or pause couples work to focus on yourself. One therapist, one plan, less disruption.
See our Couples Therapy page for more.
Is therapy confidential?
Yes. Everything you share in therapy is confidential.
We use SimplePractice to securely manage notes, scheduling, and payments.
Client data is protected through encrypted storage, security audits, and HIPAA-compliant infrastructure.
You can read more about federal privacy standards at HHS.gov HIPAA Privacy Rule.
The only exceptions to confidentiality are when required by law — such as risk of harm to self or others — which we’ll explain in full during your intake.
What insurance plans do you accept?
We currently accept:
Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
UnitedHealthcare
Cigna
Aetna
For telehealth clients, Illinois law requires we have a copy of your insurance information on file.
If you have an out-of-network plan, we can provide SuperBills through SimplePractice, which are fully compliant with all legal and billing requirements.
Details can also be found on our Insurance and Fees page.
What if my insurance denies coverage?
We verify your benefits before you start and let you know upfront if there’s any risk of something not being covered. If a claim is denied, we’ll walk you through your options and make sure you’re not caught by surprise.
For more details, see our Insurance page.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Yes. We offer a limited sliding scale for clients with financial constraints.
We recommend discussing this directly during your consultation call, where we can explore options and find a structure that works for you.
What makes MTA different?
MTA therapists are known for being authentic, collaborative, and direct. We don’t sit back and nod — we engage with you, challenge assumptions, and help you understand your emotions and behavior with compassion and accountability.
Our work is grounded in relational therapy and self-narrative insight, helping you connect emotional patterns to real-world change.
We combine clinical skill with professional and life experience, especially in helping working adults, parents, and couples find resilience and direction.
We also pride ourselves on training our pre-clinically licensed therapists in what we consider a new and better way of doing therapy.
Many clients find that even our supervised clinicians are more engaged and effective than therapists they’ve seen in the past.
You can read more about this approach on our About page.
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask for at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment, consistent with most professional services. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice may be charged the full session rate.
We require a credit card on file for all clients to manage copays, deductibles, and late cancellations, processed securely through Stripe.
We’ll always work with you to make sure you’re never surprised by your charges — transparency and trust are part of how we do business.
For insurance and billing information, visit our Insurance page.
How often will we meet and how long will therapy last?
Most clients meet weekly throughout the course of therapy.
A typical therapeutic engagement lasts about 6–8 months, or roughly 25–30 sessions.
Many clients choose to continue longer as they move through new life transitions, which is welcomed as long as the work remains clinically appropriate.
Read more about the process on our Individual Therapy page.
What if I need help with billing or scheduling?
We have dedicated staff who handle billing and scheduling questions quickly and clearly.
If you ever have a question about charges, insurance submissions, or upcoming sessions, our team will walk you through it step by step and make sure it’s resolved.
Reach our staff directly via our Contact page.
Do you prescribe medication or have psychiatrists on staff?
No. We do not prescribe medication and do not employ psychiatrists.
If you are currently taking medication or want to explore that option, we can coordinate with your prescribing provider (psychiatrist, primary care physician, or nurse practitioner) to support a consistent treatment plan.
For more information about psychiatric medication, see NIMH: Mental Health Medications.
Do you provide emergency or after-hours support?
No. MTA is not staffed for crisis or after-hours support.
If you are in danger or experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest emergency department, or contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
We can help you develop a safety plan during therapy and connect you with local crisis resources if needed.
Do you offer subscription-based services or memberships?
No. We do not offer any subscription-based therapy or automated billing models.
You pay only for the sessions and services you use.
What if I move or travel outside Illinois?
Because therapy is licensed by state law, you must maintain Illinois residency to receive therapy through MTA.
You don’t have to physically be in Illinois during sessions, as long as you declare Illinois as your legal residence and remain compliant with state requirements.
You can review Illinois telehealth regulations at Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit and debit cards through Stripe, integrated into our SimplePractice platform.
Payment is processed securely at the time of session.
More details available on our Insurance and Fees page.
Can I access my records?
You can request access to your records or treatment summary at any time, in accordance with Illinois and federal privacy laws.
What are your hours?
Telehealth appointments are flexible depending on your therapist’s schedule.
To check current availability, visit our Contact page.
How do I know if therapy is right for me?
You don’t have to be in crisis to start therapy. Many of our clients begin when they feel stuck, unmotivated, or emotionally disconnected and want to understand themselves better.
If you’re reading this page, that’s already a sign that you’re ready to start exploring.
See our Is Therapy Right for me page to learn more about how therapy can help.
Still Have Questions?
We’re happy to help. Schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation
to learn more, talk through your options, and take the first step toward meaningful change.
Visit moderntherapyalliance.com/contact or call the number listed on our website.