Your Questions,
Answered.

Not at all. Most people don’t. You just need to know that something in your life feels like it needs to change — we’ll figure out the rest together. During your consultation we’ll talk about what you’re experiencing and what you’re hoping for, and we’ll match you with the right approach from there.

During your free consultation we discuss your specific concerns, goals, and any preferences you have — including therapist identity if that matters to you. We then match you with the therapist on our team whose specialization, approach, and availability is the best fit. We take this seriously because the therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of successful outcomes.

That’s a completely valid reason to make a change and we support it without judgment. The therapeutic relationship matters enormously — if it doesn’t feel right, say so. We’ll work to match you with another therapist on our team or, if needed, provide a referral to someone outside our practice who may be a better fit.

All sessions are delivered via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth video. Our offices in Ruffsdale and Pittsburgh are registered business locations but all therapy takes place online — so you can attend from anywhere in Pennsylvania. This makes care more flexible, more private, and more accessible for most clients.

We use SimplePractice — a HIPAA-compliant platform built specifically for mental health care. Sessions are encrypted and fully private. You’ll receive a secure link before each session. No app downloads are required — you can join directly through your browser on any device with a camera and microphone.

Initial intake sessions are approximately 60 minutes. Regular individual, couples, and family sessions are 50 minutes. Free consultations are 15 minutes.

Most clients begin with weekly sessions — this frequency produces the fastest progress and helps build the therapeutic relationship. As you stabilize, sessions typically move to biweekly. Some clients continue monthly sessions for ongoing support. Your therapist will discuss the recommended frequency based on your specific situation and goals.

Yes. The American Psychological Association and multiple peer-reviewed studies confirm telehealth therapy produces outcomes equivalent to in-person treatment for most mental health concerns — including anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, OCD, couples issues, and more. For many clients, telehealth is actually preferable: more private, easier to maintain consistently, and accessible from a familiar environment.

We are in-network with Highmark BlueCross BlueShield, UPMC Health Plan, Aetna, United Healthcare/Optum, and Cigna/Evernorth. We do not accept Medicaid or Medicare. If your plan isn’t listed, contact us and we’ll verify whether we can work with your specific plan.

Our standard session rates are $175 for the initial intake session and $150 for all regular sessions (individual, couples, or family). If you have insurance, your actual cost will depend on your specific plan, deductible, and copay. We’ll verify your benefits before your first appointment so you know exactly what to expect.

Yes. We offer sliding scale fees for self-pay clients who demonstrate financial need. Please reach out directly to inquire — these conversations are completely confidential and non-judgmental.

Yes. Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts can be used for mental health counseling sessions. We accept HSA and FSA cards as a payment method.

Yes. VCAP (Victims Compensation Assistance Program) funding may be available if you are a victim of crime in Pennsylvania. This can cover counseling costs for qualifying individuals. Contact us for more information about whether you may qualify.

The first session is an intake — a longer session (60 minutes) where your therapist will gather a thorough understanding of your history, current concerns, and goals. You’ll have space to share what you feel comfortable with. The pace is always yours to set. By the end of the session you’ll have a sense of what to expect from treatment and your therapist will begin forming a plan tailored to your specific needs.

No. You never have to share anything before you’re ready, and at Darin King Counseling we prioritize safety and stabilization before any trauma processing work. We build your coping toolkit first. If at any point something feels too overwhelming, we back off and focus on other areas of healing until you’re ready. There’s no pressure and no predetermined timeline.

This depends entirely on what you’re working through and your goals. For focused concerns like a specific phobia or a clear-cut anxiety presentation, significant improvement may come in 12-20 sessions. For complex trauma, relationship patterns, or developmental concerns, therapy tends to be longer. Your therapist will give you a realistic timeline after your initial assessment.

Yes — with a small number of legally required exceptions. Therapists are legally required to break confidentiality if there is imminent risk of harm to yourself or others, suspected child abuse or neglect, or a court order. Outside of these specific circumstances, everything you share in sessions is completely confidential. Your therapist will explain the limits of confidentiality in detail at your first session.

Yes. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is available via telehealth and is one of our clinical specialties. It’s effective for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and a range of other concerns. Research confirms telehealth EMDR is equally effective as in-person delivery. Learn more about EMDR →

Yes. We offer EFT and Gottman-informed couples counseling for all relationship configurations — married, dating, cohabiting, same-sex, queer, and gender-diverse couples. Both partners attend via secure telehealth, from the same location or separately. Learn more about couples counseling →

Yes. All therapists on our team provide LGBTQ+-affirming care as standard practice — not as a specialty add-on. Your identity is fully welcomed, correct pronouns are used consistently, and therapy focuses on whatever you bring rather than treating your identity as the issue. Learn more about our LGBTQ+ affirming services →

Yes. Darin King offers clinical supervision for LPC licensure candidates in Pennsylvania. Learn more about counselor supervision →