Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t want to do expressive arts therapy or I’m confused about what expressive arts therapy is really like. How do I know if this type of therapy is for me?
I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation for you to ask any questions and to make sure we are a good fit before you make an appointment. I do not offer traditional talk therapy. In therapy, one size does not fit all, and the quality of the therapeutic relationship is integral to positive results. I will offer referrals to other providers if I cannot meet your needs, or if you are not interested in an experiential approach.
I am not creative and have no artistic talents- Can expressive arts therapy help me?
Yes! Expressive arts therapy is not about creating “fine art.” The therapeutic value lies in the process of creating, not in any final product. I create a safe space for you to express and create without any judgement. Using the arts allow clients to process difficult emotions and events, reaching the unconscious part of human experience.
What are the rates of your services?
A 50 minute session is $120. A 60 minute session is $130. A 90 minute session is $180. You can pay by credit card or HSA.
I do accept the following insurances at this time:
Aetna
UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare
Shared Services (UHSS),
GEHA
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services (UHSS)
UnitedHealthcare Global,
UnitedHealthCare Exchange Plans (ONEX)
Oscar
Harvard Pilgrim
Oxford
UHC Student Resources
UMR
All Savers (UHC)
Health Plans Inc
Surest (Formerly Bind)
If you are out of network, I will provide you with a Superbill, which is a document you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
What if I cannot make it to a session. What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellations made within 24 hours of the session will incur a $120 fee, charged on the day of the session. This fee is not covered by insurance. The client is expected to attend each scheduled session on time. A cancelled or delayed appointment delays our work and can negatively impact other clients. Since your appointments involve the reservation of time specifically for you, and out of respect for your therapist and our other clients, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required for rescheduling or canceling an appointment.
We appreciate more than 24-hour notice when possible, as we can then make that time available to other clients. Therefore, if you should know before the required 24-hour notice that you will not be able to attend our session, PLEASE, PLEASE call, text or email the office, so that we have time to fill your slot and can put another client in your space that may need it. The more time, the better for the therapist and other clients who are in need.
Therapy sessions are scheduled in advance and are a time reserved exclusively for our clients. When a session is cancelled without adequate notice, we are unable to fill this time slot by offering it to another current client, a client on the wait list, or a client with a clinical emergency.
What is Expressive Arts Therapy? Is it the same as Art Therapy?
Expressive arts therapy is the intentional use of visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing and other creative processes for healing. It is a separate discipline from art therapy or music therapy, formalized in the 1970s at Lesley University as an “arts based way of knowing.”
A Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) is someone who combines multiple forms of the arts (drama, movement, visual art, music, writing, etc) with counseling, psychotherapy or other forms of mental health professions to address behavioral and mental health issues or stressors with individuals or groups.
REAT status in an international credential that requires
-a Masters degree in Social Work, Counseling, Education, Art or Expressive Arts in combination with additional training in creative arts, expressive arts, drama therapy, visual arts, music, dance, ethics, research and
-Completion of training from an Expressive Arts Therapy institute
-1250 hours of clinical internship
-75 hours individual clinical supervision by an expressive arts therapist
-approval by the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association through a rigorous application process.
What is your background?
Julia Vering, MSW, LSCSW, LCSW, REAT earned a BA in liberal arts with emphasis in social work, art and electronic music from The Evergreen State College in 2003 and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Kansas in 2008. She has experience working in mental health, healthcare and community based art programs. Julia has 16 years of experience as a social worker, with the last 10 years spent in hospice providing counseling, resources and grief support to children, individuals and families. She has used the arts to empower older adults in creative ways for 20 + years. She is a performance artist and musician who has received grants from The Charlotte Street Foundation and Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts for her community based performance work.
Julia completed training at the Center for Creative Arts Therapy in Downer’s Grove, IL and became the first REAT (Registered Expressive Arts Therapist) in Kansas in 2023. She is also trained in EMDR and integrates both modalities.
In addition to seeing clients in private practice, Julia provides REAT supervision, facilitates expressive arts groups for nursing facility residents, teaches expressive arts workshops, and is currently creating a workbook and film about expressive arts interventions for older adults and people with neurocognitive disorders. Julia also serves as the Kansas IEATA coordinator.
How are you complying with the “No Surprises Act”?
The “No Surprises Act” in intended to prevent consumers from getting surprised by bills for healthcare services. All of my clients are provided with a “good faith estimate” based on CMS-10791 template for my services at their first appointment and periodically after that. You may find out more about the law and preview the template here.
What states are you licensed in?
Kansas LSCSW
Missouri LCSW
Florida TLHT (Registered Out of State Telehealth Provider)