Frequently Asked Questions

Shane started what has now become Forward Path Counseling (formerly Centre Marriage and Relational Therapy) over 10 years ago with a simple mission of doing things differently. Our philosophy is, if we excel at caring for our staff, they will be empowered to offer excellent services to you. Through that commitment to the wellbeing of both providers and clients, you can be assured that you are getting the best and most attentive services from your therapist. This also means that we hold thoughtful boundaries around our policy and procedures, all intentionally designed with mutual respect for staff and clients alike. We are hopeful to have the privilege of walking this next part of your journey together as you find your path forward. 

Our office is located at:

253 Easterly Parkway, Suite 205
State College PA 16801

Our entrance is located in the second building, around back near the townhouses. Client's can park anywhere in front of the building. 

Appointments are usually scheduled between 8:00am-5:30pm (occasional limited telehealth available later) Monday through Friday and are roughly 55 minutes long, depending on the provider. All sessions on Mondays and Fridays are telehealth.

Appointments can be made by:
filling out the form on our waiting list (this will be the quickest method)

calling our office at (814)-531-5659  (you'll likely leave a message to be returned)
or by requesting more info via our Contact Us page.  

Our intake coordinator, Emily, will send you a brief and secure digital questionnaire. This helps us place you with the appropriate provider. Once we have identified a provider who can work with you, Emily will set you up with our Client Portal through which you will fill out some history forms, securely provide us with payment methods, and read & electronically sign your client consent to treatment. Our billing manager, Mary, will also confirm your insurance coverage and communicate with you as needed regarding your payment for services.

This process ensures you are placed with the therapist best suited for your needs and that we have all the necessary information for you to begin therapy at your first appointment, without delay. 

The first session is a chance for the client and therapist to get to know each other. You will have filled out the paperwork ahead of time, so that you have the full session with your therapist. They will ask some questions to get to know you and give you an opportunity to share some of your story. It is also a chance for you to get to know them, and you are welcome to ask any questions you would like. They will also begin to gather a history of the presenting concern as well as some relational history. By the end of the first session you and your therapist will begin to set clear goals for treatment and begin to lay out a plan for working together.  

Licensed Therapist – $150*
Masters Level Therapist – $90
Intern Therapist – Sliding Fee Scale based on household income

*If paying out of pocket at time of service, the discounted rate is $112.50

Our practice has licensed therapists that can accept the following insurances: Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Geisinger, Capital Blue Cross, Aetna, Tricare, Optum, Student Resources. 

If you are seeing our Masters Level therapists, there are a few factors to consider. We may be able to bill some insurances (Highmark, Aetna, Geisinger) If we can't bill your insurance, you may have the option to submit for reimbursement for an out-of-network provider. We would encourage you to contact your insurance provider to inquire about out of network benefits.

We accept cash, check and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) for your agreed upon session fee. We require a credit card on file in order to schedule your next appointment. This ensures the timely and proper payment of session fees and late fees. You do not have to use the card on file to pay for sessions if you’d prefer to arrange an alternative payment method with our billing manager.   

At the time of scheduling your next session, you are committing to paying for that session. If you are late, cancel, or don’t show up for your appointment, you will be billed according to the agreed upon schedule. The therapist has complete discretion on waiving that fee for sickness or other events. If you have a recurring appointment, then your next scheduled appointment will be considered your commitment to pay. Any appointments beyond that can be rescheduled without penalty. In the event that either the therapist or client needs to switch a session from in person to telehealth, this is not considered to be a change to the session, unless another factor would prohibit such a change (such as being across state lines).

Due to the way billing works with insurance companies, if you are late, we can't bill for the full session, which means we are paid less by insurance. Therefore that difference becomes your responsibility following the schedule below: 

If you are more than 10 minutes late - 25% of session fee

more than 15 minutes late - 50% of session fee

more than 30 minutes late - 100% of session fee