Dr. Dave Wiggins

Why should I consider counseling?

Many people struggle with new or long-standing psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. Others have important life changes which are difficult to handle such as a loss of a job, death of someone you love, sudden work stress, unexpected illness or relationship issues. Counseling is often helpful to deal with these and many other concerns. If it is successful, you should be better able to handle the difficulties you are facing as you achieve new skills and insights, avoid long-standing triggers, change patterns of behavior and relationships, and learn new options to address your concerns.

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What is your background and training?

I completed a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Virginia Tech in 1995 and have worked in human services for the last 46 years. I also have counseling degrees from James Madison University and the University of Virginia. In the course of my training and previous employment, I have had experience in treating a wide variety of individuals including children, adolescents and adults in individual, couples, family, and group counseling.

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What issues do you help people with?

I have a background and training in helping people deal with loss, terminal illness, death and grief, medical and disability issues; anxiety; depression; relationship and marital problems; personal growth; vocational or retirement issues; aging issues; abuse and trauma; general adjustment issues; work stress; sexuality and parenting issues.

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Where are you located?

I am located at 816 Franklin Road, Roanoke, VA 24016.

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How do I make an appointment?

Appointments may be made by calling (540) 765-5259 or by emailing me at dwiggins1@gmail.com. I do not take calls when I am in session. You may also self-schedule an appointment by utilizing the Schedule an Appointment tab on the menu bar of this website.

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What are your hours of practice?

Tuesdays – 8:00–11:00 a.m. and 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Thursdays – 8:00–11:00 a.m. and 3:00–5:00 p.m.
By appointment – I can try and set an appointment that works with your schedule. In some cases an appointment outside of regular practice hours can be scheduled by emailing Dr. Wiggins at drwiggins1@gmail.com or calling (540) 765-5292.

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What benefits can I expect from counseling?

I accept in my practice only clients whom I believe have the capacity to resolve their own problems with my assistance. The foundation of the healing process is the therapeutic relationship which is based on trust, respect, honesty, confidentiality and effort. As people learn more about their strengths and weaknesses, they usually become more accepting of themselves and others and feel more empowered to accomplish their goals. As the client, you are responsible for setting the goals you want to accomplish and can terminate counseling at any time. My responsibility is to help you accomplish these goals in the shortest time possible.

Benefits available from counseling include:

·       Feeling better about yourself and others

·       Being better able to face life's challenges in the future without my support or intervention

·       Resolving concerns

·       Understanding yourself and your relationships better

·       Learning new ways to cope with stress

·       Improving communication

·       Learning new ways of behavior

·       Learning new ways of looking at issues

·       Learning new skills to address your concerns

·       Being less judgmental of yourself and others

·       Being more aware of your own and others' emotions, beliefs and behaviors

·       Learning to let go of past guilt and anxiety regarding the future

·       Improving your relationships

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What are the risks associated with counseling?

Psychotherapy can be very helpful for some individuals but it is not without some risks. These risks may include the experience of intense and unwanted feelings, such as sadness, anger, fear, guilt or anxiety. It is important to remember that these feelings may be natural and normal and are an important part of the therapy process. Other risks might include: recalling unpleasant life events, facing unpleasant thoughts and beliefs or possible alteration of an individual's relationships. I will make every effort to minimize potential risks and hazards which are not helpful to the therapeutic process. Often in therapy, major life decisions are made, including decisions involving families or friends, changes in relationships, or changes in your jobs or careers. These decisions are a legitimate outcome of therapy as a result of an individual calling into question some of their beliefs and values, recognizing their strengths, increasing their self-acceptance, alleviating symptoms and problems or learning more helpful coping skills.

 

What treatment techniques do you use?

I use research-based “best practices therapy methods” including, but not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Strategic or System based approaches, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, assessments, and bibliotherapy. These methods sometimes utilize psycho-education methods with homework assignments.

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How much does counseling cost?

I make every effort to keep down the cost of your medical care. Therefore I require that you pay for your treatment at the time of your visit. The cost of therapy is $135.00 for the initial session and $125.00 for each following session. Payment may be made by cash, check, credit/debit card, Zelle, or Venmo.

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Do you take insurance?

I do not currently take insurance. Throughout the course of my career I have found that insurances are paying less and less for my clients and myself. Many clients have chosen to pay for their counseling. Payment is expected at the end of every session. If at any time during your treatment you are having financial difficulties and pay for counseling, you may contact me to set up financial arrangements. In the event that you wish to seek reimbursement through your insurance company you will be given an itemized statement after each session which provides diagnostic codes, procedural codes, fees and my signature. This statement along with a claim form from your insurance company should be all that you need to file a claim. All reimbursement from your insurance company is your responsibility and should be paid directly to you. You should contact your insurance company to ask if pre-authorization is required for outpatient mental health services.

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Is counseling confidential?

All counseling is strictly confidential with the exceptions which are required by law listed below.

Under certain circumstances certain information may or must be revealed or released to others. The following are examples of exceptions that may apply:

·       If I am subpoenaed and ordered to testify in a court of law and my objections are overruled. This happens in very few instances and typically occurs in legal proceedings involving child custody, law suits in which services you received are considered to be evidence in a court of law, or charges involving certain types of criminal behavior.

·       If you request that I communicate with someone, you will normally be asked to sign a “Release of Information” and to specify what can be communicated and for how long the release will remain in effect.

·       If I believe that abuse or harm has been done to a child or to an elderly person. This would involve situations where I find it is necessary to report this information to proper authorities.

·       If I believe that you are dangerous to yourself, or another person, and it is necessary to take steps to protect you or the safety of others. I can only release that information that is necessary to protect or insure your health and safety or the health and safety of others.

·       If during a medical emergency I need to reveal information that is necessary to protect or insure your health and safety. I can only release that information necessary to protect or insure your health and safety.

·       If you are a minor, or a minor that is not emancipated, I may be required to advise or involve your parents or guardian in your treatment. There are circumstances in which I am not required to notify the parents of a minor.

·       If I must take action to collect a debt incurred for services, your name and the amount of your debt may be revealed to a collection agent.

If you have any questions, concerns, or confusion regarding your rights to confidentiality, or any potential exception, please discuss this with me.

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How do I leave a message for you?

As we work together, you will notice that I do not accept phone calls while with you. During those times and at other times during the day or evening, my calls are answered electronically or by a secretary. I can be reached by phone at (540) 765-5259 or by email at dwiggins1@gmail.com. Messages are checked frequently during the day, and I will attempt to call you back as soon as possible. Usually, I can get back with you within 24 hours. If you need to speak with me directly during regular office hours, please leave your name and phone number on my voice mail. On evenings, weekends, and holidays, the messages will be received and acted upon during the next working day.

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What if someone is in crisis and you are not available?

My office is not set up to routinely provide crisis intervention services. In case of an emergency and/or my office is closed, you should go to your local Emergency Room or call your local crisis intervention line.

In the Roanoke, Virginia area, you can: Call 911, CONNECT at (540) 981-8181 or (800) 284-8898, RESPOND at (800) 541-9992, or Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Emergency Services at (540) 981-9351.