Questions people ask before they call.
The questions below are the ones parents most often bring to a first phone call. If yours isn't here, the answer is usually a free 15-minute consultation.
Getting started.
What's the first step?
A 15-minute consultation. You can use the contact form on this site or send a note to jmurphy@shepherds-he.art. John responds himself — there is no intake coordinator. On the call you'll say a bit about what's going on and what you're hoping changes, and he'll be direct about whether he's the right fit or whether someone else would be better.
How soon can I get in?
It depends on the week. Most consultations happen within a few business days of reaching out. The first full intake session is typically scheduled one to two weeks out, sometimes sooner. If a situation is more urgent than that timeline, John will say so at the consultation and help you figure out the right next step — including 988 or an emergency department if the safety picture calls for it.
What ages do you see?
Parents (any age), teens 13–17, young adults, and adults. John does not see children under 12 directly. For families with younger kids, the work happens with the parent and the household changes around the child. If a younger child needs their own therapist, John will help point you to one.
What does the first session involve?
The first session is the intake, and John budgets 90 minutes for it. It's a clinical assessment: the household, the timeline, what has already been tried, what's underneath it, and where the leverage is. Paperwork comes by secure email beforehand so the time is spent talking rather than filling in forms. By the end you'll have a general direction for the work. Standard sessions after that are 50 minutes.
Fees and insurance.
How much does it cost?
Initial intake (90 minutes) — clinical assessment and treatment plan — is $195. Individual treatment sessions (50 minutes) are $155. Payment is due at time of service. Card, HSA, and FSA are accepted. A Good Faith Estimate is provided at intake for anyone paying out of pocket.
Which insurance do you take?
In-network with Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Many North Carolina educators and state employees are covered through an Aetna-administered plan; we verify your specific benefits before your first session. Medicaid and Medicare are not accepted. If your carrier is out-of-network, you can pay the session fee directly and file with your plan for reimbursement under CPT codes 90791 and 90834.
Do you provide superbills?
Yes. For out-of-network clients, superbills can be provided through the practice's client portal so you can file for reimbursement with your insurer.
What's your cancellation policy?
Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, and no-shows, are billed at $100. That fee can be avoided by rebooking later in the same week.
Confidentiality.
Who sees what I say in therapy?
Your record is confidential. It is not shared with your employer, your family, your child's school, or your insurance company beyond what is required for billing (dates of service and a general CPT code). Legal exceptions apply: imminent danger to yourself or someone else, active abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult, and court orders. Those exceptions are explained at intake in specific terms.
If my teen is the client, do I get to know what they said?
Not the specifics, and that's deliberate. Teens who know their parent is going to be briefed on every session won't say anything real, and the work fails. What you will hear about is safety concerns, general themes, and anything the teen and John agree together to bring into a joint conversation. All of that is set up transparently at intake so nothing is a surprise.
Is this website a secure place to send private information?
No. The contact form on this site is a general web form, not a HIPAA-secure channel. Please don't send protected health information — a name and phone number is enough to get a consultation scheduled, and the rest can be discussed on the call.
What therapy is (and isn't).
Is this counseling or coaching?
Both are on the table. If what you need is strategy — how to run bedtime, how to hold a boundary — that's coaching. If what's driving the pattern is your own history, your marriage, a mental-health diagnosis, or trauma, that's therapy. Most families need some of each, and John is direct about which one you're in at any given point.
Do you diagnose ADHD or autism?
No. Formal diagnostic testing for ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities is a separate service, usually done by a psychologist or developmental specialist. John does not offer that. What is available is a parenting assessment — a structured look at what's driving your child's behaviour and whether formal testing would help.
Do you prescribe medication?
No. Medication decisions belong with a primary care provider or a psychiatrist. John does not prescribe and does not have a pre-set opinion for or against medication — that's between you and a physician. Where a case would benefit from medical input, he'll say so and help you coordinate.
Telehealth and location.
Are sessions in person, on video, or both?
Both. The office is at 209 S 2nd Ave, Siler City. Telehealth is available anywhere in North Carolina by secure video. Many families mix the two — in-person when it matters, video when life is full. State licensure requires you to be physically located in NC at the time of any session.
Can I see you if I'm out of state?
No. John is licensed only in North Carolina, and licensure rules require the client to be in the state of the therapist's license at the time of the session. If you're moving out of state or traveling for an extended period, we'll help you find a therapist licensed where you'll be.