Couples Therapy
Gottman-informed work to help you and your partner communicate better, address conflict productively, and rebuild closeness.
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Getting Started
The hardest part is deciding to start.
Everything after that, I can make simple. Here is exactly what happens from the moment you decide to reach out, so nothing about the process has to feel like a mystery.
A Welcome From Justin
I am really glad you are here.
If you are reading this page, something in your life is asking for attention. Maybe it has been building for years, or maybe it arrived last week and knocked the wind out of you. Either way, reaching out takes courage, and I do not take it lightly that you are considering doing that here.
My name is Justin Puch. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, and I have spent my career sitting with people in the middle of hard seasons: couples who have stopped understanding each other, teens who feel like no one is listening, adults carrying more than they can name out loud. What I have learned is that people are far more capable of change than they believe when they first walk in.
You will not find a blank stare and a notepad here. I am warm, I am direct, and I will tell you honestly what I think. Therapy works best when it feels like a real relationship with someone who is genuinely in your corner, and that is what I aim to give you.
Whenever you are ready, the first step is below. And if you are not sure yet, that is okay too. A free 15-minute consultation, scheduled through the client portal and held by video or by phone if you prefer, costs you nothing but a few minutes of your day.
Justin Puch, LPC
Founder, Summit Ridge Counseling
The Process
Four steps to your first session.
Most new clients are seen within one to two weeks of reaching out.
Step 1
Create your portal account
Head to the secure client portal and set up your account. It takes about two minutes and gives you a private, HIPAA-compliant home base for scheduling, forms, messages, and billing.
Open the client portal →
Step 2
Book a consult or first session
Both are scheduled right inside the client portal, where you see real availability. Choose whichever fits you: a free 15-minute consultation, held as a secure video meeting through the SimplePractice portal, or go straight to booking your first full session. Would rather talk by phone? Book the consultation and text me, and I will call instead.
See available times →
Step 3
Complete paperwork before we meet
Intake forms, consents, and insurance details arrive in your portal after you book. Filling them out ahead of time means your first session is spent talking with me, not filling in boxes. Plan on about 15 minutes.
Step 4
Begin treatment
Your first session is a conversation, not an interrogation. We talk about what brought you in, what you are hoping changes, and what has already been tried. By the end, you will leave with a shared sense of direction and a plan for what comes next.
About the free 15-minute consultation. It is scheduled through the client portal, just like a regular appointment, and it takes place as a secure telehealth video meeting inside the SimplePractice portal. No separate app or account is needed: when it is time, you log in to the portal and click to join. Prefer a phone call instead? Book the same slot, then text me at (816) 400-0037 or reply to your confirmation, and I will call you at your appointment time instead. Either way, it is a relaxed conversation. You tell me what is going on, ask whatever you want about how I work, and we decide together whether it makes sense to move forward. There is no cost and no obligation to book a session afterward.
Insurance & Payment
In-network with most major plans.
When I am in-network with your plan, you are responsible only for your copay, coinsurance, or remaining deductible. I file the claim for you.
Questions worth asking your plan
A five-minute call to the member services number on your card removes almost every billing surprise. Ask:
- Do I have outpatient mental health benefits?
- Is Justin Puch, LPC in-network with my specific plan?
- What is my copay or coinsurance per session?
- Do I have a deductible, and how much of it is met?
- Is telehealth covered the same as in-person?
- Do I need a referral or prior authorization?
If I am not in-network with your plan
You still have options, and I will help you understand them.
- Out-of-network benefits. Many plans reimburse a portion of what you pay. I provide a superbill you can submit.
- Self-pay. Straightforward rates with no insurance involvement, listed on the Services page.
- Good Faith Estimate. If you are paying out of pocket, federal law entitles you to a written estimate of expected costs before we begin.
Not sure where you land? Send me a note and I will help you sort it out before you commit to anything.
What to Expect
How counseling actually works.
If you have never been to therapy, here is the honest version.
Sessions are 50 to 60 minutes
Individual sessions run about 50 minutes. Couples and family sessions run about 60. Most people start weekly, which builds momentum, then move to every other week as things stabilize.
The first session is orientation
We cover your history, what is happening now, and what you want to be different. You are never required to share more than you are ready to share. Going slow is allowed.
We set goals together
Therapy is not aimless talking. Within the first few sessions we name what we are working toward, so you can tell whether it is working. If it is not, we say so and adjust.
What happens here stays here
Sessions are confidential and protected under HIPAA. The narrow exceptions, which I will explain in your first session, involve imminent safety risk, suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, and valid court orders.
Progress is rarely a straight line
Some weeks feel like breakthroughs and some feel like treading water. Both are part of it. What matters is the overall direction, which we will check on regularly.
You decide when you are done
Some people come for a specific problem and finish in a few months. Others stay longer. There is no minimum commitment and no pressure to keep going once you have what you came for.
In-person or telehealth, your choice. In-person sessions are at 668 SE Bayberry Lane, Suite 105 in Lee's Summit, with free parking at the door. Telehealth is available to anyone physically located in Missouri and works well for most concerns. You can switch between them as your schedule requires.
Services
What I help with.
Adolescent Therapy (Ages 12+)
Support for teens facing ADHD, anxiety, depression, oppositional behavior, and the school or family pressures that come with these years.
Learn more →Individual Adult Therapy
Evidence-based care for anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and the quiet weight of not feeling like yourself.
Learn more →Family Therapy
Work with parents, teens, and blended families on communication, conflict, and finding a way forward together.
Learn more →Assessments & Evaluations
ADHD assessments, drug and alcohol evaluations, and 504 or IEP documentation to support your next step.
Learn more →Court Services
Psychosocial and diagnostic assessments, reunification therapy, and expert witness testimony for court-involved families.
Learn more →
Good to Know
A few practical things.
Before your first session
- Complete your portal paperwork so we can use the full hour.
- Have your insurance card handy when you fill out the forms.
- For telehealth, find a private spot with decent internet and test your camera beforehand.
- For in-person, arrive a few minutes early. Suite 105, free parking out front.
- Jot down what you want to make sure you mention. Nerves make things slip.
Scheduling and cancellations
- Reschedule or cancel anytime through the portal.
- Please give at least 24 hours notice so the time can go to someone else.
- Late cancellations and no-shows may be charged, since insurance does not cover missed sessions.
- Messages sent through the portal are returned within one business day.
Bringing your teen
- A parent or legal guardian completes intake and consent.
- Parents are included in treatment planning and periodic family sessions.
- Teens are told upfront what stays private and what does not, which is what makes them willing to talk.
- You do not need a diagnosis or a referral to start.
If it is not the right fit
Fit matters more than credentials in therapy, and it is not a reflection on either of us if we are not the right match. Tell me, and I will help you find someone who is. I keep referral relationships across the Kansas City metro for exactly this reason, including specialties I do not treat.
Reach Out
Still have questions?
Ask them before you commit to anything. That is what the consultation call is for.
Call or text
(816) 400-0037
Email
scheduling@summitridgecounseling.com
Client portal
Book online anytime
Office
668 SE Bayberry Ln, Ste 105
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
Lee's Summit, MO 64063
Messages and calls are returned within one business day. Please do not send urgent or crisis information by email or text.