1) Follow this link: https://mywct.clientsecure.me/
2) Click "I'm an existing client"
3) Input your email address and click "Email me a link"
4) Sign into your email, and you will find an email from "yourprovider@simplepractice.com" and it should also say Whole Congruence Therapy, PLLC.
5) Open the email and click the "Sign In" button

In your client portal you can see your appointment schedule, join video sessions, manage billing, fill out electronic paperwork and access shared documents.

For a 50 minute appointment, the fee is $120.  Insurance is not accepted at this time, though a Superbill can be provided for you to submit to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement for out of network benefits.

There are additional fees for letters of support.  Please submit a contact form for more information.

Education and Training
My continued education includes training to perform evaluations and write letters of support for gender affirming surgeries using the Gender Affirmative and Supportive Surgery Evaluation Tool (Gender ASSET), becoming an EMDR Trained Therapist to target a wide array of distressing issues including trauma, and a certificate in providing Telehealth care. My therapeutic experience covers a range of presenting challenges including identity exploration, depression and anxiety, eating disorders in families, premarital counseling, couples conflict, family and parenting struggles, trauma, and personal and life transitions.

I received my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Sexuality Studies from the University of California, Davis, and worked as a Mechanical Engineer for a few years before following my true passion for helping people through life’s many challenges. To follow my desired path, I attended Texas Woman’s University where I earned a M.S. in Family Therapy. Though my current and previous careers seem to clash, my strengths of understanding and communicating from an analytical and emotion-focused perspective, considering and coordinating multiple pieces in overlapping systems, and identifying patterns to form more generalizable solutions span both and highlight some of what I bring to the therapeutic relationship.

Professional Affiliations
Relational Therapists of Dallas - Treasurer
Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (TAMFT)
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Psychology Today
TherapyDen

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES FOR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)
This notice describes how information about you may be used and disclosed by Miriam Kolni, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with Whole Congruence Therapy, PLLC, as well as how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

I. MY PRIVACY COMMITENT TO YOU
Your privacy is of the utmost importance to me. The information I have about you will be held to the highest levels of confidentiality. I am required by law to give you a notice of my privacy practices and maintain the privacy of your confidential information. Unless you give me permission in writing, I will only disclose your information when I am ethically and legally required to do so. II. YOUR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION I am a mental health care provider. More specifically, I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, licensed by the State of Texas through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists under the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. I perform my services under Whole Congruence Therapy, PLLC, a Texas Professional Limited Liability Company. I create and maintain treatment records that contain individually identifiable health information about you. I need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all the information and records I have about your psychotherapy, mental health status, and the care generated by this mental health care practice. This notice will tell you about the ways in which I may use and disclose health information about you and describes your rights to the information I maintain about you and my obligations regarding the use and disclosure about that information.

III. MY LEGAL DUTY TO SAFEGUARD YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI)
I am required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), which includes information that can be used to identify you that I have created or received about your past, present, or future health or condition, the provision of health care to you, or the payment of this health care. I must provide you with this Notice about my legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information, and such Notice must explain how, when, and why I will “use” and “disclose” your PHI. A “use” of PHI occurs when I share, examine, utilize, apply, or analyze such information within my practice; PHI is “disclosed” when it is released, transferred, has been given to, or is otherwise divulged to a third party outside of my practice. With some exceptions, I may not use or disclose any more of your PHI than is necessary to accomplish the purpose for which the use or disclosure is made. And, I am legally required to follow the privacy practices described in this Notice. However, I reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and my privacy policies at any time. Any changes will apply to PHI on file with me already. Before I make any important changes to my policies, I will promptly change this Notice and provide you with an updated copy.

IV. HOW I MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PHI
I will use and disclose your PHI for many different reasons. For some of these uses and disclosures, I will need your prior written authorization; for others, however, I do not. The following categories describe different ways that I use and disclose health information. For each category of uses or disclosures I will explain what I mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways I am permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

A. For Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations: Federal privacy rules (regulations) allow health care providers who have direct treatment relationship with the patient/client to use or disclose the patient/client’s personal health information without the patient’s written authorization, to carry out the health care provider’s own treatment, payment or health care operations.
For Treatment: I can use your PHI within my practice to provide you with mental health treatment. I can disclose your PHI for the treatment activities of any health care provider without your written authorization. For example, if a clinician were to consult with another licensed health care provider about your condition, we would be permitted to use and disclose your person health information, which is otherwise confidential, in order to assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment of your mental health condition. Disclosures for treatment purposes are not limited to the minimum necessary standard, because therapists and other health care providers need access to the full record and/or full and complete information in order to provide quality care. The word “treatment” includes, among other things, the coordination and management of health care providers with a third party, consultations between health care providers and referrals of a patient for health care from one health care provider to another.
To Obtain Payment for Treatment: I can use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the treatment and services provided by me to you. For example, I might send your PHI to your insurance company or health plan to get paid for health care services that I have provided to you. I may also provide your PHI to my business associates, such as billing companies, claims processing companies, and others that process my health care claims.
For Health Care Operations: I can use and disclose your PHI to operate my practice. For example, I might use your PHI to evaluate the quality of health care services that you received or to evaluate the performance of the health care professionals who provided such services to you. I may also provide your PHI to my accountant, attorney, consultants, or others to further my health care operations.
Patient Incapacitation or Emergency: I may also disclose your PHI to others without your consent if you are incapacitated or if an emergency exists. For example, your consent is not required if you need emergency treatment, as long as I try to get your consent after treatment is rendered, or if I try to get your consent but you are unable to communicate with me (for example, if you are unconscious or in severe pain) and I think that you would consent to such treatment if you were able to do so.

B. Certain Other Uses and Disclosures Also Do Not Require Your Consent or Authorization: I can use and disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization for the following reasons:
When federal, state, or local laws require disclosure. For example, I may have to make a disclosure to applicable governmental officials when a law requires me to report information to government agencies and law enforcement personnel about victims of abuse or neglect.
When judicial or administrative proceedings require disclosure. For example, if you are involved in a lawsuit or a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, I may have to use or disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order. Although my preference is to obtain an Authorization from you, I may provide your PHI in order to comply with workers' compensation laws. I may also have to use or disclose your PHI in response to a subpoena.
When law enforcement requires disclosure. For example, I may have to use or disclose your PHI in response to a search warrant.
When public health activities require disclosure. For example, I may have to use or disclose your PHI to report to a government official an adverse reaction that you have to a medication. When health oversight activities require disclosure. For example, I may have to provide information to assist the government in conducting an investigation or inspection of a health care provider or organization.
To avert a serious threat to health or safety. For example, I may have to use or disclose your PHI to avert a serious threat to the health or safety of yourself or others. However, any such disclosures will only be made to someone able to prevent the threatened harm from occurring.
For specialized government functions. If you are in the military, I may have to use or disclose your PHI for national security purposes, including protecting the President of the United States or conducting intelligence or counter-intelligence operations; or, helping to ensure the safety of those working within or housed in correctional institutions.
To coroners or medical examiners, when such individuals are performing duties authorized by law.
For research purposes, including studying and comparing the mental health of patients who received one form of therapy versus those who received another form of therapy for the same condition.
To remind you about your appointments and to inform you of health-related benefits or services. For example, I may have to use or disclose your PHI to remind you about your appointments, or to give you information about treatment alternatives, other health care services, or other health care benefits that I offer that may be of interest to you.

C. Certain Uses and Disclosures Require You to Have the Opportunity to Object: I may provide PHI to a family member, friend, or other person that you indicate is involved in your care or the payment for your health care, unless you object in whole or in part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively in emergency situations.

D. Other Uses and Disclosures Require Your Prior Written Authorization: In any other situation not descried in section IV A, B, and C above, I will need your written authorization before using or disclosing any of your PHI. If you choose to sign an authorization to disclose your PHI, you can later revoke such authorization in writing to stop any future uses and disclosures (to the extent that I have not taken any action in reliance on such authorization) of your PHI by me.
Psychotherapy Notes. I do keep “psychotherapy notes” as that term is defined in 45 CFR § 164.501, and any use or disclosure of such notes requires your Authorization unless the use or disclosure is:
a. For my use in treating you.
b. For my use in training or supervising mental health practitioners to help them improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling or therapy.
c. For my use in defending myself in legal proceedings instituted by you.
d. For use by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate my compliance with HIPAA.
e. Required by law and the use or disclosure is limited to the requirements of such law.
f. Required by law for certain health oversight activities pertaining to the originator of the psychotherapy notes.
g. Required by a coroner who is performing duties authorized by law.
h. Required to help avert a serious threat to the health and safety of others.
Marketing Purposes. As a psychotherapist, I will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes.
Sale of PHI. As a psychotherapist, I will not sell your PHI in the regular course of my business.

V. YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR PHI:
You have the right to request restrictions on certain Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI. You have the right to ask me not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes. I am not required to agree to your request, and I may say “no” if I believe it would affect your health care. If I do agree, I will maintain a written record of the agreed upon restriction, except in emergency situations. However, be advised, that you may not limit the uses and disclosures that I am legally required to make.

A. The Right to Request Restrictions for Out-of-Pocket Expenses Paid for In Full. You have the right to request restrictions on disclosures of your PHI to health plans for payment or health care operations purposes if the PHI pertains solely to a health care item or a health care service that you have paid for out-of-pocket in full.

B. The Right to Choose How I Send PHI to You. You have the right to request that I send confidential information to you to an alternate address (for example, sending information to your work address rather than your home address) or by alternate means (for example, e-mail instead of regular mail). You also have the right to ask me to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone). I will agree to your request as long as it is reasonable and you specify how or where you wish to be contacted, and, when appropriate, you provide me with information as to how payment for such alternate communicates will be handled. I may not require an explanation from you as to the basis of your request as a condition of providing communications on a confidential basis.

C. The Right to Inspect and Get Copies of Your PHI. You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of protected health information about you by making a specific request to do so in writing. This right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI is not absolute - in other words, I am permitted to deny access for specified reasons. For instance, you do not have the right of access with respect to my “psychotherapy notes.” The term “psychotherapy notes” means notes recorded (in any medium) by a health care provider who is a mental health professional documenting or analyzing the contents of conversation during a private counseling session or a group, joint, or family counseling session and that are separated from the rest of the individual’s medical (includes mental health) record. The term excludes counseling session start and stop times, the modalities and frequencies of treatment furnished, and any summary of the following items: diagnosis, functional status, the treatment plan, symptoms, prognosis, and progress to date. If you agree to receive a summary, within 30 days of receiving your written request, and I may charge a reasonable, cost based fee for doing so.

D. The Right to Get a List of the Disclosures I Have Made. You have the right to request a list of instances in which I have disclosed your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or health care operations, or for which you provided me with an Authorization. I will respond to your request for an accounting of disclosures within 60 days of receiving your request. The list I will give you will include disclosures made in the last six years, unless you request a shorter time, to the date on which the accounting is requested. As with other rights, this right is not absolute. The list will not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, or health care operations; disclosures made to you; disclosures you authorized; disclosures incident to a use or disclosure permitted or required by the federal privacy rule; disclosures made for national security or intelligence; disclosures made to correctional institutions or law enforcement personnel. I will provide the list to you at no charge, but if you make more than one request in the same year, I will charge you a reasonable cost based fee for each additional request.

E. The Right to Correct or Update Your PHI. If you believe that there is a mistake in your PHI, or that a piece of important information is missing from your PHI, you have the right to request that I correct the existing information or add the missing information. You must provide the request and your reason for the request in writing. You have the right to amend information in my records by making a request to do so in a writing that provides a reason to support the requested amendment. This right to amend is not absolute - in other words, I am permitted to deny the requested amendment for specified reasons. You also have the right, subject to limitations, to provide me with a written addendum with respect to any item or statement in your records that you believe to be incorrect or incomplete and to have the addendum become a part of your record.

F. The Right to Get a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice. You have the right get a paper copy of this Notice, and you have the right to get a copy of this notice by e-mail. And, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice via e-mail, you also have the right to request a paper copy of it.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to avoid confusion or misunderstanding, I ask that if you wish to exercise any of the rights above, that you put your request in writing and deliver or send the writing to me. If you wish to learn more detailed information about any of the above rights, or their limitations, please let me know. I am willing to discuss any of these matters with you. As mentioned elsewhere in this document, I am the Privacy Officer of this practice.

MY DUTIES
I am required by law to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of your personal health information. This notice is intended to let you know of my legal duties, your rights, and my privacy practices with respect to such information. I am required to abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect. I reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and/or my privacy practices and to make changes effective for all protected health information that I maintain, even if it was created or received prior to the effective date of the notice revision. If I make a revision to this notice, I will give you a copy of the updated notice.

As the Privacy Officer of this practice, I have the duty to develop, implement and adopt clear privacy policies and procedures for my practice and I have done so. I am the individual who is responsible for assuring that these privacy policies and procedures are followed. In general, client records, and information about clients, are treated as confidential in my practice and are released to no one without the written authorization of the client, except as indicated in this notice or except as may be otherwise permitted by law. Client records are kept secured so that they are not readily available to those who do not need them.

In the event that of my death or incapacity, or the termination of my professional services, custody and control of my client mental health records will be transferred to my estate executor. All mental health records will be maintained for the lengths of time required by law.

CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS
For more information or if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with me by simply providing me with a writing that specifies the manner in which you believe the violation occurred, the approximate date of such occurrence, and any details that you believe will be helpful to me. This can mailed to Whole Congruence Therapy, LLC, PO Box 111733, Carrollton, TX 75011 or filed with the Secretary of Health and Human Services at the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOTICE
This notice went into effect on December 28, 2020.

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), you have certain rights regarding the use and disclosure of your protected health information. 

Miriam Kolni is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Texas License #203258). The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct committed by marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, psychologists, psychological associates, social workers, and licensed specialists in school psychology. Although not every complaint against or dispute with a licensee involves professional misconduct, the Executive Council will provide you with information about how to file a complaint.

Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council
333 Guadalupe St., Ste. 3-900
Austin, TX 78701
Tel. (512)305-7700
1-800-821-3205 24-hour, toll-free complaint system
www.bhec.texas.gov

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

https://bhec.texas.gov/verify-a-license/