Frequently  Asked Questions

How do I make a counseling appointment with Dr. Gardner?

The best and easiest way to book a counseilng appointment with Tim is do so yourself online.   You can book an appointment by clicking here:

You ae welcome to contact him by email:

You may also contact us by phone at:

Indianapolis Office: 317.804.313

Please leave a confidential voice mail message detailing the purpose of your call and the best way for us to reach you, including best time to call, so we can avoid playing phone tag. You call will be returned as soon as time permits. However, if you are only wanting to book an appointment, we will ask you to book online through the link above.

How long will my counseling appointment last?

Intake sessions for INDIVIDUAL therapy will last ONE Hour.

Intake sessions for MARITAL therapy will last TWO Hours.

Generally, all follow-up counseling for both phone and face-to-face sessions, individual and couple, will last 50 minutes.

Where is Dr. Gardner's office located?

Tim's office is in Carmel, Indiana, immediately north of Indianapolis. We are conveniently located on North Pennsylvania Street in the Americenter office complex:

Dr. Tim Gardner
11805 North Pennsylvania Street
Carmel, IN 46032

Click HERE for a map and directions.

Do you accept insurance payments or file insurance claims?

Please click HERE to go to our Insurance Questions page.

How much does counseling and other services cost?

Please click HEREto go our Fees for Services page.

Do you offer a sliding scale?

Due to the nature of a solo-provider practice, sliding fees for services are offered on a very limited basis. If being able to pay the fees is a major concern, our first request is that you contact your pastor. Most churches have benevolence funds (or similar programs) to help care for their members who are seeking professional counseling.

Reduced fees may be requested by filing out a Reduced Fee Request Form. Click HEREto go to our Required Forms page.

Are there any additional charges for services?

Dr. Gardner will frequently have couples take a web-based marriage assessment. The data from this tool can save numerous counseling interview hours and facilitate a quicker pathway toward a healthy resolution to your issues. Fees for this assessment are $50.00, payable at the time the assessment is taken.

Dr. Gardner occasionally uses other validated assessment instruments that may require an additional cost; he also frequently assigns books to read that may need to be purchased.

Fees for marriage counseling seem high to me. Why?

In truth, good mental health care is the cheapest and most beneficial health care that there is. While medical care revolves around $150 per quarter hour (that's per 15 minutes) plus tests and medications, good mental health care can prevent many common medical concerns. Research has demonstrated that couples in healthy marriages not only live longer, but also suffer fewer ailments in almost every single medical category. That means that learning to have a healthy marriage can save you additional health care costs in the future. That also means that learning to have a healthy personal life will save you health care money as well.

Further, psychiatrists bill out at around $225.00 for the initial appointment and $75.00 for each 10 - 15 minute session after that and normally only manage medications; they are not providing psychotherapy. And none of this takes into consideration the cost of divorce, supporting two households, the impact on kids, consequences of depression and anxiety, job related struggles, and so forth.

Good counseling is a very wise investment.

You also pay for training and expertise, just like an M.D., Dr. Gardner has a Masters and a Doctorate degree, is licensed by the state (meaning he has had hundreds of hours of supervision and on-going education), and has served on the graduate faculty at two universities.

Does Dr. Gardner see clients for issues other than marriage and relationships?

Occasionally. While the majority of Dr. Gardner's clients are seeking help with marriage and interpersonal relationship issues (including divorce recovery, sexual issues, family of origin issues, singles issues), he does work with clients who desire counseling for other concerns such as job counseling, anxiety issues, faith issues, and grief and loss. Due to time constraints, Dr. Gardner no longer sees clients seeking help for depression and/or sexual abuse. Tim's goal is to get you to the most qualified help in the least amount of time required for the situation. If we are not the place that can best help you, we will gladly make a referral to someone who may be more qualified for your particular concern.

Dr. Gardner only seed clients under the age of 18 in the context of whole family counseling. He does not see children or teenagers for individual therapy.

Is Dr. Gardner a Christian counselor?

Dr. Gardner is a man of deep faith who operates from well-grounded Judeo-Christian ethic and framework. His doctoral dissertation provided new research on the effectiveness of a Biblically based model of marriage counseling. In the past, he has served as a Professor of Pastoral Care and is currently very active in the marriage ministries of his church. He counsels as Pastoral Counselor.

Dr. Gardner is also honored to be able to say that he has served an extensive variety of individuals and couples regardless of where they may be in their journey with God. He is well trained as both a professional counselor and a pastor.

For more information on the subject, please read Dr. Gardner's articles on this website. You may click on the title to be take directly to the article.

What paperwork is required during the initial visit?

Please click HEREgo to the REQUIRED FORMS page.

Does Dr. Gardner have any weekend or evening hours?

Due to other demands, Dr. Gardner does not have any weekend hours. He does offer a few evening spots. However, they are limited and fill up very quickly.

Does Dr. Gardner provide phone consultations?

Yes. There are many advantages to phone counseling.

For more information, please click on and read the following pages:

Will I get homework?

Definitely. Every client at any counselor should be given homework. Self and relational improvement is a process that takes commitment and personal work on the part of the client. That includes work done between sessions.

What is your policy for cancellation or missed appointments?

All cancellations must occur by phone or email at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment, sooner if possible. Phone calls and emails are logged by arrival time at our office. If we do not receive a cancellation notice more than 24 hours before your appointment, you will be charged 100% of a session fee (your receipt will indicate a missed appointment so you will be unable to seek reimbursement from your insurance company). This fee must be paid in full at your next appointment.

Why do you charge for late cancellations or missed appointments?

As a client, Dr. Gardner allocates a specific time for you and is committed to providing you that full, uninterrupted session. With the number of people wanting to make an appointment with Dr. Gardner, there are normally other clients who could utilize the time slot that was given to you. Unfortunately, that time will not be able to be given to another client if you fail to show up or cancel with insufficient notice. Furthermore, we maintain a staff and overhead that must be paid for whether you show up or not. As such, late cancellation and no-show fees must be charged.

Are cancellation fees ever waived?

The only reason a cancellation fee would be waived is in the event of an emergency, severe illness, or similar unforeseen urgent matter. All waivers are at the sole discretion of Dr. Gardner.

When is the administrative staff available?

Generally, our phone is answered Monday through Friday form 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. However, due to a very full schedule Dr. Gardner is rarely available to receive phone calls. Messgages can be left in a confidental voice mail box and calls will be returned as soon as time permits. The voicemail message will inform callers if the office is closed.

It is more efficient to book appointments online or ask clarifying questions by email. Booking online is our preferred manner of making appointments. Email is received and read on a regular basis, even beyond normal business hours.

To book online:

Contact info:

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Office: 317.804.1313

What if I have an emergency and want to contact Dr. Gardner?

Dr. Gardner is unavailable for any and all emergency care. If you have an emergency, you are instructed to call 911 immediately.

Is everything I say in a counseling session confidential?

In Indiana, as with most states, the licensure laws protect client confidentiality. As a client of Dr. Gardner, you are guaranteed the protection of confidentiality within the boundaries of the client/counselor relationship.

HOWEVER, There are legal limitations to confidentiality as well as laws the govern the diifference between HIPAA information (you physical health and diagnosis) and case therapy notes.

To read more, please click on the following:

Please note that if Dr. Gardner feels that there is clear and imminent danger to you or to others, the appropriate authorities will be contacted, as required by law.

Is it possible for Dr. Gardner to speak with other professionals about my situation?

Yes, as long as appropriate release forms have been signed.

What if I have additional questions?

If you have general questions about our services, please email us at

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If you have an actual therapy or help related question that you do not want to book an appointment, you may contract with us for online therapy.

Thank you!

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317.804.1313

Dr. Tim A. Gardner, LMHC
Life Skills Counseling Center
11805 North Pennsylvania Street
Carmel, Indiana 46032 USA