Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I want to talk to a therapist?
People who I have worked with have said they enjoy seeing me for therapy because it is helpful to have someone who will listen to them without judgement, they feel heard and validated. Some have also expressed the relief of being able to have someone to sit with them through the pain they have been experiencing by themselves for far too long. Lastly, people have found it helpful just to have an unbiased person to help sort through messy problems with relationships, parenting, school, friends, work, etc.
What can I expect in a session?
The first couple sessions are typically me gathering information and working with you to develop the goals you have for therapy (if you are coming in for Say Less therapy, this is where you will have to do the most talking, then pretty much none after). After that, sessions may look different depending on the person and their needs. For many of my teen sessions, I like to play games or do activities to get to know one another. For people who are more eager or comfortable getting right into it, then we will start right into doing the work (again, that work looks different for everyone). In any situation, I do my best to go at your pace throughout our time together. Here are examples of resources and tools I use with the people I work with.
Are there risks to therapy?
While therapy is designed to be helpful, there will be times when it is difficult and uncomfortable. I have worked with people who’s symptoms worsened initially as they verbalize and become aware of uncomfortable feelings or experiences. Remembering or talking about unpleasant events, feelings, or thoughts can result in experiencing considerable discomfort or strong feelings of anger, sadness, worry, fear, frustration, loneliness, helplessness, or other emotions. We may challenge some of your assumptions or perceptions or propose different ways of looking at, thinking about, or handling situations that can cause you to feel upset, angry, depressed, challenged, or disappointed. Attempting to resolve issues that brought you to therapy in the first place may result in changes that were not originally intended. Sometimes a decision that is positive for one family member is viewed quite negatively by another family member. There is no guarantee that therapy will yield positive or intended results.
How long does therapy last?
Again this varies depending on the person and their needs. I have worked with people anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. The goal is to not have you in therapy with me “forever;” though, some folks prefer to have an on-going therapist, I am happy to discuss this option with you! I like to start with sessions once per week, that gives us the opportunity to get to know each other and start doing consistent work. When you begin reaching your goals (mentioned above), then we would reduce your sessions to once every-other-week. If you are able to maintain your progress for a period of time with reduced sessions, then we would end services and see how you do on your own or you can decide to have monthly maintenance session. If you do end, you are always welcome to come back to therapy if you feel you need additional support.
Why don’t you accept insurance?
As an out of network provider, I do not bill directly through insurance, nor do I have any contact with them on your behalf. I would be happy to provide you with a superbill for you to provide your insurance company for possibility of reimbursement of what you pay for your sessions. There are benefits to not billing insurance directly, two of which are privacy and control over the work that we do together. Often times, in order for insurances to cover services, a diagnosis will need to be made after the first session. I always recommend calling your insurance provider and inquiring about their reimbursement rates for out-of-network providers prior to scheduling a session with me. If you prefer an in-network clinician, I suggest using psychologytoday.com to research which clinician may be right for you.
What if I don’t live in your area?
I am licensed in the state of California, which means I can provide therapy to any person in this state. If you are not within driving distance from my physical office or don’t want in=person session, I will gladly conduct our sessions via video through my online system SimplePractice. However, if you leave the state, even temporarily, I would be unable to provide therapeutic services as the laws and regulations vary by state.
Is therapy confidential?
In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a mental health clinician. No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the client. You should be aware, however, that if you use insurance benefits to pay for all or part of your therapy, some information about your treatment will need to be reported to your insurer.
In addition, there are some special circumstances in which the law requires therapists to break confidentiality. These exceptions include:
1. If you present a danger to yourself, to others, to property, or are unable to care for yourself.
2. If there is suspected past or present child, dependent, or elder abuse or neglect.
3. If the court orders a release of information as part of a legal proceeding, or as otherwise required by the law.
I know my child needs therapy, but they say they don’t want to come. What should I do?
I would suggest that you tell your teen that they are required to come to one session, but after that session, they can determine whether or not they would like to return. This is often very effective because by the end of the session, they typically feel heard and understood and many of the misconceptions they may have had about therapy are dispelled. In most cases, they choose to return to therapy - and if not, that is okay, we don’t want them to feel forced, then never engage in therapy in the future. This is also very effective because it allows the them to participate in therapy by choice and not because the parents are requiring it. The teen is then more committed to therapy and to the change process. An important note, when I work with teens, I also require the parent participate in individual therapy with me as well, so that we are able to address the relationship; I call this Family Parallel Therapy.
As parents/caregivers/legal guardians, what will you tell us about what our child discloses?
I will always tell the parents/caregivers/legal guardians, as is required by law, if I believe the child is a danger to themselves or others. It is important that they has a safe, private space to work on their goals. For therapy to be successful, they must be able to talk freely, without feeling like what is shared must be censored for fear of disclosure to caregiver. Therefore, if I see a child for individual therapy, I will not disclose information to the caregiver without the child’s consent unless I believe that they are a danger to themselves or others. Some disclosure by the child can be extremely helpful in facilitating a trusting relationship between the child and the caregiver and I will work with the child to encourage this type of disclosure. With the child’s consent, I will also give the caregiver periodic updates on the the child’s therapeutic progress. I encourage the caregivers to call me with any questions or concerns throughout the course of treatment.
Sounds good, but the real question… how much does it cost?
A very important question! There are a variety of ways of paying for therapy. A person can pay out-of-pocket, possibly receive reimbursement through insurance, or through an HSA/FSA. You can take a look at Specialties and Investment for more details.