FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you take my insurance?
I currently accept Aetna, Optum, and United for individual therapy only. I no longer accept Kaiser. For all others, I am out of network and I no longer provide superbills. If you are a Healthnet/MHN Medi-Cal member, you can see any therapist in my group practice LBC Wellness. I do not accept any insurance for couples, even if it's one of the insurances I accept for individual.
Are you in person?
I will resume in person sessions in 2024. Until then, I am virtual only.
Do you work with kids?
I love working with kids but younger children should really be seen in person, and since I am telehealth only, this means I will only take on children 13 and up. Please note that sessions for children 13 and older will remain confidential. I'll only communicate with parents if a teen is a risk to self or others. Parents must be very clear of this confidentiality before putting their teenager into treatment. Additionally, I do not work with children/teens who engage in self-harming behavior, those who express suicidal ideation frequently, or any child/family with an open DCFS case or child-custody case.
What are your rates?
My 50-min session fee is as follows: $140 individual, $160 for couples or families. No sliding scale provided.
What are your hours?
Tues through Fri: 11 am - 4 pm. If you're looking for evening availability, please consider seeing one of the therapists in my group practice LBC Wellness.
When will you start taking new clients?
I update my website regularly. As soon as I can accept new clients, I will update my homepage and PsychologyToday page to reflect the changes. Former clients are always able to come back into treatment with me, regardless of the time that has lapsed and regardless if you graduated therapy or not.
Can you help me?
I hope so. It's what I aim to do. But with that being said, therapy is a collaborative process that involves your ongoing participation. It's a process you have to trust, to continuously work at, and not be resistant to. It requires you being actively involved in your treatment. I give you the tools in the session, you use those tools in the real world. Therapy will only work if you are willing and motivated to help yourself. Clients who consistently do not do the homework will be referred out.
Will you work with my issue?
Depends. Please know that I do not work with clients with the following issues: major depressive disorder, suicidality, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, eating disorder, current substance abuse disorder, or clients with less than one year of sobriety. I also won't take on couples who have domestic violence issues or couples who are trying couples therapy as their very last option.
How long will therapy take?
This is a question that cannot be answered with any finite date. I cannot say 6 sessions, or 6 months. Therapy, healing, growth all happen at different speeds for different people who come in for different issues. My ongoing goal for all clients is to get you out of therapy, not keep you in it. If you do the homework I give you, you will be more successful in therapy. With that being said, I do not believe in life-long therapy. In fact, I won't let a client stay in treatment with me beyond 3 years. I believe successful treatment is when we resolve your initial issue(s) and any other issues that arise during treatment and you are able to cope well outside of therapy using the skills you learned. I want you to become empowered by me, not dependent on me.
What kind of homework do you give?
I'm different from the majority of therapists in that I'm more involved with a clients' treatment, using more of an active approach than a passive one. I give homework at the end of each session that's specifically tailored for each individual client or couple to teach and reinforce healthier behaviors in order to avoid using former behaviors that have been unsuccessful, unhealthy, or damaging.
Can we consult?
I am selective about whom I take on. Therapy is not meant to be indefinite and my goal is to graduate clients from therapy once we both feel confident that they can independently apply the skills learned during treatment. I can only do this when clients complete the homework I give them; as a result, I only take on clients that demonstrate an eagerness and willingness to commit to the process, and complete the difficult homework assignments I often give. So that I know you read this and are willing to do the homework, complete my first assignment and write, “I’m ready” somewhere in your message to me if you'd like to consult. This is the easiest homework assignment I will ask a client to do.