Frequently Asked Questions
- What should I expect?
- How much does it cost?
- How do I make an appointment?
- How long are the sessions?
- What do I do when I arrive?
- What do I do if I arrive late or need to cancel?
A: Only when a person is truly ready and motivted, can change and healing take place. There is also a certain amount of vulnerability a person must have to grow and heal. Because of this, it is important that you can connect and feel comfortable with your chosen therapist. It is important to ask questions, even interview your therapist, to find the best fit for optimal results. In my practice, I make it a point to give time for clients (adults and children alike) to build rapport and trust. Both myself and my clients need to work together to create change. Clients need to actively participate in the therapeutic process. Therapy is not about "fixing" a problem or a person, rather collaborating with the therapist as a guide on each individual's path to resolution.
I see clients individually, as a family unit, or as parent-child dyads. However, when a child is in treatment, caregiver(s) involvement is very important. I see your child only 1 time a week, whereas you see him or her everyday.
When in therapy, I try to match theory and technique with each individual person. I use EMDR, Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Parent-Child Interactive and Attunement Therapies, as well as many other therapeutic techniques.
I address a variety of issues in therapy such as:
~All Forms of Abuse (Sexual, Physical, Neglect, etc)
~Child Witnesses to Domestic Violence
~Children Who Have Experienced Separation and Divorce
~Foster Care
~Child Behavioral Problems
~Child Relational Problems
~Parenting Difficulty
~Low Self-Esteem
~Anxiety, Anger, Sadness, Depression
~Many other issues can also be resolved
A: I do take credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover), cash, and checks. I also take insurance (both in and out of network). I am on several panels including:
Aetna
Blue Shield
Medi Cal
MHN
TriWest
VOC (Victims of Crime)
TERM provider
If you do not see your insurance carrier here, I may still be able to work with you and your insurance, as some carriers provide out of network coverage. Please call me to see if this is the case. I may also have been recently added to a panel but may not as yet been able to add the listing to this website. My usual and customary fee is $150 for the initial session and $110 for sessions thereafter. I do provide a free initial phone consultation to determine if I am the right therapist for you.
Q: How do I make an appointment?
A: Making that first appointment is as easy as picking up the phone. You can contact me whenever you are ready. If I do not answer the phone, you may leave a message with your name, phone number, and a brief description of the services your are seeking. When I call you back, please have the following information available:
Client's name, date of birth, social security
Current address and phone number
Insurance information, including subscriber name and birthdate
Insurance contact information
* Important Note: Some insurance companies requre you to get sessions preauthorized. Please call your insurance company ahead of time to clarify this need. You can tell them you have chosen a therapist but just need authorization.
Q: When are the sessions?
A: I am in the office Tuesday through Friday. My office hours are as follows:
Tuesday: 9:30am - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 9:30 am - 5:00pm
Thursday: 10:30am - 8:00pm
Friday: 9:30am - 5:00pm
Q: How long are the sessions?
A:
An initial informational phone call lasts about 30-45 minutes.
An Intake session is typically attended by the parent(s) only, unless otherwise indicated by the inital phone contact, and lasts about an hour. For this first session, please arrive a few minutes early to fill out initial paperwork if you have not already done so.
Follow-up or continuing sessions last 45 minutes long, or may go shorter if a child is having a particularly difficult time with the length of the session.
A: When you arrive for your appointment, please come in to the waiting room, close the door, and relax. There is a couch and chairs, as well as toys and books to keep children calm and occupied while in the waiting room. Please flip the indicator switch on the wall that lets me know you are here. I will be with you at the start of your appointment time.
If you have forms to complete while you wait, I will leave them on a clip board for you.
Q: What do I do if I arrive late or need to cancel?
A: If you arrive late to session, please still have a seat in the waiting room, where I will come out to meet you. Please note however that the sessions will not go over what would have been your original ending time. If I am late, you will receive your full 45 minutes.
If you need to cancel your appointment, please do so within 24 hours. It is imortant to be aware that you may be charged a fee for late cancellations.
Also, if you do not show up to your appointment, and do not call, your appointment time may not be held and you will be charged a "no show" fee.
You can call me at any time, day or night, as I do have a private voicemail.
(858) 451-9929. However, please note that I return calls during the business hours listed above.
If you have any other questions that were not answered here, please feel free to email me or call me as indicated on the "contact me" page.