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Where to Reach Me

(949) 885-0470

FAQs

How can therapy help me?

Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.

Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?

What is therapy like?

What about medication vs. therapy?

What are your fees?

Do you take insurance, and how does that work?

Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate


How can therapy help me?

Therapy offers a variety of benefits. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, traumatic events, unresolved childhood issues, grief and loss, stress management, body image issues and career concerns. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, relationship issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

  • Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
  • Developing skills for improving your relationships
  • Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
  • Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
  • Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
  • Improving communications and listening skills
  • Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
  • Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage or relationships
  • Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence

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Do I really need therapy? I can usually handle my problems.

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you're at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

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Why do people go to therapy and how do I know if it is right for me?

People have many different motivations for coming to psychotherapy. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or are not handling stressful circumstances well. Some people want to process unresolved trauma. Others need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and creative blocks. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives.

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What is therapy like?

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process - such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.

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What about medication vs. psychotherapy?

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the root cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what's best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action. Besides medications, there are also non-pharmacological treatments that may benefit you, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and/or EMDR therapy

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What are your fees?

I charge $200 for a 50-minute session and $280 for an 80-minute session. I accept cash, check and all major credit cards. I provide sliding scale options on a limited basis through the non-profit Open Path Collective. Please contact me to discuss.

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Do you take insurance, and how does that work?

Currently, I am an out-of-network provider. For out-of-network (OON) clients, I will provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company so that you will receive reimbursement from them, if eligible. 

Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance or employee benefit plan. Call your insurance carrier to determine if you have mental health coverage. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them are:

  • How much does my insurance pay for an out-of-network provider?
  • What are my mental health benefits?
  • What is the coverage amount per therapy session?
  • How many therapy sessions does my plan cover?
  • Is approval required from my primary care physician?


Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist's office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent.” Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, state law and professional ethics require therapists to maintain confidentiality except for the following situations:

* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, adults, and elders to the authorities, including Child Protection Services (CPS) and law enforcement, based on information provided by the client or collateral sources.

* If the therapist has reason to suspect the client is seriously in danger of harming him/herself or has threatened to harm another person.

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Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate

You may have a Good Faith Estimate of our charges upon request before scheduling with your therapist at The Integrative Counseling Center. The No Surprises Act is a federal law that gives you the right to a good faith estimate of the cost of services at our practice. However, we already show you what our fees are before providing services as part of our ethical and legal obligations. Our fee information can also be found in our informed consent document that clients are required to read and agree to before their first session.

Because of the unique and individual nature of therapy, it is almost impossible to estimate how many sessions you will need. Therapy is a collaborative process, so part of its success rests on how much effort you put into the work. You are free to end counseling at any time, as per the informed consent document.

So while the No Surprises Act states that you may initiate a dispute if the actual charges are substantially more than the Good Faith Estimate (more specifically if you are charged $400 more than the estimated cost for a session or for the total estimate provided), that would not happen because you already know what the fees are before you enter into therapy. Plus, it would violate legal and ethical standards for our profession.

That said, we will provide you with dispute information upon request.

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