My standard fee for a 53-minute session is $195.
I also recognize that that is a number that many people cannot afford on a weekly basis. I strongly with all my heart believe therapy should be accessible. My practice is structured to allow me to take a number of sliding-scale clients. Before we begin our work, we will discuss the fee that is reasonable based on your financial circumstances.
Insurance
As part of my equity stance, I am committed to accepting insurance. Not all insurance plans pay a decent rate to providers like me for our services, though, so unfortunately I cannot accept all of them.
I am able to accept Aetna, Cigna, and a few others. If we jump through some hoops together, it’s possible that I can work with you under a Kaiser NorCal plan as long as it’s not a Medicare/Medi-Cal plan, and only in Kaiser’s NorCal region.
I am unable to accept Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans as they do not reimburse for therapy at a fair rate. If you have a Blue plan, you could pay me directly at a rate we will determine, then you can submit to your insurance for possible partial reimbursement for out-of-network care.
I am not currently able to accept Medicaid or Medicare plans directly, though I am hoping to be able to do so in the future.
California Victim’s Compensation Board
I am registered with VCB and if you qualify for services through the Victim’s Board program, I would very much like to see if we might be a fit. CalVCB reimburses for mental health counseling. I have specific training and experience in working with significant traumas and supporting victims of violent crime, sexual violence, and partner abuse. I also can connect you with another therapist who has expertise with trafficking if that has happened to you. CalVCB may also be available to your family members who may be affected by the experience you had. CalVCB benefits are available only after other insurance is used, so if you have health insurance through your employer or through Medi-Caid or Medicare, then it may be complicated. We can talk about what options we can explore in order to get you support.
Pay out of Pocket
If you have insurance that I do not accept, you could pay me at my standard rate by credit card and I will provide a statement (called a “superbill” in insurance language) that you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.
I also work with clients in need on a sliding scale as low as $100/session (limited spots available). If my standard fee would create a hardship that would prevent you from pursuing therapy, and if I have availability, we can discuss a rate that will allow you to commit to regular sessions. A portion of my practice is reserved for pro bono and reduced-fee work by design and I invite you to contact me to inquire if such arrangements would be beneficial to you at this time.
Weekly recommended; flexibility supported
I see the benefit to clients of consistent weekly sessions to support the in-depth explorations that are needed for repair and recovery from past patterns and hurts. Ideally, we will find a time that works for you where we can meet every week. This is a commitment to yourself, and to your potential for growth.
I also believe in flexibility to tailor our work to your needs. We can talk about what would support you the best, including the possibility of bi-weekly sessions or longer sessions (when my schedule can accommodate), or an ad-hoc arrangement where we meet as needed. Just note that for depth healing work, where we’re focusing intentionally together on the patterns that hold you back, weekly sessions at the same day and time, and even sometimes twice a week, are necessary.
Cancellations and rescheduling
Sometimes, we get squirmy around therapy, because we know that we are facing ourselves directly. There may be times where you are hesitant to come, or it feels too overwhelming to have a session that day. Or, a day gets interrupted by a broken down car, a sick child or pet, or flooded bathroom, making it impossible to join your therapy appointment. I get it!
Here is a quick introduction to my policies:
- With advance notice, your appointment can be rescheduled for another time that week (if I have availability) or canceled at no cost.
- If you do not come to session at all and do not contact me, you’ll be charged for the no-show at your agreed-upon rate.
Sometimes life just takes over and we aren’t able to juggle everything we want to, and that’s fine. However, if these scheduling disconnects become a pattern, we will talk about it, because sometimes it can be a way to avoid the tough parts. Instead, I want to see you finding new ways to face things, so we will be open and real in looking at whatever might be going on.
Traveling
If you take a trip and want to keep our session appointment, I can only do so if you’re in California, Idaho, Washington, or Virginia where I’m licensed, or a limited number of other states that may offer flexibility. Otherwise, we won’t be able to meet until you’re back home again. This is due to how licensure operates on a state level for mental health clinicians. If you have upcoming travel planned, please let me know in advance so we can determine if we’ll be able to meet or not while you’re away. Sometimes, it makes most sense to plan to skip therapy for a week anyway, so that you can focus on the experiences you’re having in that time.
Policy on AI in Counseling
You’d think I’d be able to just promise “I won’t use any AI tools or bots in our work together” but unfortunately, some of the insurance platforms that I have contracted with, which are supposed to make it easier for you to use your benefits for my services, are literally requiring AI usage, for example with their documentation requirements, or in forcing the therapy session to be conducted through their video platform. Mental health information is sensitive, and it is protected by specific state and federal laws including HIPAA, which the insurance companies are supposed to comply with. I am very concerned about how our culture is changing with technology, AI, and surveillance, and I try to stay up to speed on these developments, and to opt out where I can. I do not use AI-assisted tools in any aspect of client support, record-keeping, or administration for clients who are working with me directly without using their insurance (“self-pay clients”). However, for clients who are accessing my services through their insurance benefits, it is likely that AI is involved in the ecosystem of care. We can discuss this together if these issues are important to you.
In addition, many homes and offices now have cameras, “helper” technologies like Alexa or Siri, and other types of passive listening and recording devices installed. I encourage you to be aware of your surroundings and what devices may be monitoring your environment when we meet together for your teletherapy session. I do not have any such devices in the office where I conduct my sessions with you. Our sessions will never be recorded from my side without your explicit advance permission and your understanding of the purpose of the recording and how it will be stored, used, and destroyed.
Statement on Conversion Therapy
Conversion therapy is attempting to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, such as trying to convince a person who experiences sexual attraction to those of the same sex that they are actually straight. Conversion therapy has been denounced by major professional organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Counseling Association as being harmful. It is not evidence-based, which means that scientific research into the practice of conversion therapy has not found it to create the results that proponents claim. Conversion therapy is against the code of ethical practice for mental health counselors, and is not something I condone or would ever provide.
Before we begin together, all of these policies will be discussed thoroughly so we have a mutual understanding of our commitments to each other and how we will navigate the particulars of technology, billing and payment, and engagement.
You have many rights as you seek care for your health. By law I am required to share with you the Notice of Privacy Rights (sometimes known as “HIPAA”). In addition, this Client Bill of Rights adapted from the California Department of Consumer Affairs may be a useful guide in understanding protections you have within the client-therapist relationship.