FAQs
I believe many people can benefit from exploring what they might gain with therapy (of course this is coming from a therapist!). You don't need to have a psychiatric diagnosis to see a therapist. Often clients report that it is helpful to speak with someone outside of their life, especially someone who can provide a non-judgmental, safe space and brings expert knowledge. It can also be a great way to take care of yourself when you don’t have the time and energy to make it happen in your daily life. Many clients say they wish the skills they learn in treatment had been taught to them when they were in school.
For those who are concerned about having a mental health disorder or are newly diagnosed or have been diagnosed in the past, therapy is an incredibly valuable specialized intervention. If therapy hasn’t been helpful in the past, it might be the right time to explore options once again and see what might work now.
Should I try therapy?
Do you offer telehealth services? Do you offer in-person services?
Services are offered via telehealth state-wide in California, with in-person visits available in the Los Angeles area including Manhattan Beach, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Marina del Rey, Culver City, Mar Vista, Venice, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Westwood, West LA, Hancock Park, Larchmont, Beverly Hills, Beverlywood and Cheviot Hills.
I offer house calls on a case by case basis.
Telehealth makes squeezing in time for therapy doable, especially in a city like Los Angeles where commutes, conversations about traffic and driving routes dominate our time. And one of the most exciting benefits of telehealth is that I can work with people located all over California. From Sacramento, to the Bay area, San Francisco, San Jose, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and so forth, I have you covered.
Receiving care via telehealth can be just as effective as in-person care and is a better fit for some, though it may not be the right fit for everyone. Telehealth is comfortable and convenient and I would recommend giving it a try if you’re considering it. I can work with clients located anywhere in the state of California.
Are telehealth services effective?
What is perinatal exactly? Do you only see the perinatal population?
Perinatal is the period of time of pregnancy and up to a year after giving birth. While the perinatal population is an of interest of mine, I have extensive experience working with adults (18+) experiencing a wide range of issues and continue to see them in my practice.
I’m an out-of-network provider. If you have out-of-network benefits, you may be eligible for partial or full reimbursement. I can provide you with with superbills so that you can submit them for reimbursement.
Out-of-network providers typically bill their clients directly, and then it’s the clients’ responsibility to seek reimbursement from their insurer. I encourage you to call your insurance provider and ask if they offer out-of-network benefits and if so, what their reimbursement rate is as services may be covered in full or in part.
If you don’t have out-of-network benefits, you can ask for a Single-Case Agreement (SCA) which is used when an in-network provider is not available for your presenting problem, either because no one in network has that specialty or all in-network providers with that specialty are full or have a long waitlist. If your insurance company approves an SCA, you will still need to pay for sessions up-front, but will reimbursed by your insurance company partially or in full.
Do you accept insurance?
While I don’t offer Comprehensive DBT (which consists of a combination of individual psychotherapy, group skills training, telephone coaching and a therapist consultation team), I do provide DBT-informed individual therapy, groups and individual skills training. DBT-informed care is an option that doesn’t include all of the components of comprehensive DBT but can still be incredibly helpful when fitting. I scale DBT treatment to treat clients appropriately given their clinical presentation and wouldn’t be able to treat a client in need of Comprehensive DBT adhering to Marsha Linehan's model.
Do you offer Comprehensive DBT?
What is your cancellation policy?
Appointments must be cancelled at least 24 hours in advance. Late cancellations (less than 24 hours in advance) and missed appointments will be charged the full session fee.
Much depends on the individual client, their presenting problem and their goals in seeking therapy. Some clients are satisfied with a reduction in symptom frequency, intensity and duration while others continue longer. Others choose to titrate down to less frequent sessions and then ultimately come in for occasional booster sessions. Therapy can be short-term and time-limited. To optimize your time we’ll set goals to revisit and evaluate during treatment with a plan is to collaboratively evaluate treatment gains and progress on therapy goals to determine what is best for you. The goal is for clients to gain the skills needed to thrive in their daily life.