FAQ

 

Where is your office?

 

My office is located at 3120 Telegraph Ave. Suite 7 Berkeley, CA 94705. It is on the corner of Telegraph and Woolsey Street across from the Smoke House hamburger stand. The one tricky thing is that if you cross Woolsey, you are in Oakland, and the block number jumps to 5000. I also offer video sessions. 

 

How much do you charge?

I charge $165 for a 50-minute therapy session. For couples, I sometime recommend a 90-minute session and charge $200.

Do you have a sliding scale?

From time to time, I have openings and am able to work with people for a reduced fee. If you need a reduced rate, please feel free to call me regarding current availability.

Do you take insurance?

I do not take insurance, but if your benefits plan offers coverage for out-of-network providers, I am able to give you what’s called a “super bill” that can be sent to your insurance company for reimbursement.

I recommend that you contact your insurance carrier to find out about the rate of reimbursement. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about how this process works.

How do I make an appointment?

You can call me and leave a confidential message 24/7 at 510-644-4227

Please leave your name, best callback number, and several times when you will be available to talk.

You can also fill out the contact form on my website. I will give you a call within 24 hours and set up a no charge 20-minute phone consult to hear what is happening in your life, what you hope to change and how I can help.

What should I expect on my first visit?

When you arrive please feel free to help yourself to some hot tea or water and have a seat in the waiting room. I will come out to greet you at our appointment time.

You can print, complete and bring with you the intake form and, if you are bringing a child or teen, the consent for counseling form. Both of these forms can be found under FAQ. I also will have copies in my office if needed.

I am often asked by new clients how I start the first session. There is no one right way. Instead, we’ll tailor it to your unique needs. It is time for us to get to know each other better. You can ask me any questions you have and get a sense of how I work.

I will invite you to share with me what is on your mind now and a bit of the history of what led to where you are. Cultivating a comfortable, trusting relationship sets the groundwork for us to work together as you move through your challenges to a place of freedom and thriving.

How often do we meet and how long are sessions?

We will meet weekly at a set appointment time. Weekly meetings are important, because it develops continuity and supports movement and growth.

Our sessions are 50 minutes long unless we have agreed to meet for 90 minutes.

How long will therapy/coaching take?

There is no definite answer to this question. Your therapy is unique and personal. It moves with its own time and pace.

We will check in periodically to see how the therapy is unfolding. I will give you my feedback about how the therapy is going from my perspective, but the decision is ultimately in your hands. The simplest answer is that therapy/coaching ends when you feel that you have completed the work you came to do.

You will always be free to contact me again in the future if you want to check in or restart therapy.

What happens if I need to miss an appointment?

Since I set aside your time especially for you, I ask you to give me 24-hours’ notice if you need to miss your appointment.

For session missed with less than 24-hours’ notice, you will have to pay for the full session.

Do you keep what happens in your therapy/coaching sessions confidential?

Absolutely, confidentiality is essential for successful psychotherapy.

Confidentiality creates the safety to share freely and openly in our sessions. I will not share information or respond to inquiries of any kind from any source without your written consent. Everything is confidential except for the instances stated below, which are required by California law.  

  • If in my clinical judgment, you pose a threat to harm yourself, and you refuse appropriate treatment, I am ethically bound to notify the appropriate parties (those who can intervene to protect you).
  • If you indicate a serious threat to harm another person, I am legally required to warn the intended victim(s) and the police.
  • I am required to report any suspicion of child or elder abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities.

What are your credentials and professional background for doing therapy/coaching? How much experience do you have as a therapist?

I have over 25 years of experience as a therapist. I have a MS in counseling psychology and am licensed marriage family therapist in the state of California. My license number is mfc33666. I have been doing coaching, spiritual and dream work sessions for 15 years.  

Please check my About page where I talk more about my professional background and special training.

 

Do you work with people from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, LBGQ, religious traditions?

I invite and have experience in working with the diversity of people represented by the SF bay area.

If you are from a population with which I do not have personal lived experience, I invite you to share your unique experiences and challenges.