FAQ
What is a Marriage and Family Therapist?
A common misconception about Marriage and Family Therapists is that we only work with couples and families. However, Marriage and Family Therapists are trained to work with issues regarding our relationships with others (family, partners,friends, colleagues, employers and community) as well as the relationship we have with ourselves. MFT’s help people achieve their relational goals as well as assist clients in developing new strategies and skills to achieve insight and gain a better understanding of values and intentions.
During the first session we will be going over a lot of information and I will ask more questions than I usually would in a regular session. We will be formulating your primary goals for therapy and will begin going over your personal history as well as any medical or other significant aspects of your life that may influence your ability to achieve your goal in therapy.
For individual therapy, we usually take 2 sessions to do a full intake assessment, review your detailed history and we will collaborate on creating a treatment plan that works for you. For couples therapy, we will meet all together for the initial session to establish the goals for therapy. After the initial session, I will meet with each member individually to get a personal history. Once this is completed, we will reconvene treatment all together.
What happens in the first session?
How do I know if you are the right fit for me?
Engaging in therapy requires vulnerability and trust and finding the right “fit” for you is an important part of the work. Feeling comfortable with and confident in your therapist is critical to your growth in therapy. If something that I am doing isn’t working for you, I am more than happy to discuss and adjust my approach. If you still feel that we are not a good “fit”, I am happy to help you find a therapist who is.
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Initial Intake Session - 60 minutes
Follow- up sessions- 50 minutes
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Based on Insurance Coverage, time of sessions may vary slightly.
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How Long Are Sessions?
What are your office hours?
Fridays 8am-5pm. If you reach out via phone or email, I will typically respond within 48-hours of stated office hours. I currently only offer teletherapy appointments to CA residents.
Just as a reminder, Curtis Counseling Services is unable to provide 24-hour crisis service. In the event that you or a loved one are feeling unsafe, require immediate medical or psychiatric assistance, please go to the nearest emergency room, call 911, or call the Access and Crisis Line at 1-888-724-7240.
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Working for change is a process that requires diligence and commitment. A big part of therapy is showing up to do the work to achieve your goals. I want to respect your dedication and courage and will expect a commitment of weekly sessions in the beginning stage of therapy in order to develop a strong relationship of comfort and trust.
Depending on your situation, needs and goals, bi-weekly sessions are available towards the last stage of therapy when skills learned in therapy are regularly practiced and goals are close to being met.
How Often Do We Meet?
How Long Does Therapy Take?
It varies based on your situation, needs and goals. Your dedication to practicing skills and tools learned in therapy as well as your motivation often determines when you reach your goals in therapy. There are some goals that are appropriate for short-term, solution-focused work (10-15 sessions), but more often a longer process in therapy is required to reach your goals. Your progress is in your hands and I will be collaborating with you on your treatment plan.
Initial Intake Session- $180
Follow-Up Sessions-
50 minutes Individual- $170
60 minutes Couples/Families - $180
Accepting Credit/Debit Cards
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To find out your mental health coverage, please log in to your insurance portal or call the number on the back of your insurance card for assistance.
What Is Your Fee For Therapy?
Do You Take Insurance?
I am a contractor for Grow Therapy and am a network provider for:
Kaiser NorCal patients
The client is responsible for the full session rate at the time of service. If the client has a PPO plan with out of network coverage, I can provide a super bill for potential reimbursement. As a reminder, the use of insurance requires that you meet medical necessity for treatment, which means that the client will have to have a mental health diagnosis. I recommend reaching out to your insurance provider prior to initiating services in order to gain understanding of your out-of-network or in-network benefits.
Yes, I have significant experience working with active duty military and their families. I worked with FOCUS (Families Over-Coming Under Stress) as a Resiliency Trainer and am trained in the FOCUS Resiliency Model. The experience gave me the professional opportunity to network with commands, initiate briefings and educate different communities on mental health support. More importantly, being a Resiliency Trainer offered me one of the greatest personal growth experiences as I learned how to embrace the traditions of the military, while maintaining the perspective of personhood that my clients embodied.
As a military spouse myself, I have a deeper understanding of military life and the sacrifice that is entailed on all fronts.
Do you have any specializations?
Do You Have a Cancellation Policy?
Yes, I require at least 24-hours notice when rescheduling or canceling an appointment. This is necessary to provide consideration for those who are on a waitlist to be seen. There will be no penalty for cancellations made prior to 24 hours. No-shows and cancellations made less than 24-hours will result in an automatic charge to the card on file for the full session fee. You will forfeit your online counseling session after 15 minutes. Emergency issues/illness will always be considered.
As of January 1, 2022, you have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 985-3059.