Policies, FAQs, and Forms

Policies

• Telepsychology

  With the pandemic I, as so many others, switched to online. That has worked amazingly well for most people as we have not had to add in commute time or the search for parking. Based on this, I will continue offering online sessions even as I open up in-person times. Starting in May 2024, I will have some in-person sessions available on Fridays in my office in Mountain View. Email for directions.

  If you do feel sick for any reason, please let me know and we can switch to an online session.

• Practice Philosophy

  Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personalities of the psychologist and patient and the particular problems you bring forward. As a Certified Cognitive Behavior Therapist, I utilize a variety of evidence-based counseling tools and psychotherapeutic approaches that have been tested and demonstrated to be effective. CBT requires a collaborative effort on both our parts. In order for the therapy to be most successful, you will need to work between sessions on the things we discuss in therapy. Clients who follow through with this work typically find that they achieve desired results in a very time-efficient manner. 

• Fees

  Fees are collected in full at the time of service.

  My fee is $250 for a 50-minute session. My fees are based on time scheduled and include other services such as writing notes after the session, and responding to short emails, texts, and short phone calls. Longer reports or other services are not included in these fees. For more details, please see the information in my consent form.

  Payment is by credit card, debit card, or HSA/FSA. I will give a $10 discount to those willing to use Zelle if it is processed before 5 PM on the same day as the appointment.

  Regardless of payment type, I can give statements/superbills upon request. These can be sent to your insurance for reimbursement. Please see the consent to treatment form for more details.

• Office Hours

  Daytime appointments are available starting at 7:10 AM with the last appointment starting at 3. Please call or email to schedule an appointment. If you want to request a specific open time, please do so and I will do my best to accommodate you.

• Cancellation Policy

  Sessions are usually scheduled once a week although they may be more or less frequent depending on what you need. Once you have booked my time for that slot, you are expected to pay for it whether or not you attend unless you provide 48 hours advance notice of the cancellation. This gives me a chance to book someone else into that slot.

FAQs

• You said that you typically use a certain number of sessions. What if I need more?

  If you need more, you get more. I strive to deliver therapy in a time-sensitive manner. My goal is not to turn people into good patients; my goal is to help people have good lives. To that end, I attempt to focus on the important issues that will lead directly to changes. Although most people will get their needs met in three to six months, some people need more. My goal is for my patients to get as much therapy as they need and not one session more. 

• Do I need to come every week?

  I do request that at the beginning of therapy, we make an attempt to meet weekly. It is easier to get momentum going so positive changes can begin to happen. Once there has been progress, people sometimes need more than one week to practice their new skills and at that point, therapy can be spread out to every other week and later even to once a month. 

  Conversely, sometimes life can get intense and we may need to schedule more than one session in a week. As long as we both have space in our calendars, that is fine to do.

• Do you have openings? Are you taking on new patients?

  My practice is based on the idea that people will get better and leave. That means that I typically have openings for new patients. The actual times I have open will change from week to week as some people may be scheduling a month in advance and some people have variable work schedules that prevent them from booking the same time each week. If you have a specific time that works best for you, please feel free to ask and I can let you know when it becomes available.

• Do I need to come at the same time every week? Can I come at the same time every week?

  I work on a first-come, first-served basis. Some people want to meet at the same time every week. As long as no one has booked one of those times, we can meet at the same time every week. Others want to book from week to week. For those, at each session, we can look at the openings for the next week. All appointments can be changed as long as that change is done at least 48 hours in advance. 

• How long will I be in therapy?

  It depends on what is going on for you. I have occasionally seen people for more than a year, but most of my patients complete within a few months. Within the first visit or two, we should be able to determine a ballpark figure for therapy.

  I like to use what I call a “personal trainer model.” If you went to a personal trainer and said that you wanted to be able to do 50 pushups, you could get there by meeting with your trainer once a week and working out once a week. However, it would take a long time. If you worked with your trainer once a week and then went home and did pushups each day, then you could go back to your trainer, who could help you with the position of the elbows and other ways to reach your goal faster. The things that are discussed in therapy are applicable to “real life,” so the skills need to be practiced there. In general, the more work done between sessions, the faster we can reach the goals.

• Do you work evenings/weekends?

  As I work with people to help set healthy boundaries, I find I must do the same for myself. I choose, therefore, to spend my evenings and weekends with my family. 

• What forms of payment do you accept?

  Payment is by credit card, debit card, or HSA/FSA. I will give a $10 discount to those willing to use Zelle if it is processed before 5 PM on the same day as the appointment.

  Regardless of payment type, I can give statements/superbills upon request. These can be sent to your insurance for reimbursement. Please see the consent to treatment form for more details.

• I can't see what I'm looking or in your specialties. Do you treat other things, too?

  I do treat a variety of things, not all of which are listed on the website. Feel free to email or call and ask. If I don’t treat that specifically, I’ll help you find someone who does.

• What are your hours?

  Daytime appointments are available starting at 7:10 AM with the last appointment starting at 3. Please call or email to schedule an appointment. 

Forms

New Patient Paperwork