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FAQ Topics List

How do I choose a therapist?
Is therapy confidential?
What can I expect in a therapy session?
What is your education/background?
What is a LCSW?
How much does it cost? Do you accept credit cards?
Do you take insurance?

How do I choose a therapist?

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Friends, family, clergy, or other trusted individuals often are the best referral source because they know you and/or the therapist personally.

The trust and rapport between a patient and their therapist is vital for the success of therapy. So above all when looking for a therapist, you need to find a person who you feel at ease with, a person who you can talk to, and who you feel respects your values, beliefs, feelings, and you as a person.

Selecting a therapist is a highly personal matter. A professional who works well with one individual may not be a good choice for another person. That’s why I offer an initial 20-min phone consultation free of charge. This provides you with an opportunity to discuss your concerns and get a sense of whether I am the right therapist for you.

Is therapy confidential?

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Your privacy is one of my highest priorities, and as a rule the information you discuss with me in session is confidential and can only be disclosed to a third party with your expressed written permission. One of the benefits of working independently and not as part of a health insurance is that your information will not be shared with anyone. Read more about the disadvantages of using insurance here.

California State law does however provide exceptions for certain extreme situations in which a psychotherapist may breach confidentiality, and others where they are mandated by law to do so. Examples of these include

• Direct court orders
• A client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person.
• A client has engaged in or is engaging in the abuse of a child, an elder, or a dependent adult.
• A client is at risk of seriously harming her/himself.
  (In this case I would first make every effort to enlist the client’s cooperation in ensuring their safety. If this is not successful, I may breach confidentiality in order to keep them from harm.)

What can I expect in a therapy session?

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Every therapy session caters to the individual and their unique goals and needs. Therapy sessions last 50 minutes for individuals and 60 minutes for couples. I ask couples coming for the very first time to plan on staying for 75 minutes, so we have plenty of time not only to assess the situation, but also to do something about it! Appointments are usually scheduled on a weekly basis. During therapy sessions we will talk about the primary concerns in your life, and work together to find solutions. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue or goal, or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or mental health problems.

Some of the most important work in therapy actually happens in between the sessions. We will work together to give you tools to process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life.

What is your education/background?

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While I have spent most of my professional career in the States, I am originally from Berlin, Germany where I earned my master’s degree in social work (MSW), and a certificate in Systemic Counseling and Therapy from the Institute of Systemic Therapy and Occupational Counseling (ISTOB) in Munich.

I am a licensed psychotherapist, and have been working in the mental health field since 1996. Over the years I have been able to work with people from all walks of life - children, adults and seniors, couples and families, all from a wide variety of backgrounds. I have worked as a psychotherapist, psychiatric social worker, counselor, and case manager. This experience has greatly helped me to understand the full range of complex problems people face, and continues to shape my approach as a therapist.

What is a LCSW?

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A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) is a mental health practitioner licensed in California by the Board of Behavioral Science to provide psychotherapy in private practice. LCSWs are approved providers for insurance companies and managed care plans, and in addition to working as psychotherapists also practice in medical facilities and mental health clinics.

LCSWs must have a master’s or doctorate degree in social work with an emphasis on clinical experience, undergo a supervised clinical field internship with at least 2 years (3,200 hours) of postgraduate supervised clinical employment, and have passed the appropriate state licensing examinations.

How much does it cost? Do you accept credit cards?

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I offer an initial 20-minute phone consultation free of charge. After that I schedule 50-minute sessions for individuals and 60-minute sessions for couples. Please call me to discuss my current fee.

Paying for a Therapy Session. If you would like to pay for a therapy session using your credit or debit card, you can do this right here by clicking the button below. You will be taken to a PayPal page where you can enter the payment amount and billing information. All credit and debit card payments are made through PayPal, but you don't need to have a PayPal account to pay with your credit or debit card. Please add $3.00 to your payment amount to help pay for PayPal's service fee.

Do you take insurance?

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Presently I am not on any insurance panels and therefore cannot directly bill an insurance company in your name. However, if your insurance covers out-of-network providers, I would be happy to provide you with a bill that you can send to your insurance for reimbursement. Additionally, you may be able to apply your employer’s "flex spending plan", applying pre-tax dollars to therapy costs, or claim the therapy costs as a tax deduction.

You'll find more information on insurance and a discussion of the advantages of self-pay therapy here.