Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. I'm confused. Will my insurance cover part or all of the cost? How does it work?
A. Insurances coverage can be confusing to the uninitiated. Some insurance is strictly for certain contracted preferred (PPO) therapists. Usually in these cases, your co-pay will be less. Other insurances may offer preferred providers, but, will also pay ANY provider co-cost, but may ask for a greater co-pay from you. If you have insurance questions, we will be happy to sort them out for you. Telephone our admin line, 858-452-1199. If you have made a choice from our site, tell us the name of the therapist you would like to be seen by. From your insurance card, leave us your name, social security number, policy number, and the insurance company telephone contact number taken from your card. We will accept this as ‘verbal permission’ to contact your insurance company to determine your benefits, co-pay amount anticipated, and which therapist's can see you under your benefits. We will then telephone you as soon as possible with that information. That information is generally available during regular working hours. Please note: This insurance call exchange is privileged, and can not, will not be passed on to or shared with other than the insurance representative.

Q. Is there a 'base' or set fee? Does it cost more to bring another person?
A. Most therapists will see you for the first time for half his or her regular fee. This makes defining the goals and assuring you can work well together, less costly. As a rule, couple counseling costs the same as individual counseling. However, family therapy costs due vary with the size of the family, the number of members involved, etc.

Q. Are there evening or weekend appointments available?
A. Not always, as those are 'prime times'. Please note, however, some therapists may charge more for evening or weekend appointments than for regular business hour 9-5 appointments.

Q. Can I set up a 'regular time' for therapy?
A. Yes, but, you may have to juggle around for time in the beginning, but, because others are always completing their work, you will settle in to a time that works best for you, as soon as possible.

Q. Can I use my credit card?
A. Sorry, at this time, we do not accept credit cards. However, there is an ATM machine close to our office.

Q. If I do not have a baby sitter, can I bring my child to therapy?
A. As a rule, no. Except for very small babies who can be held and will likely sleep, a child's presence interrupts the therapy process. Some older children are welcome to spend the therapy hour in our waiting room, but, we are NOT equipped or manned to manage or entertain a child who will likely become bored quickly in the quiet waiting room. Small children must NOT be left unattended in the waiting room ever, because of the hot tea water system, the balcony outside, the privacy required behind each therapist's door, and other attractions a small child might not manage well.

Q. If I come in to therapy, and use my job-related insurance, can my therapy information get back to my work?
A. No. Your therapy is privileged and confidential. Your employer knows he/she can not ask the insurance company for ANY information regarding your therapy.

Q. How private is private?
A. On CONFIDENTIALITY - We want you to know that the law, professional ethics and common sense require that whatever you say or do during a psychotherapy session not be shared with anyone else without your written permission. For this 'permission', there are specific legal release forms to be signed. There are, however, some very few exceptions to this rule which, if you are concerned, you should discuss with your therapists. In VERY GENERAL terms, these exceptions are:
(1) If you have been referred for an evaluation or treatment by certain law agencies, we may be required to furnish information to that agency, but you will know that going in.
(2) Most therapists keep brief written records of your progress. Although it is extremely uncommon, under certain conditions, mostly lawsuits over health or psychological issues, those records may be subpoenaed, but only by a judge's order, and we may be obligated to surrender them. However, this would not be done without your advance knowledge.
(3) If you indicate that you may be a threat to yourself or someone else, we have a legal duty under a specific law, to attempt to prevent this.
(4) If you are a MINOR, we may have to keep your parents or guardians informed of your progress, if they ask. But, we DO NOT have to tell them details of your conversations.
(5) Some managed care insurance payment procedures require 'treatment reports' with some details. These are used only to determine if the treatment is 'necessary', and are not shared with your employer, or anyone else, ever. (Please feel free to discuss these points with your therapist)

HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES (Microsoft Word format)