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FAQ:
WHAT DOES IT COST?
My fee is in the mid-range for private practice psychotherapy in the Los Angeles Area. The fee is determined by the type of therapy (telephone session vs. Face to face appointment), frequency of sessions, and Individual vs. Couple and Group therapy.
WILL MY INSURANCE PAY FOR MY SESSIONS?
Some plans will reimburse for my services, so you may want to check with yours to see if they will cover individual psychotherapy with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker of your choice. I request payment at each session, but I am happy to prepare a monthly statement for you to submit to your insurance company. I do not belong to any managed care provider panels, however, because I find them too restrictive and not compatible with most people's real needs. Also, managed care usually requires sharing private information with several people, which goes against the idea of protecting a client's confidentiality.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT IN THE INITIAL APPOINTMENT?
When we meet for the first time, I conduct an intake interview. I ask that my clients allow an hour and a half for the first session, however you will only be billed for the regular 50 minute hour. This is the beginning of my information gathering process. I will be asking some factual questions (name, age, address, etc.), some questions about your physical health, and about your family history. You will have ample opportunity to begin talking about why you decided to seek therapy at this time and we will begin to formulate some goals for your treatment plan. This is also an opportunity for us to get a sense of what it is like for us to work together. If, at the end of the first session, we decide for any reason that your needs would be better served by someone else, I will do my best to provide you with referrals to meet those needs.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
It is not possible to answer this question accurately since the length of treatment varies from individual to individual. After I learn more about the issues you would like to work on, I might be able to provide you with some idea of how long we might be working together. Ultimately it depends on the motivation of the clients, if you are coming to work on one specific goal and accomplish that goal, then you may end up terminating treatment at that time. It is not uncommon for a clients to call for an occasional "spot" session down the line.
WHAT IF I NEED MEDICATION?
Only Psychiatrists and MD's are licensed to prescribe medication. I do, however maintain a close working relationship with a variety of psychiatrists who are knowledgeable, ethical and compassionate, and I will match you up based on your needs, personalities, location, etc. If at any point you or I feel that a medication evaluation might be helpful, I would recommend that you make an appointment for an evaluation, however the final choice is always yours.
WHAT DOES L.C.S.W. STAND FOR?
LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. LCSW's are required to obtain a Master's level degree, complete 3200 hours of training, and pass rigorous testing prior to becoming licensed. They are qualified to conduct several types of counseling and psychotherapy.
HOW CAN I CHECK LICENSE STATUS?
To check the license status of any LCSW, you can go to http://www.bbs.ca.gov, the website for the Board of Behavioral Sciences, a California consumer protection agency governing several types of licensed mental health professionals.