The initial evaluation is 45 minutes. Appointments thereafter are typically 45 minutes. If you are interested in a longer session, this can be arranged based on clinical appropriateness.

Session frequency is always tied to how we develop our treatment plan and goals. However, generally speaking we find that most of our clients begin with once or twice weekly sessions. We find it’s important to gain some momentum in the beginning by meeting weekly or progress can stall. Once some or all of your goals are met, sessions will likely decrease in frequency.

No, we do not accept any insurance. We will collect payment in full from you at the time of service. If you have a PPO-type plan and want to submit a claim for out-of-network reimbursement, we will give you a receipt so you may submit directly to your plan. Please note that submitting an insurance claim means we will need to render a mental health diagnosis.

Furthermore, The Center is not enrolled with any public assistance type of insurance provider such as Medicare, MediCal, or Medi-Medi. The Center has specifically opted out of Medicare and will provide you with the Opt-Out contract if you are a Medicare patient.

We pull from a variety of theories and techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Family Therapy, Positive Psychology, Trauma-Informed treatment, Attachment-Based Therapy, Play Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and Mindfulness techniques.

No, we are not medical doctors. Many of our clients find medication helpful, but many of them also progress well in therapy without medication. We assess for the utility of psychopharmacological evaluation, and will make this recommendation if appropriate. If you are already taking medication, we gladly coordinate care with your doctor.

We are not specialists in high conflict divorce or child custody situations; as our office works systemically. Additionally, we do not provide treatment for the following presentations: eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, sexual offenders or sexual addiction. Finally, we do not work with highly aggressive/violent children or adults.

The length of therapy is dependent on many factors, including your goals, how frequently and consistently you attend sessions, your level of motivation for change, and the type of concerns or issues you are addressing in therapy. In general, recent situational stressors or problems can be addressed in fewer sessions than longer-standing issues, or situations involving trauma or abuse. Longer-term goals can be pursued in “chapters” or stages if you prefer.

Yes, we provide safe, secure, and  HIPPA compliant telemental health sessions via phone or video-conferencing. Telemental health may be appropriate for a wide variety of presentations including, chronic illness, stress, depression, public health considerations, and family conflict. 

How best to participate in a child’s therapy depends primarily on the child’s age, the nature of the problem, and whether research supports parental involvement in the type of treatment your child is receiving. In some situations, particularly with younger children, parental guidance may be critical to bring about and support behavioral and emotional change between therapy sessions. In other situations, particularly with older children or adolescents, privacy between the child and therapist may form an important foundation for establishing trust and encouraging change. Regardless, at The Center we believe in an individualized approach for each family and will work with you to be transparent on what we recommend is best to support growth.

We treat a variety of behaviors, symptoms, diagnoses, and presentations including, but not limited to:

• Acute and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Adjustment and Coping Difficulties
• Anxiety
• Attachment Difficulties
• Bullying
• Cancer Support at All Stages
• Chronic Illness Support
• College Readiness
• Depression
• Difficulty Self-Regulating and Calming
• Employment and Work Stress
• Family Relational Problems
• Failure to Launch
• Fears and Phobias
• Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation
• Lack of Connecting to the World
• Medical Distress and Trauma
• Obsessive Compulsive Behavior
• Rare Disease Support Through the Diagnostic Odyssey
• School and Learning Difficulty
• School Refusal Behavior
• Sleep Difficulties
• Social Skill Difficulty