FAQ
1. Does therapy work?
Over 3,000 scientific studies show the consistent and positive effects of psychotherapy. The average client receiving psychotherapy is better off than 79% of clients who do not seek treatment. According to a study conducted through Consumer Reports, therapy has been shown to be useful in assisting people to develop more psychological awareness and insight, learn to communicate more effectively, learn to resolve both internal and interpersonal conflicts, manage, reduce or relieve symptoms of emotional distress, develop more social, relational or vocational functioning, pursue personal growth and development, and reconstruct their lives in the aftermath of trauma and abuse.
2. How long does therapy last?
The length of therapy depends on your goals, how frequently and consistently you attend sessions, your level of motivation for change and ability to incorporate new insights and practices, the type and intensity of concerns or issues you are addressing in therapy, and any unforeseen events that take place during the course of therapy. Everyone is unique and the length of time in therapy varies. Many clients begin seeing and experiencing a real, positive change in their lives and relationships after just a few sessions. Therapy is a collaborative process, and I encourage you to share your length preferences, if any. Some clients only attend 8-10 sessions while others continue the process for one year or more as they continue to pursue goals and practice new skills. Typically, the time in therapy is somewhere in between. I recommend the final session be planned. This allows us to summarize the progress, discuss what strategies to use to maintain the therapeutic gains, and say "good-bye." This resolution is associated with better long-term outcomes for clients than an abrupt termination.
3. I work during the day. Is it still possible to have sessions?
Yes, I cater my availability to my clients’ needs and am open Monday to Friday with some days as early as 11am and some days as late as a 9pm telehealth start time. I want to make sure you are able to receive your therapy without your work being affected. The late virtual sessions also help to have couples therapy after your toddlers, if any, are asleep.
4. Do I have to do in-home, online therapy?
Not at all. In addition to home-based, online video therapy, I offer sessions at my Oakland office.
5. Are video sessions still effective?
In my experience, I have found my clients receiving video sessions to make progress. You are more than welcome to try sessions in various methods (e.g. video and office-based) and see what works best for you. Thompson (2016), from Portland State University, reviewed the literature on teletherapy and concluded, “teletherapy appears to produce therapeutic changes in a client in a similar manner to traditional therapy.” Chakrabarti (2015) discovered that research data from studies “comparing clinical outcomes between videoconferencing-based interventions and conventional treatment found both conditions to be equivalent across diverse populations, across all age groups, and on a wide range of outcome measure.”
Chakrabarti, S. (2015). Usefulness of telepsychiatry: A critical evaluation of videoconferencing-based approaches. World Journal of Psychiatry, 5(3), 286–304. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v5.i3.286
Thompson, R. B. (2016). "Psychology at a distance: Examining the efficacy of online therapy" University Honors Theses. Paper 285. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/honorstheses/285
6. Do you accept insurance?
No, all my clients are from private pay. If your insurance partially or fully reimburses couples therapy for out-of-network providers, I can provide a superbill. Please contact your insurance first to verify.
7. Do you prescribe medication?
I do not prescribe medication. You may consult with your psychiatrist or urologist if you are interested in medication.
8. Do you offer in-person, in-home sessions?
I have previously offered in-person, in-home sessions for couples but have discontinued this due to high demand of my services.
9. Are you currently accepting new clients?
Yes, while I always have a relatively full client load, there is consistently a good ebb and flow of clients starting services and clients fading out from services as they feel more confident and happy in their relationship and therapeutic goals.