tl;dr: Standard 50-minute sessions are $160. I take insurance, and I offer sliding scale.

the long answer: This fee reflects the costs of my formal education, state and licensing board fees, trainings, continuing education, and ever-increasing living expenses. As an associate, I am also subject to a fee split in order to maintain supervision which is necessary for licensure, thus I only receive a net portion of our agreed upon fee. Those who are able to afford my full fee also directly support those with limited financial security to access sliding scale spots. I strive to provide access to care and thus maintain a balance of full rate to sliding scale. Please inquire about my sliding scale availability. I will do my best to work with you in making our work together financially sustainable. If you are unsure where you land in terms of need, you might find the Green Bottle chart a useful tool in self-conceptualizing.

My group practice, Diaspora Therapy Group, accepts insurance payments through BlueCross Blue Shield, Blue Cross of California, Aetna, Cigna, Evernorth, Optum, United HealthCare, Carelon, Beacon HMO, Emblem Health HMO, Providence Plan, Unicare, and GHI Commercial. If your insurance is not listed above or I am unable to bill directly due to your particular coverage plan, I am happy to provide statements for insurance reimbursement (aka "super bills"). I recommend contacting your insurance provider and inquiring about your mental health coverage and out of network benefits to know your options.

Under the No Surprises Act law, you have the right to receive a "Good Faith Estimate.” This law ensures that cash-pay clients know how much their therapy will cost. You have the right to ask me for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an appointment, and to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.

Fees are due 24 hours prior to service. There is a 24 hour cancellation policy. Canceling in less than 24 hours will incur the full fee for the appointment.

Typically, sessions will be 50 minutes. That’s what we’ll start with. Extended sessions, such as 120 minute sessions, are available depending on the intensity of treatment desired. It’s something we can talk about.

Most folks I see, I see weekly. At time of consult, we will collaboratively determine the frequency of sessions, depending on your needs and my availability. Meeting on a weekly basis to start helps establish the focus of work and get to know one another better. As progress is made, once every two to three weeks may be a better pace. If finances are a barrier, we will decide together what is realistic and comfortable for your situation. I’m flexible, and my primary goal really is to meet you where you’re at.

It depends! The course of treatment will vary quite a bit depending on a variety of factors, including the nature and severity of what concerns brought you to therapy, what treatment goals we agree on, and your motivation for and commitment to the therapy process. After an initial assessment period, we will be able to better evaluate an approximate course of treatment. This process is mutual and built on a foundation of consent, consideration, and respect.

Our work together can be brief, addressing mild to moderate issues through skill-building and a solution-focused perspective on your current and most pressing struggles. In diving deeper into emotional and relational issues, longer term therapy will be needed to effectively address all areas of concern. We will periodically evaluate the progress of our work, check in on what’s working and what isn’t, and we’ll decide together when you have reached your goals.

Our first session is an opportunity to address the concerns which are bringing you to therapy. It’s also an opportunity to experience and assess what it will feel like for us to work together. We will discuss what the therapy process will likely entail and talk about all the logistical bits of confidentiality, fees, and scheduling. I’ll perform an initial assessment, which will include asking questions about your experiences. This will involve talking through a detailed history of your concerns, your personal relationships, and your family/upbringing. Before we end, I’ll make some initial treatment recommendations, respond to any questions you might have, and help you to decide on appropriate next steps, which may include the development of a treatment plan for our continued work together or referrals to other therapists in the community who may be more appropriate to serve your specific needs.

Finding the right therapist is an incredibly important step. You may have found me while seeking a provider with specific experience relevant to your needs. I encourage you to read through my about page or explore my specialties if you haven’t already to learn about what I do and how I do it.

I write in the way I speak, and what I have written on this website is an accurate reflection of my personal style, my values, and the scope of my work. I hope that it might give you some impression of how I am as a therapist. My style is conversational, creative, humorous, and personable. I try as much as I am to be a human being, and I hope that you’ll feel comfortable to be a human being with me too.

To get to know you and for you to get to know me, I provide a free phone consultation before we agree to schedule your first appointment. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you might have about therapy, my process and experience, what our work together could look like, and to talk about what your needs and concerns are at this time. If you find that I’m not quite what you’re looking for, I will provide you with referrals to other clinicians in the community who may be a better fit.

Your feedback is important to me. The talk about collaboration isn’t just talk. During the course of our work together, I’ll make explicit space during our sessions to discuss the course of therapy, address any concerns you may have about the process, and ensure that you are satisfied with your care. If you are not, we’ll adjust and see if we can make things work. There is, of course, no pressure to continue if you’re not feeling the right connection.

Our relationship is a professional one. It is respectful, accommodating, positive, and relaxed. It can be cordial, friendly, and warm. It is never disrespectful, abusive, pressured, or coercive. It is never sexual or romantic. It is limited to the confines of the therapy space we cultivate when in session together. It is not social beyond the bounds of the professional relationship. It is not required to continue if an issue is raised and not resolved. It is open to termination without prejudice.

I encourage an egalitarian space where you are welcomed and accommodated. I recognize that the dynamic of the therapist-client relationship is weighted towards the therapist having authority and control, and I try to actively counterbalance this by taking on the responsibility that your consent and boundaries are established, understood, and respected. I will encourage and be open to any questions from you, and I will answer them clearly, neutrally, and with dignity given. I will try to be sensitive to your communication style and be patient when it may be hard to put words to things. I may challenge you in times where it may be of therapeutic benefit to consider alternate perspectives, but I will adjust the way I do this meet you where you’re at.

I am currently booking clients through my group practice, Diaspora Therapy Group. If you are interested in working with me, please contact me for a free 15-minute phone call consultation. If you decide after this initial consultation that I am a good fit for you and your needs, we will arrange during that same phone call an appointment time for your first session and agree upon a fee for services.