Qualifications
I am a psychotherapist (MFT Lic. #37670), Nationally Certified Counselor (#28399), and have a Ph.D. in Counseling. My education, training, and experience include providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families since 1992.
Nature of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy presents an opportunity to work on your personal issues, to learn, and to grow. You’re primarily in charge of your counseling experience, and we will explore ways in which you may possibly have greater fulfillment. You’ll be encouraged to seek out alternatives to current actions and to explore new directions.
Our counseling relationship is based on equality and mutual cooperation. Goal-setting will be discussed and mutually decided. Please note that while it’s impossible to guarantee specific results, progress can be made with the required amount of effort on our parts. Counseling has many potential benefits, but there may be times you feel uncomfortable as you explore new ways of thinking and acting. There may be unexpected life changes, and possible negative consequences may occur, which may be discussed at any time.
Some clients need just a few months to achieve their goals; most clients prefer longer. As a client, you are in complete control – including refusing or modifying any technique. You may terminate at any time. When you leave, please consider a closure session to discuss progress, areas which may require further attention, and referrals. Although our sessions may be very intimate psychologically, ours is a professional relationship that will be rendered in accordance with acceptable ethical standards. Our contact will therefore be limited to counseling sessions.
Referrals
Should you or I feel it is appropriate, we will identify and make referrals, including for severe emotional distress or medical attention. If at any time you’re dissatisfied with this service, please let me know. If you have a complaint that cannot be resolved by discussion or referral, you may contact the Board of Behavioral Sciences, 400 R St. 3150, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Appointments
Your therapy time is reserved for you. Please provide two (2) days’ notice for a session you know you’re going to miss. If you’re unable to notify me two days prior, you will be charged for the session.
Telephone, Text, and Email Contact
Although our contact will be limited to sessions, there may be reasons for you to contact me. Generally, I do not charge for short phone conversations. If you cannot reach me, and if your safety is involved, please call 911 and leave a message on my voicemail.
Please note that I often communicate by text and email regarding various administrative matters (such as rescheduling an appointment time). I do my best to maintain confidentiality by using encryption and passwords to ensure the highest level of privacy. However, due to the uncertain nature of the Internet and other forms of communications, these types of communications are not guaranteed to be confidential.
Payment of Fees
All fees are payable in full at the time of each therapy session. An insurance form (superbill) will be provided for you so that you may file your own insurance at your convenience. Any reimbursement from your insurance company would be mailed directly to you.
Health insurance companies require that I diagnose your mental health condition and indicate you have a diagnosable condition before they will agree to reimburse you. I will inform you of the diagnosis before I give you the first form for you to send to your insurance company. Please note that any diagnosis made will become part of your permanent insurance records.
Confidentiality
The law gives you the right to confidentiality. This means that anything you say to me will be held in strictest confidence. However, all MFT’s are governed by various laws and regulations, including the obligation to break confidentiality in certain situations:
1) If a determination is made that you are in imminent danger to harming yourself, someone else, or their property, I must do what I can to ensure your safety.
2) If I suspect or learn about actual child abuse, adult dependent abuse, and elderly abuse, as a mandated reporter, I must report this.
3) If a court of law (a judge) requires disclosure, I have no option but to comply.
4) If you’re filing insurance and your insurance company requires information for filing insurance claims, answers to any inquiries become part of your insurance records.
5) In the event that I become ill, disabled, or unavailable for any reason, Dr. Mark Danson will be responsible for taking over the details of my practice and administering practice materials. Dr. Danson can be contacted at (323) 932-1677.
Due to the nature of the therapeutic process and your making disclosures that are personal and confidential in nature, if there are or will be legal proceedings (including, but not limited to, divorce and custody disputes, injuries, and lawsuits), I will not voluntarily get involved in any legal matters, including turning over records and/or testifying.
If, however, you are or become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, including depositions, subpoenas, talking to your attorney, etc., you will be charged for all of my professional time at the rate of $500. per hour, including but not limited to time for any preparation as well as travel time, even if I am called to testify by another party.
In any case, if you are involved in any employment or legal matter and would like any psychological evaluation or recommendation – including but not limited to ability to go back to work, to determine the safety around your children or spouse, or the need for a support animal – I will refer you to a psychologist who is trained to do so.
Termination
Unlike going to a medical doctor, I will not be prescribing the length of treatment. In fact, you’re in charge of when you would like to terminate. So, when you feel that you’re ready to end our sessions, please consider giving me at least one week’s notice before you’d like to terminate so we can have a closure session.
Good Faith Estimate
For those of you paying out-of pocket (not using insurance, you’re entitled to receive this “Good Faith Estimate” of what the charges will be for psychotherapy services (Service Code 90834 and 90846) provided to you. While it’s not possible for a psychotherapist to know in advance how many sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person, this form provides an estimate of the cost of services provided. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you. This estimate is not a contract and does not obligate you to obtain any services, nor does it include any services rendered to you that aren’t identified here.
This Good Faith Estimate is not intended to serve as a recommendation for treatment or a prediction that you may need to attend a specified number of psychotherapy visits. The number of visits depends on your needs and what you agree to in consultation with me. You’re entitled to disagree with any recommendations made to you concerning your treatment and you may discontinue treatment at any time.
The fee for a 50-minute psychotherapy visit (in-person or via telehealth) rangers from $280 – $325. The frequency of psychotherapy visits that are appropriate is weekly, but may change depending upon your needs. Based upon a fee of $280 per visit, if you attend one psychotherapy visit weekly, your estimated charge would be $1,120 per month (up to $1,250). Your total estimated charges will coincide with the number of visits and length of treatment.
You have a right to initiate a dispute resolution process if the actual amount charged to you substantially exceeds the estimated charges stated in your Good Faith Estimate (which means $400 or more beyond the estimated charges). Please note that the law – H.R. 133 – was intended to contain hospital costs: Your estimate will not vary from what you will pay. I encourage you to speak with me at any time about any questions you may have regarding the information provided to you in this Good Faith Estimate.