How do I know if therapy is right for me?

I’ve been working in the mental health field for over 20 years now, so I honestly can say everyone can benefit from therapy in some way or shape at some point in their life. The research shows this as well- that basically anyone can benefit from unpacking their feelings about past, current, and future circumstances & building emotional resilience and empathy.

This vital therapeutic relationship can teach us about ourselves, how we interact with others, and how we come across to others, which can be immensely beneficial for pursuing optimal health goals.

The hard part is prioritizing yourself and the therapy space for the true benefit to be unveiled. This takes the cultivation of a safe environment with a safe person. This relationship allows us to unravel one’s personal thoughts, feelings, and belief safely. Part of the therapy process is seeing if there is room for perspectives that can be hard to understand and tease apart. Don’t knock therapy until you try it, and possibly with many different therapists as its an intimate relationship that must take you to a higher consciousness within yourself.

I have found in my professional experience, therapy is an excruciatingly important tool for personal, romantic, and business relationships to be explored consciously, versus reactively. It took me many many years to realize the importance of therapy and to PRIORITIZE it above other aspects of my health. As I have learned in my own therapy process, therapy is so impactful for those who do not feel strong attachments to self, family, or others. It’s a place to build secure attachment and to be seen for yourself, which can be so very daunting and scary.

If you still have further questions on whether therapy is right for you, please schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me, and we can further explore what you may be looking for and what you may need clinically.

How do I know what service or location is right for me?

Everyone starts with an intake session, which is also known as a 90791 if you are consulting with your insurance company. Service time and location is deeply subjective, however, clinically I recommend weekly as we get to know each other and the dynamics you are unpacking. Everyone engages in therapy differently and can access their parts in different ways at different times of day. I always lean towards the opposite, if you work with people a lot and it would benefit you to access therapy to do virtual- book a virtual session at a convenient time for you to get started today.

If you are working virtually all day - try an in person Mission Valley office visit- grab a coffee, cold water, or snack during your session and get some human connection, mindfulness, and some duality of tasks- on your way home, stop at the gym or grocery store, visit a nature spot and integrate the session, or do some retail therapy after if that’s your thing- it’s good for your mental health to be near people!

If you are finding yourself stuck in a physical or mental health therapy office - lack of movement rut, like many of us do from time to time, book a “Walk and Talk” session in beautiful San Diego, California! It is such a beautiful way to incorporate movement, emotions, and reprocessing in a truly beautiful environment with someone you trust walking you and speaking low away from others for increased confidentiality. I have seen some amazing therapy milestones achieved in nature, both with individuals and couples. Please pack accordingly- shoes, water, sunblock, and be ready to move. However, if you are feeling like not moving, we can also sit in nature and have our session, confidentially away from others.

What will our first session look and feel like?

In short, my goal for you and your partner is to receive what you need out of therapy, always. First, we will take a deep breath, relax, we are on this journey together going forward, and I am fully committed to assisting you both in feeling unstuck. I will assist you with having a deeply intuitive experience that allows self-exploration of strengths and weaknesses-compassionately exploring the light and the darkness in your history, current dynamics, and future goals.

Prior to our first session, you will be provided access to my confidential client portal access where you can fill out your personal information on why you & your loved one are coming to therapy, mood and substance use informational measures, childhood risk factors, payment information, and scheduling calendars for requesting future appointments and chat communication for ease and accessibility.

The client portal is where I store all our HIPAA-encrypted confidential information and allows us to have peace of mind with providing ongoing assessments, scheduling, communication, telehealth, and payment processing in one app.

The first session should feel like we are starting a new relationship, so it may feel a bit awkward as I am getting to know you & your partner more in depth by downloading your history, mental health risk factors, past relationship components, current factors, and goals for the future. I also review the pros and cons, informed consent, and any questions about me being a mandated reporter or asking for any effective communication accommodations. If we are working as a couple, I would divide the next sessions into individual history and rapport-building sessions before coming back together for the third session for collaborative treatment planning. Subsequent sessions should feel like we are more in sync, the more the therapeutic rapport is built.

As the therapeutic rapport is built, symptoms and circumstances seem clearer, and we are able to dig deeper into your bio-psychosocial & attachment history and comfort level to work on deeper trauma if appropriate. Utilizing the EMDR/IFS approach, I gain permission to go towards deeper-rooted attachment wounds or negative schemas that have caused individuals to remain feeling unwell. This can take a few sessions to fully gather a better treatment road map, especially when working with couples and intimate personal trauma. Upon mutual collaboration, we develop a treatment plan to address your goals. This process is entirely collaborative; at a safe pace that aligns with your personal motivation, evidence-based modalities are utilized along the therapeutic process.

How frequently should we meet?

This is a great question and one I frequently get asked in the first consultation and or intake session. I tend to provide recommendations on a weekly or biweekly basis to get us in an optimal cadence for growth and introspection towards the desired outcome, however we are humans with schedules and lives so these are just recommendations.

Change does not occur overnight, and it takes us developing a strong therapeutic rapport for me to be able to provide accurate and helpful tools for you that may be difficult for your loved ones to provide. We check in frequently to ensure that we are understanding the treatment goals and progress being made or not made towards them. Many people are initially worried that there will be no progress to be made and that they won’t be effective with therapy due to their life requirements; therefore, they do not feel like starting. I tell individuals feeling like this to reflect on, this is a totally safe space that you get to dictate and control in many ways, however you use it. Why leave off on fear? Why not check in with your hopes and dreams? Fear can really wreak havoc if not checked, so that is another. It’s ok for there not to be any goals, just exploring one’s inner thoughts, feelings, emotions, and relationship with oneself.

Some people are deeply impacted by the intimacy and questions of therapy and need more time in between sessions, and some need less. This is why my client portal is always available to you as I have reschedules, cancellations, and discharges all the time, so you & I can tailor your treatment to your exact comfort & needs.

Many modalities & symptomology require more frequent contacts, longer sessions such as intensives, such as EMDR & Gottman Method Couples Sessions that often require 120- 180 minute sessions, weekly or bi-weekly, for treatment goals to be reached within time constraints.

As I guide my clients through their journey of self-acceptance and love through their trauma work, I always encourage finding one’s own autonomy for schedule and resources. Communicating with me your desires and ideal time windows helps this process tremendously.

What if I can’t afford more sessions or have the time?

Most of my clients are busy working professionals many are parents, entrepreneurs, travelers, and creatives; therefore, they are the most historically low-resourced population to date that we are seeing in therapy. However, therapy, deep trauma therapy is an investment in your health and wellness, often changing the trajectory of your life, which is deeply worth the investment in my eyes.

As a working mother myself, I do not require you to hold your weekly or biweekly spot, as I get life, and I prefer to have more organic conversations on what makes sense for your treatment goals and resources. My client portal is 24/7 open for this ease in scheduling, communicating, or cancelling of sessions, which is tremendously helpful to my clients. All I ask that you give me 48 hours notice to be able to cancel childcare or re-schedule a client who prefers that timeslot.

I have tons of supplemental resources to help you along the journey of health and wellness if you cannot afford weekly therapy. I recommend you subscribe to my blog- Amy’s Anecdotes Advice Avenue for adjunctive therapeutic educational support for all things mental health, relationships, and self-care from an evidence-based focused Couples Trauma Therapist.

Remember, reading and absorbing information is one aspect of intellectualizing healing, feeling and relational integration is a completely different aspect of healing and that takes time. Reach out to me, let me know, and I can also share more in session or post-therapy with permission.

If finances are ever an issue, please reach out to me as well as I aim to serve my clients the best I can. I can offer a payment plan after exploring financial accomodations and sliding scale needs.

What is your cancellation or rescheduling policy?

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please let me know right away, ideally 48 hours before your upcoming appointment time, as I reserve this time, especially for you and your loved ones. If you are sick, I do not want you coming to session and would prefer to reschedule to virtual or another time that works for both of us. The client portal is available 24/7 to jump on & cancel, reschedule, or communicate with me directly via HIPPA platform if you have any scheduling or clinical matters that need to be discussed instantly to ensure ease with avoiding this unnecessary cost for all.

Under 48 hours, please still communicate as soon as possible, as I may be able to have someone use the spot without the charge, and make all efforts to reschedule. In any case of a missed appointment or late cancellation, the full appointment fee will be charged due to the sacredness of the time held. All intake appointments must have a credit card on file in order to reserve your first appointment, or the appointment will be cancelled.

Will my sessions always look the same and cost the same amount?

Depending on the length of the session, number of individuals involved, and the modalities utilized, the fee will differ. Some couples and individuals prefer to have longer & less frequent sessions due to their schedule & commute, and treatment goals, which impacts the fee. Fees also increase annually for existing clients due to inflation and continuing educational educational experiences.

Why don’t you accept insurance?

I am not in network with any insurance provider due to the nature of the deep trauma work I provide. Many insurance companies state they cover family and couples sessions, but do not do so when the relationship is the main issue of concern. I will provide you with a super bill (generated monthly in the client portal) that you may send to your insurance company for direct reimbursement.  Many of my clients have PPO insurance and receive 50-90% reimbursement as an out-of-network (OON) provider, which will be directly reimbursed to you.

To determine the net cost of your session using your PPO insurance, please research and compute your deductible, the total deductible amount already accrued for the calendar year, and the percentage of the therapy fee your insurance company will cover. Cost per session is payable via credit, debit, HSA, or FSA directly through my confidential portal. Please contact me if you have special circumstances. I do hold some sessions for sliding scale spots.

I’m happy to discuss any questions associated with fees and insurance in our initial consultation call.