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You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your healthcare services will cost.
Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to provide a good faith estimate of expected charges for items and services to individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services. You must submit a written request to us in person or email to kathy.wei.lcsw@gmail.com. A good faith estimate will be provided within 3 business days upon request. For more information or questions about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, you can visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or or call 1-800-985-3059
Most clients will attend one psychotherapy visit weekly, but the frequency of
psychotherapy visits that are appropriate for you may be more or less than once per week, depending upon your needs. The frequency and total number of sessions you attend may also be impacted by the type of problem or disorder, your characteristics and history, goals, what’s going on in the your life outside psychotherapy, how fast you are able to make progress, illness, vacation, and state and federal holidays, etc.
While some people feel relief after few session of psychotherapy, recent research indicates that on average 15 to 20 sessions are needed to result in clinically significant improvements. Sometimes, clients continue treatment over longer periods (e.g., 20 to 30 sessions over six months), to achieve more complete symptom remission. Clinical research suggests that clients with co-occurring conditions or certain personality difficulties may require longer treatment (e.g., 12-18 months) for therapy to be effective. With that being said, it is impossible to provide an estimate of the total number of sessions needed prior to meeting with the client.
Based on the fees and average total sessions for general treatment, the following are potential charges for psychotherapy services:
Our first session is an initial evaluation where we will discuss what brings you to therapy, your history, your symptoms, and your goals for treatment. It’s a collaborative space for us to get to know each other and see if we are a good clinical fit. Towards the end of the session, I will share my clinical impressions and discuss a potential treatment plan with you.
A good therapeutic relationship is built on trust, safety, and comfort. During our initial sessions, pay attention to how you feel when talking with me. I always say: finding a therapist is a lot like dating, you don't marry the first person you go out with! You look around until you find the person you truly click with, and finding a therapist works the exact same way. If at any point it doesn't feel like a right match, I am more than happy to provide referrals to other trusted professionals to ensure you get the support you need.
To help make care accessible, I am in-network with several major insurance plans through the Octave and Headway platforms. Depending on your insurance provider, your care will be managed through one of these two platforms. If you are interested in getting started, please submit an interest form. Before our first session, I will verify your behavioral health benefits to confirm your coverage, any copays, or an applicable deductible.
For clients who choose not to use insurance, I also offer a cash-pay option. A full breakdown of my private pay therapy fees can be found here: Therapy Fees
Octave and Headway are secure, specialized platforms that handle credentialing, insurance verification, and billing for independent private practices.
Because managing insurance directly as a solo practitioner involves extensive administrative overhead, partnering with these platforms allows me to accept major health insurance plans seamlessly. While they manage the administrative logistics and billing side of your care through their secure systems, your therapy sessions and the clinical treatment you receive remain entirely and directly with me.
View more about Octave and Headway here:
My practice is outpatient-based, and I am not available for immediate crisis intervention outside of our scheduled session times. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency or feel unsafe, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I provide psychotherapy, lifestyle medicine consultation, and behavioral health counseling, but I do not prescribe medication. If we determine that medication could be a helpful complement to your therapy, I am happy to collaborate with your primary care physician or provide a referral to a trusted psychiatrist.
Coaching is not regulated by the government. In other words, there are no state or federal laws nor regulations that govern coaching as a profession or define a scope of practice for those who offer coaching services. Any person can label himself or herself as a coach. Coaching does not require a license, specific education, or experience. (1)
Legally, coaches are not psychotherapists. The practice of psychotherapy, whether as a marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, psychologist, or professional clinical counselor, is defined under state law. The scope of therapy practice includes the use, application, and integration of the diagnosis, assessment, prognosis, and treatment of mental disorders. (1)
Because coaching is not psychotherapy and because clients are not considered patients under the laws that protect psychotherapy patients, coaching clients could not successfully assert the psychotherapist-patient privilege in regard to records that may exist and/or information that may have been shared as the result of a coaching relationship. In other words, coaching clients have right to privacy, that right to privacy is not the same right to confidentiality that is enjoyed by psychotherapy clients. (1)
(1) Coaching vs Therapy, Articles by Legal Department Staff.
Disability Insurance (DI) provides short-term wage replacement benefits to eligible California workers who have a loss of wages when they are unable to work due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. (1) You might be eligible for State Disability Insurance (SDI) as a patient/client and/or a caregiver, you may be covered by one of two benefits: Disability Insurance (DI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL). (2)
According to EDD, the following physicians/practitioners can certify claims: Licensed medical or osteopathic physician/practitioners; Authorized medical officer of a U.S. Government facility; Chiropractor; Podiatrist; Optometrist; Dentist; Psychologist; Nurse practitioner; physician assistant; Licensed midwife, nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner for normal pregnancy or childbirth; Accredited religious practitioner (2). Psychotherapists are not listed as practitioners that can certify disability claims.
With that being said, I am unable to manage your disability claim due to State regulations. However, I am more than happy to work with your physician(s) and provide information necessary in regards to your mental health diagnosis, treatment and you current level of functioning. (A release of information form must be signed by you for us to exchange information with your providers.)
(1) About the State Disability Insurance Program
(2) Roles of Physicians/Practitioners in State Disability Insurance
As your psychotherapy provider, I can provide you with a provider's note (AKA work note, school note) at times if you miss work or school due to schedule conflict with your treatment or if your symptoms worsen and you can not attend to work or school as a result from your mental health diagnosis.
The following details will be shared in a provider’s note: The date and time of the treatment; The provider’s name; My recommendation for time off work/school.
If you need a provider's note, please notify me at the beginning of the session. Direct inquiry from your employer or school will not be responded to, unless if you sign a released of information form.
Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Lifestyle medicine applies the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, a whole-food eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and positive social connections, also provides effective prevention for these conditions. (1)
The field of lifestyle medicine, which considers the relationship between lifestyle factors and health, holds remarkable potential for addressing mental well-being. Mental health is connected to the various lifestyle pillars and plays a vital role in a healthy lifestyle and overall quality of life. Additionally, when mental health symptoms coincide with chronic physical conditions, they can impact an individual's ability to make the sustainable lifestyle changes necessary for positive outcomes. (2)
Prioritizing stress management within the framework of the six lifestyle medicine pillars will also lead to improvements in sleep, social connection, physical activity, and appetite. The goal is to offer a comprehensive approach that addresses mental health symptoms, ultimately leading to improved overall outcomes.