I believe that finding a good match is critically important in selecting a therapist.  When an individual or couple plans to invest time and money to see someone and discuss very personal details of life, they should feel confident that the person they are meeting feels like a comfortable match overall in terms of the criteria that matter most to them.  Part of the introductory phone call I schedule with prospective clients is to make sure you can get a feel for that and I am happy to answer any questions that you may have. 

If you are curious about my personal background and credentials, click here to go to my Biography page

I am also using our first call as a time to assess if I feel like I am a good match for what a client or couple needs and, if we all feel that is the case, then we can proceed with scheduling a time to meet.  If I feel there may be other colleagues that I know of who I think could be a better fit then I can provide the appropriate referral information. 

Ultimately, I want clients to have the best experience overall and am hopeful to be that person for many of those who contact me, but can point others in another direction if it seems like there is another alternative option that is a potentially better match. 

I realize therapy can be a significant investment in time and money for individuals and couples and so I am conscious of trying to be as efficient as possible and make the best use of the time that we can.  When meeting clients for the first time, I have us think with the end in mind about what success looks like and what concrete ways we will know we have accomplished what we set out to do.  In doing so, we will be able to keep our eye on where we are headed and how we will best know when it is time to finish. 

I do not require clients to commit to a specific number of sessions and hope we can achieve our goals and objectives as quickly and efficiently as possible.  I often tell clients that success for me is working my way out of a job and helping an individual or couple feel we have accomplished what was hoped for and we can then conclude our work.  If it feels like it would be helpful to resume at some point in the future then we can have another conversation then about finding  time to meet again. 

I see clients on all different frequencies from weekly to every other week to monthly to as needed.   When I begin seeing a new individual or couple, it is often helpful to have a few weekly sessions in a row since there is much to learn about their story and to help us build an agenda for what we hope to accomplish as we start gaining momentum with progress. 

I will then collaborate with clients and discuss how we are doing to see what frequency feels most helpful for where we are in the process.  In many cases, we will begin tapering back sessions to spread out time and provide more opportunities to work on things in life that we have discussed and to be able to assess change and progress. 

Each case is unique and I partner with everyone to find the frequency that feels most helpful while taking into account all the variables such as available time and budget. 

I am typically in the office from 7:00 AM to 5:00 Monday to Friday and stay until 6:00 occasionally on some evenings when I can.   Therefore, my first available session is at 7:00 AM and my last would be at either 4:00 or 4:30 or 5:00 depending on the day. 

Regular sessions last 55 minutes, but longer sessions are available at a pro-rated cost.  I also offer 30 minutes sessions as well at a reduced cost.

Both options are available for clients. 

For those who prefer to meet in person, my physical office is in Westlake Village, CA at the Village Green Office Park off the Lindero Canyon Rd exit of the 101 Freeway. 

I also offer virtual sessions through a secure video service called Doxy.  Prior to our session, I can send a link through text or email for clients to open and the service is very easy to access without having to download any apps or programs.     

My fee is $200 per hour and 30 minute sessions are available for $100.  Sessions longer than an hour are available at a pro-rated cost.  Fees can be paid by cash, check or credit card.  For credit cards I use a secure service called IVY that allows clients to place a card on file and can provide instructions on how to use this for clients that prefer this payment method.

I am not currently in network with any insurance plans so clients are responsible for paying the fee out of pocket.  If you are part of an insurance plan you may be able to seek reimbursement from them for fees that you have paid, so check with your plan for the specific details of your coverage.  I provide paid invoices to many clients that are able to get partial or full reimbursement from their provider if possible through the plan.  I can help answer questions you may have about this process when we have our introductory phone or video call.