Terms & Policies

 

Confidentiality:

All therapy sessions are kept strictly confidential.

Confidentiality and privileged communication remain the rights of all clients according to state law. However, there are limits to confidentiality when it is mandated by law. The following are the major areas where confidentiality is limited:

  • California state law mandates the reporting of incidences of child and elder abuse, including financial, physical, sexual, unlawful sexual intercourse, neglect, emotional and psychological abuse. All actual or suspected acts of such abuse will need to be reported to the appropriate agency.
  • Some courts have held that if an individual intends to take harmful, dangerous, or criminal action against another human being or against themselves, it is my duty as the therapist to warn appropriate individuals of such intentions. Before informing anyone who should be warned, I will take all possible steps to share that intention with you. Every effort will be made to resolve the issue with you so as to prevent such breach of confidentiality.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

Appointments must be cancelled 24-hours in advance. Otherwise, a full standard session fee will be charged directly to you, and to be paid as soon as the next appointment. The session time established will be your standard appointment time. 

Consultation:

My first session is FREE. This gives us the chance to get to know each other a little, to come to understand together what some of the issues are that you are hoping to address in therapy, and to see whether I am the best person to help you. If I am not, I will gladly give you a referral to a therapist who will be best suited to walk with you to meet your therapeutic goals.

If I am the best person to help you and you would like to start therapy with me, we will then set up a weekly or bi-weekly session time. This time is then blocked off in both of our schedules: it is reserved only for you. The next time we set to meet, we will begin on your (unselfish!) journey.

FACILITIES:

Suite 202 is located on the 2nd floor of the 200 E. Del Mar Blvd Building. We welcome you with warmth and invite you to sit down, have some water, tea or coffee while you wait for your therapist to come greet you. There is a call-light system on the right wall when you enter the Suite. Find my name, press the button next to it, a light will come on, and I will be alerted to your arrival. When your session is scheduled to start, I will come meet you and we will go back together into my office.

Other therapy facts:

  • Your Therapy session (individual, family, couples, child) will last 50 minutes.
  • You may begin or end therapy at any time. It is customary to discuss your desire to terminate therapy at least one week in advance. We will then process together the possible reasons for ending, which can be a very useful session for growth.
  • I check my messages at least twice a day: 8am and 6pm. If you call after 6pm, I will get your message at 8am the next morning.
  • Emergencies are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. In the unlikely event, you are not able to reach me, please call a friend or family member, or go to the nearest hospital or call 911.