Private Pay options

Private pay can be preferable for some people.  Private pay therapy does not require a formal mental health diagnosis to begin.  You do not need to "qualify" for care and there is no insurance trail, no third party approval, and no permanent mental health record.  While some insurance companies put a "cap" on how many sessions you can bill per year, private pay therapy does not have any cap and provides the option for flexibility if you find you ever need intensive sessions or more than one therapy session in a week.  For some people, this level of confidentiality, quality, autonomy, and containment is important.
For others, private pay may be the only way to access a high quality therapist.  Many of the most skilled and integrative therapists are not paneled with many (or any) insurance companies.  This is because many therapists prioritize the quality of their work and time over billing systems, and many insurance companies do not provide adequate rates of compensation.  Sometimes, it can be hard to find a therapist who meets your needs and can provide the depth of work that you are looking for through your insurance carrier.  If you have had poor experiences with therapists that were not a fit through your insurance, or your insurance does not cover therapy at all, private pay may be the best option to get the care you need.  If you are looking for deep work that may include intensive sessions or multiple sessions in a given week, private pay therapy may be your path forward.
Private pay therapy is an investment in yourself.  When you invest in the depth, quality, flexibility, and insight you need for your healing, your whole life will reflect that choice.

Why choose private pay?

Rates for services

50-minute session: $185
90-minute session: $275
3 hour intensive: $600
5 hour intensive: $1000
Group or event: rates vary, contact to request

Sliding Scale Options

I reserve 20% of my slots for sliding scale clients.
Sliding scale options are for clients who are not able to pay my full fee, do not have an insurance provider with whom I am paneled, and are not able to find an adequate therapist through their insurance provider.
If you are interested in pursuing a sliding scale spot, contact me with a little information about your needs and I can share availability of sliding scale spots.
How can you increase the availability of my low-fee and sliding scale slots?
While I always reserve 20% of my slots for sliding scale clients, some clients have the ability to pay more than my base-rates and create availability for me to see more sliding scale clients at lower rates.
The Bay Area and California has an incredible amount of wealth disparity.  If you are someone who makes a high salary and wants to contribute to accessibility of high-quality, trauma-focused therapy to those who cannot access it at their income-level and insurance plan, reach out.  100% of the proceeds of your donation will go directly to covering mental health services for those who can’t afford it.

Contributing to increased Sliding scale availability

FAQs

  • No, unfortunately these offerings are not billable to insurance and are only available via out-of-pocket private pay.

    Insurance companies with which I am panneled will only cover 50-minute weekly sessions for those with a diagnosable mental illness.

  • Sessions billed to insurance are 50 minutes long. Longer sessions of 90 minutes, intensives of 3 hours or more, or other individualized requests fall under out-of-pocket private pay requirements. See rates above.

  • Yes. Evidence suggest reliability of therapeutic assessment, efficacy of treatment, and statistically equivalent outcomes for telehealth therapy as compared to face-to-face therapy.

    Telehealth can be preferable to in-person therapy due to no travel time, and being in the comfort of your own home.

  • The length of treatment is always determined between the client and the therapist, but if you are using insurance it is important to check with your insurance company and inquire about any caps on number of sessions billable within a year.

    While treatment length can vary, I typically work with clients for between 3 months and 2 years.

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost.

Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.

You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.