FAQ
Do you offer teletherapy?
Yes! We offer teletherapy using a secure and HIPAA-compliant program called SimplePractice. We are able to offer teletherapy to residents of California, Hawaii, and Florida. For more information on Florida's telehealth policies, please visit: https://flhealthsource.gov/telehealth/.
In what states do you provide services?
Currently, we are able to offer teletherapy appointments to residents of California, Hawaii, and Florida. All of our providers are licensed in California. Dr. Christopher Hawkey and Dr. Andie Murray can provide teletherapy Florida residents. Dr. Elise Yoshida can provide teletherapy for Hawaii residents.
If you are interested in working with us but currently reside or will have temporary residence in another state besides CA, FL, or HI, feel free to contact us to see if we are able to provide temporary therapy or offer appropriate referrals.
Do you take insurance?
The short answer is no. We use a private pay model, which allows your provider to dedicate more time to your treatment and less time to paperwork. However, we maintain standardized record-keeping and can provide you with a detailed receipt (called a superbill) for your therapy services. Some insurance plans (like PPO plans) may cover a portion of the session fees for out-of-network providers like us. We are glad to provide you with monthly superbills so that you can submit them to your insurance. We are not able to submit superbills for you. CPT codes that are commonly used for treatment include 90791, 90834, 90853, and sometimes 90837. Your insurance company will likely need these codes to estimate reimbursement.
Can I join the DBT Skills Group without individual therapy?
While our DBT Skills Group is not limited to West Coast CBT (WCCBT) clients, we do require group participants to be engaging in individual therapy. However, you do not have to be engaged in individual therapy at WCCBT. For people with outside individual therapists, we require a 30-minute individual appointment for group orientation, authorization for release of information between WCCBT and your individual therapist so that we can collaborate on care, and for your individual therapist to complete a form to orient group leaders to your treatment.
How much does therapy cost?
Clinical psychologists in Southern California tend to charge somewhere between $150 and $400+ per 45-minute session. Our fees are as follows:
$275 per 45-minute individual session (90834)
$125 per 90-minute group session (90853)
Please contact us regarding possible avaialbility for low fee/sliding scale sessions.
What is a clinical psychologist?
A clinical psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) is a doctoral-level clinician or researcher who is trained to diagnose and treat mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. Clinical psychologists are typically required to spend more time in school and gaining relevant experience in order to obtain licensure than other types of therapists. Clinical psychologists who hold a Ph.D. are also typically required to demonstrate mastery of the principles of clinical research and their knowledge of the research literature. The many training requirements outlined here are also why clinical psychologists typically have the highest fees as compared to therpists with other degrees.
How do I assess the quality of a psychologist?
Many factors contribute to the overall “quality” of a psychologist. Some factors to consider include the psychologist’s training, experience, and “fit” with you. Questions you can ask to assess training and experience include:
Did you graduate from an APA accredited program?
Did you do an internship at a APPIC internship site?
What was the nature of your postdoctoral residency?
Have you been intensively trained or certified in any specific treatments?
How many people have you treated with treatment goals like mine?
Remember that the research indicates that the “fit” with the therapist is also important for good treatment outcome. It is ok to test drive a few therapists to find a good “fit” for your goals.
What is the difference between CBT and DBT?
CBT is an umbrella term that covers many different types of treatments that are evidence-based and focus on changing behavior and/or cognitions. DBT is a specialized form of CBT that is more intensive as it includes individual therapy, skills group, phone coaching, and therapist consult group. Read more about these treatments here.
How do I pay my psychologist?
Prior to your first session, we ask every person to have a credit card on file with us. Payment is taken at the time of the service. Although we require a credit card to be on file, you can also choose to pay for your session by cash or check if that is more convenient for you. Any missed sessions or sessions that are cancelled with less than 48 hours notice will be charged to the credit card on file. If another person is paying for your treatment, you will also need to sign a release of information prior to your first session so that we can talk to that person about billing matters.
