Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General FAQs

  • I do not accept insurance and am an out-of-network provider. This allows me to create a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to you and your needs, instead of what insurance companies dictate. I can provide you with a monthly superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for potential partial reimbursement as part of your out-of-network benefits. To learn whether you may be eligible for partial reimbursement, please call your insurance provider and ask whether they offer coverage for “out-of-network” mental health/behavioral health services; they will be able to provide you with the specifics of your benefits.

  • Both!

    I currently provide therapy services primarily online, through secure telehealth. This allows me to work with any adult, teen, child, or family residing anywhere in California. One of the biggest pros of telehealth is being able to integrate therapy more easily and naturally into your daily life.

    For those wanting in-person services, I have some limited availability to see clients in person on the Westside of Los Angeles (just west of the Sawtelle area). Please indicate this preference for in-person services when you reach out to me.

  • No!

    I can provide teletherapy to clients based anywhere in California. Clients must be physically located within California at the time of telehealth appointments. I also serve clients in the Bay Area (including San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, and Mountain View), San Diego, the far northern reaches of the state, and everywhere in between.

  • Feeling uncertain or nervous about starting therapy is completely normal. We move at a pace that feels respectful and manageable for you. I offer free 15-minute phone consultations in part to give you the opportunity to get a sense of what it would be like to work with me and to answer any questions you may have.

  • My approach to therapy is collaborative and goal-oriented. Before beginning treatment, I will develop and propose an individualized treatment plan based on your specific therapy goals. Treatment begins once we agree upon the treatment plan. As therapy progresses, I ask the individuals and families I work with for regular feedback to ensure that we are continuing in the direction that feels consistent with your therapy goals. Additionally, I will use data I obtain from objective, evidence-based assessments and questionnaires that I will ask you to complete from time to time. This approach, called measurement-based care, has been repeatedly shown by research to improve treatment satisfaction and outcomes. You can learn more about this approach on the “What I Offer” page under the “Therapy Services” section of this website. Taken together, the feedback and objective data will help us see what’s improving, what feels stuck, and when adjustments to the treatment plan may be helpful. Progress in therapy is very rarely a straight line, but our work together should feel intentional, responsive, and guided by clear feedback.

  • Individuals of all backgrounds and identities are welcome here at The Kintsugi Practice. Cultural humility and responsiveness, in addition to inclusivity, are highly important values to me as a psychologist. None of us lives in a vacuum; the cultural context and beliefs of our environments greatly shape our development and mental/emotional well-being. You are the expert of you and your life. It is important to me as a psychologist to understand your individual context and to approach these discussions with the curiosity, respect, openness to feedback, and sensitivity they deserve.

  • A Good Faith Estimate is a document that outlines the expected cost of therapy services. Under federal law, healthcare providers are required to provide this estimate to clients who are not using insurance, so you have a clearer understanding of potential expenses in advance.

    Because therapy is a personalized and evolving process, the estimate reflects anticipated services based on what we know at the start, but actual costs may vary over time. You’re always welcome to ask questions about fees at any point, and we can revisit the estimate together if your needs or frequency of sessions change.

  • If you want to learn more or are ready to begin, you can contact me through whichever method you prefer: email, direct phone, or the secure online contact form linked on this website. You can find my contact information by navigating to the “Contact Me” page on this website.

  • I work with adults navigating concerns such as anxiety, OCD, trauma/PTSD, depression/low mood, stress, burnout, cultural identity, life transitions, and relationship/identity issues. While some come to therapy with a clear sense of what they want to address and the challenges they’re having, others arrive with a general feeling that something isn’t quite right or working. Therapy can be helpful in both of these scenarios. In the first couple of sessions, I will complete a thorough evaluation during which we can work together to identify some key areas to work on in therapy.

  • Therapy is a collaborative and intentional process. After a thorough evaluation, I will develop an individualized treatment plan specific to your needs to help you reach your treatment goals. Sessions are structured yet flexible, mixed with thoughtful conversation and practical tools and skill-building to help you tackle the challenges you’re experiencing. As therapy progresses, we can change or adjust our treatment goals, if needed. It is important to me that our work together continues to bring you closer to the kind of life you want to live.

    My therapeutic approach is trauma-informed and grounded in evidence-based approaches, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). I integrate these frameworks in a way that is responsive to your goals, ways of thinking, and life context.

  • It is not uncommon for people to come to therapy after a previous therapy experience that felt unhelpful or incomplete. If that is true for you, firstly, kudos to you for trying again! It takes courage to try this again after a not-so-great experience. Those past experiences don’t mean that therapy can’t work for you; it often means that something important was missing or “off.” It is important to me to take the time to understand what didn’t feel right before, and what you’re hoping for now, so that our work together feels more intentional, collaborative, and focused on your needs.

    One important factor to having a successful therapy experience is to find the right therapist for you. Sometimes it takes a few sessions to figure this out when you’re starting with a new therapist. A good fit often feels like a balance of safety and challenge, where you feel understood, respected, heard, and supported but also challenged in making the changes you want to see in your life. As I’ve said elsewhere on my website, therapy isn’t easy and change is hard! I offer a free 15-minute consultation call which can help you get a sense of what it would be like to work with me and whether that is aligned with what you are looking for.

  • I am a clinical psychologist and thus I do NOT prescribe medication. If upon conversation or our work together we determine that an evaluation for potential medication would be helpful, I can provide you with some referrals to a medical provider (e.g., psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner). If you are already taking medication, I will be in contact with your provider (only with your explicit written permission, of course) to make sure we are coordinating and giving you the best care possible.

FAQs (Individual Adult)

Have other questions? You’re welcome to reach out for a free 15-minute consultation call to see if working together feels like a good fit.

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FAQs (Parents & Caregivers)

  • I work with children, teens, and families. My approach is developmentally-informed, meaning therapy with a 6 year-old will look quite different from therapy with a 15 year-old. I utilize only evidence-based approaches in my work and tailor treatment to your child’s specific needs and family context. Depending on the age of your child and the specific treatment goals we develop together, therapy with children/teens often includes occasional family-based sessions (or more frequent, as needed) to work together on effective communication, emotion regulation, and other skills.

  • I support children and teens struggling with anxiety, OCD, trauma/PTSD, depression/low mood, emotion regulation difficulties, behavioral challenges, family stress, and major life transitions. It is not uncommon for families to come to therapy with no clear diagnosis or clear sense of what’s going on, and that’s perfectly okay. At the beginning of our work together, I will conduct a thorough evaluation in order to understand your child’s/family’s challenges and patterns in order to craft a treatment plan specific to your needs.

  • Therapy is tailored to your child’s or teen’s developmental stage, needs, personality, and learning style. With younger children, therapy often involves skill-building through play activities. With teens, therapy is often more conversation-based to increase self-reflection, emotion regulation, effective communication, and other critical social-emotional skills. Regardless of your child’s age, sessions are structured and collaborative.

    Parent/caregiver involvement in treatment varies by your child’s age, with typically greater involvement with younger children. This involvement may include dedicated session time for check-ins, parent/caregiver-only sessions, or family-based sessions. Parents/caregivers are critical in helping children and teens apply the skills they learn in therapy at home, school, and other settings.

  • It is not uncommon for parents/caregivers to wonder whether it is “too early” or “too late” to start therapy. In reality, therapy can be beneficial at many points and not only during crises. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation which can help us determine whether therapy is a good fit right now, in addition to what type and level of support might be most helpful for your child or teen.

  • As I am a clinical psychologist, I do NOT prescribe medication. If upon evaluation or during our work together we determine that a medication evaluation would be helpful, I am happy to give you referrals to a medical provider (e.g., psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner). Whether your child/teen begins taking medication while in treatment with me or is already on medication, I will work in close coordination with your child’s/teen’s provider (only with your explicit written permission, of course) to ensure we are providing the best care possible.

Wondering whether therapy might be helpful for your child, teen, or family? I offer a free 15-minute consultation call to help you gain clarity and explore your options.

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