Please utilize the Client Portal to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments. This system helps in efficiently managing your appointments without the back-and-forth, especially when time is of the essence.

The client portal is designed to provide real-time visibility into the therapist’s availability, making scheduling, treatment, and communications more streamlined for everyone, allowing us to focus more on care and less on logistics.

Please note that there is a 48 hour cancellation policy.

We are intentional in providing quality Mental Health services, treating you with respect as a whole person, rather than focusing on a diagnosis, illness, or condition. We acknowledge that "issues" that you bring to therapy often stem from so many factors (i.e. environmental stressors, socioeconomic status, family of origin, culture, historical factors, colonialism, and of course your individual life experiences- both positive and negative).

Managed care companies often require personal information about your treatment and have the ability to determine the length, frequency, and duration of treatment and what types of treatment and diagnoses they cover. It is important to us that we preserve the integrity of the therapeutic process and your healing journey.

We understand that without insurance reimbursement, the therapeutic support that you need and deserve may not be financially accessible; therefore, superbills can be provided to you, at your request if you have out of network benefits. Please note, it will be required by the insurance company to contain a clinical diagnosis in order to approve your claim, which we will discuss in your treatment, of course.

Medical Necessity & Diagnosable Disorders:

Insurance plans require a demonstration of medical necessity for treatment, which entails diagnosing an individual with a specific mental health disorder that significantly impairs their daily functioning. In family or relationship therapy, the focus is often on improving the relationship dynamics, rather than treating an individual's diagnosed mental health condition. Insurance companies often do not recognize relationship challenges as medically necessary conditions, and thus, do not provide coverage for couples, relationship, or family therapy aimed at addressing these issues. It's additionally against my ethical practice to take advantage of a medical diagnosis solely to justify insurance coverage for relationship-focused treatment.

Equitable Treatment:

In my practice, I employ the Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) model for relationship therapy, which is designed to address the emotional experiences and expressions that shape relationship patterns, aiming to create a secure bond between partners. This therapeutic approach regards each partner or family member equitably, focusing on the relational dynamics rather than on an individual's issues. Labeling one partner as the "identified patient" to satisfy insurance billing requirements can unbalance the treatment dynamic and potentially pathologize one partner, which contradicts the principles of equitable treatment inherent in EFT.

Confidentiality:

When billing insurance, certain personal information must be shared with the insurance company to substantiate claims. This could potentially compromise your confidentiality, which might not be in your best interests, especially when dealing with sensitive relational issues and the experiences of partners.

Ethical Practice:

It's against my ethical practice to take advantage of a medical diagnosis solely to justify insurance coverage for relationship-focused treatment. It's crucial to uphold a transparent and ethical approach to therapy, ensuring that the focus remains on addressing the relational dynamics rather than conforming to insurance billing requirements.

Session Limitations:

Insurance companies might limit the duration and number of sessions covered, which can hinder the process of achieving deep and lasting improvements in your relationship.

Considering these factors, the relationship/couples therapy offered is structured as a private pay service to maintain the integrity, focus, and quality of the treatment. Should you choose to proceed with this service, please note that each 50 minute session will be billed at an out-of-pocket rate of $265 and each 53-70 minute session is billed at an out-of-pocket rate of $371, as it will not be covered by insurance. Additionally, I offer prorated rate sessions within prepaid packages of 3, 5, or 7 sessions for a more cost-effective approach.

For 50-minute sessions:

$780 - 3 sessions @ $260 each

$1275 - 5 sessions @ $255 each

$1715 - 7 sessions @ $245 each

For 53-70 minute sessions:

$1,098 - 3 sessions @ $366 each

$1,805 - 5 sessions @ $361 each

$2,457 - 7 sessions @ $351 each

We are fully invested in offering comprehensive services that are individualized to your specific needs. Doing so requires advanced preparation related to your care, including treatment planning in alignment with your goals, procurement of resources and materials that will be provided to you to benefit your treatment directly, ongoing training/continuing education related to specialties that are used for your treatment, coordination of services, and administrative tasking (e.g. preparation, documentation, invoices, and superbills).

Additionally, we offer a secure, HIPPA-compliant client portal for you to conveniently and securely exchange communication with your therapist, schedule appointments, fill out and sign intake forms, submit secure direct payments for your services, share documents/files, and track progress.

A superbill is a document for insurance carriers that provides information about the services that you received, including identifying information about you, information about your treatment provider, and the type of service provided. While a mental health diagnosis might be required by insurance providers, the superbill would not include details about what is discussed in your treatment sessions. Please note that not all insurance providers provide reimbursement for out of pocket therapy payments, so if you are seeking reimbursement, it is recommended that you contact your insurer to confirm that they provide superbill reimbursement for an out-of-network provider who is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. It is also recommended that you clarify reimbursement rates for your out of pocket expenses, as some insurers may only provide partial reimbursement.

There are limited Sustainable Wellness Scale (sliding scale) and therapy sponsorship offerings for those who are unable to pay the full fee.

Even if we are not able to accept you, we may be able to provide you with appropriate referrals based on your preferences and needs.

For a list of resources and referrals, please visit our resource page.

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

While it is not possible for a psychotherapist to know, in advance, how many psychotherapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person, an estimate of the cost of services can be provided. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you.

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

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

Yes! You absolutely can. You can send a payment via PayPal @yaarahtherapy with the note saying the first two letters of their first name and first two letters of their last name and their date of birth, for example:

if you are paying for Harry Potter’s therapy, please put “payment for HaPo 7-31-1980 “

Yes! You absolutely can.

Yaarah Therapy & Wellness Services proudly offers a scholarship program for 1 to 3 individuals who might otherwise be unable to access our services. This program is made possible through generous donations from community members who believe in paying it forward to support someone's healing journey, or in honor or memory of a loved one. While these donations are not tax write-off eligible, they are incredibly valuable in funding this important offering. Our scholarship program prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and people of Color, Neurodivergent individuals, and disabled individuals who have experienced trauma and systemic oppression, and who have faced inaccessibility to appropriate care. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and support in helping us create a more inclusive and compassionate space for healing.

Please send a payment via PayPal @yaarahtherapy with the note saying “scholarship donation”

Services are available virtually for California residents. There are no in-person services at this time.