FAQs

I accept the following:

PPO

Aetna

Optum

United Healthcare

Elevance (Anthem)

Oxford

Yes, for cash-pay clients I have a sliding scale:

$100-$150 (depending on need)

Forms of payment accepted:

Credit Cards and Health Care Cards

It’s totally normal to be nervous about starting therapy. It can feel intimidating to sit with someone and talk about how you feel. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. Taking steps to seek help for the challenges we face is a huge step. It takes courage to realize we can’t face our issues alone.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and feel safe from judgement, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible.

I’m here if you want to talk about it during a free phone consultation.

Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can Schedule yourself in my online scheduler.

during a free phone consultation, you can ask me about how I have helped other people like you before, ask how I work as a therapist, or any other questions you may have that are specific-to-you. You’ll also be able to share what’s going on for you and I can share my ideas around how I can help you.

Write my own During the sessions, you’ll be able to . My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore that together.

For most of my clients, it can feel scary to open up.. During our sessions, it will always be up to you if you feel ready to talk about something or not. It’s my job to give you space to slowly start to work through the tough stuff. Gradually and at a pace that feels comfortable to you, you can share what you feel ready to share

You can also share with me that you are nervous to open up about something and we can talk about that too. Whatever is present for you. Whatever you are going through. Bring that to session and we can explore that together.

If you open up to me, I will not think you are too messed up to help., I will think you are courageous and human. Many of my clients have had the same fear (that people would think they are too messed up to help.).

Through my own life journey and working with my clients, I know how ‘normal’ your experience is.

You have nothing to be ashamed about. Nothing you can say will cause me to judge you.

I know many of us are overwhelmed, we all have our imperfections, we all struggle.

Whatever it is you're going through, I provide a safe space where you can feel heard and supported without judgement.

You may be concerned that your friends, family, or work colleagues could learn what you have said during therapy. So I want you to know that unless there is an imminent danger to yourself or someone else, everything you share with me is completely confidential

Your privacy and trust are of utmost importance.

You can rest assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out.

If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask during your during a free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.

You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast.

If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing positive effects after the first 3-5 sessions.

By that point, they they feel a little more calm and hopeful that healing is possible

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 8-16 weeks to be enough to Write my own. While other clients feel more supported by longer term therapy.

We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.

Overall, you can think of the first session as a attachment history where I learn more about your upbringing and what past issues might be impacting your current struggles.. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past.

Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:

What brought you to therapy?

What goals would you like to reach by going to therapy?

What do I need to know about you to understand your current challenges?

You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about .

The most important part of a first session . If you feel reassured that I get it and that I can help them. with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.

I'm here to talk during a free phone consultation where you can share what’s going on for you and I can share my ideas around how I can help you.

Schedule yourself in my online scheduler today to get your free phone consultation at 562-213-5318 or email stephanie@stepaniegonzalesmft.com