FAQs

How do I find a good therapist?

A good therapist is someone who meets your needs. Shop around and look for someone who specializes in the issues you're coming into therapy to work on. Check out this article by Psychology Today for more tips.

What should I ask during my consultation?

We recommend asking three questions: Can you describe a typical session? What will progress look like? Given our conversation, do you feel like we are a fit?

What does having an LCSW or ASW or AMFT mean?

Emma is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. This means she attended a 2 year master in social work program specializing in clinical social work, passed 2 state board exams, and worked under supervision for 3,000+ hours in order to work with clients.

Associate Clinical Social Workers and Associate Marriage & Family Therapists are in the process of earning their 3,000 supervised hours, under the supervision of Emma. They are both qualified and legally able to provide psychotherapy in California.

Is Therapy Confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and psychotherapist. Information about what you have shared with me cannot be shared without written permission from you.

However, there are some legal and ethical limits to confidentiality that you should be aware of and that I will go over in detail in our first meeting. Those limits are suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse, or threats to seriously harm yourself or others.

The purpose for these exceptions relate to our responsibilities to ensure your safety and the safety of others, to the best of our abilities. For information about exceptions to confidentiality related to insurance, please refer to the Fees and Policies tab.

What is your treatment approach?

We will begin with a free phone consultation to make sure I am the right therapist to meet your needs.

If you would like to move forward together, I will then send you opening paperwork to sign, including Limits of Confidentiality and Informed Consent. Your first session with me will begin with a thorough, holistic assessment. If you are enrolling your child in therapy, you will be part of this assessment process to help me gain a full understanding of the strengths and challenges of your child. We will work together to identify goals for your treatment, and an approach that is specific for you.

How long does each therapy session take?

Session length will depend on the age and circumstances of each client.

While most individual sessions last for 50 minutes, sessions with younger children may be shorter according to their developmental level and attention span.

Family sessions are scheduled for 90 minutes, however time may be adjusted based on the age of all family members involved.

How often, and for how long, do clients go to therapy?

The answer to this question is dependent on the person seeking therapy. We typically recommend committing to weekly sessions to begin, with the possibility of transitioning to bi-monthly sessions. Some adults come in for a "tune up," where they only need a few sessions to find their center and motivation regarding their unique challenges or ailments. For others, especially children or individuals with a history of trauma, therapy may last for weeks or months. Regardless of the short-term or longer-term nature of your care, the most successful therapeutic outcomes are had when the client is an active and engaged participant, in session and especially during the week when we are not meeting.

What therapeutic methods do you use?

My typical treatment plan may include the use of the following therapeutic modalities (list is not exhaustive):

Somatic Psychotherapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy
Play Therapy
Filial Therapy

And techniques from:

Sand Tray Therapy
TheraPlay
Parent-Child Interactive Therapy
Art Therapy

Do you offer sliding scale rates?

Yes! We have a sliding-scale clinic for our community members who need it most. We offer this option for those who make 300% or less of the federal poverty line (i.e. about $90,000 per year for a family of 4). We also highly recommend visiting Open Path Collective to connect with therapists from across California that offer a sliding scale for sessions.

Do you accept medi-cal or medicaid?

Unfortunately we do not accept any form of Medi-Cal or Medicaid at this time.

Do you take insurance?

We are proud providers for the California Victim Compensation Board. See if you are

eligible for receiving CalVCB here

Emma is a provider for Cigna, Aetna, and Optum.

Other therapists at Tula are NOT preferred providers on any private or employment insurance panels.

Please contact your provider to verify how your plan compensates you for psychotherapy services.

I’d recommend asking these questions to your insurance provider to help determine your benefits:

Does my health insurance plan include mental health benefits?
Do I have a deductible? If so, what is it and have I met it yet?
What is my copay amount (the amount you must pay at your session)?
Does my plan limit how many sessions per calendar year I can have? If so, what is the limit?
Do I need written approval from my primary care physician in order for services to be covered?
How are services for out of network providers covered?
What type of information about me does my insurance company need to collect from my therapist in order to submit payment for mental health benefits?
When information is collected, how is it stored and who is it shared with?

Where do sessions take place?

We offer sessions in-office, via telehealth, and in the community.

Sometimes, sessions in your home or a park can be very helpful, especially in the case of addressing behavioral concerns in children. I am happy to coordinate an out-of-office visit with you.

I am also available for Telehealth sessions by request, and through Telehealth am able to see anyone who resides in California.