FAQ

Teletherapy is a virtual mental health therapy session via a HIPAA-compliant online platform using high-resolution video and audio. You receive a unique link through email for each session that provides access to your online therapy room. To participate in teletherapy, you will need access to a solid and reliable Internet connection and a device that supports Zoom.

The best thing about teletherapy is choosing the place – bedroom, office, car. If you do not want disruption, I encourage you to find a private space for your sessions. On that note, you may prefer to wear headphones or earbuds to hear clearly and have increased privacy.

If you have a pet, please make sure that I can see them – to say hi!

My current hours are Wednesday-Saturday 9-3.

I wish I could accept all insurance, but insurance providers do not make it easy and tell us what to do in treatment!

However I have partnered with Mentaya, a service that streamlines getting reimbursed for your therapy sessions through out-of-network benefits.

See if you qualify: https://mentaya.com/checkbenefits/o1AagL7drAAHXYZegvBh

    Mentaya is perfect if you:

• Have out of network benefits
• Feel overwhelmed by superbills and insurance
• Have submitted superbills but failed to get any reimbursement
• Simply want to skip the hassle of paperwork!

       Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for Mentaya:https://mentaya.com/inviteclient/o1AagL7drAAHXYZegvBh
2. Our practice will enter your sessions into the platform.
3. Mentaya submits the claim and handles any insurance follow-up.
4. You get reimbursed by insurance!

Mentaya charges a 5% fee per claim, which includes handling any paperwork required, dealing with denials, and calling insurance companies. It’s risk-free: They guarantee claims are successfully submitted, or a full refund of their fees.

Please note, however, that providing a superbill requires me to provide you with a mental health diagnosis that will become part of your permanent medical record.

As a veteran, I make one exception because I want to reach out to my fellow service members. Therefore, I am taking Tricare/Triwest for veterans.

If you are paying privately or using “Out of Network” benefits for your therapy, I will provide you with a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your care will cost. Under the federal “No Surprises Act,” health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency services, and you will be provided with a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one business day before your first appointment. If you receive a bill at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.

If you need to cancel your therapy appointment, please provide me with at least 24 hours’ notice.

I will charge the full-service fee for appointments not canceled within a 24-hour window and no-shows.

That said, I understand that life happens, and we live in unprecedented times. Please communicate with me about your appointment to work together toward a solution.

Absolutely! I work with a diverse population, but I also offer sessions in Spanish. I know how vital our culture, language, sexual identity, and orientation can be to our growth, so let’s talk about them.

We will talk about what it’s like to be a first-, second-, or even third-generation professional trying to find their place in this world while honoring their culture. We will also talk about our coming-out stories and how the current culture impacts how we see ourselves and the world. If the issue is on the table, we will talk about it.

I have a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counselor.

I have completed dozens of training and courses, including the following: Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and I am currently on track to becoming certified; Gottman Level I; Emotional Focused Therapy Level 1; Theraplay Therapy; Sandtray Therapy; Non-Directive Play Therapy; Emergency Medical Technique (EMT).

I am a Certified First Responder Counselor.

I have experience working in hospitals, schools, county mental health, group practice, and private practice. But most importantly, I’ve been trained to be human.

I provide homework. I like to think of therapy as ongoing, so if you’re working with me, I want to make sure everything you learn and discover is helpful outside the four walls. Don’t worry, I can take notes and send them your way.

I like humor so bring on the humor! Ask questions, speak your truth! We already set so many restrictions on ourselves; when working with me, I make it (so I’ve been told) a place where you can feel safe just to be you.

Show up and engage. Therapy is not scary; it’s just different. Engage, ask away, be curious, know that this is a marathon, not a sprint. I am not Dumbledore; I do not have magic, but you do. You will see changes that truly are magical – all you have to do is engage.

Please schedule a free 20-minute consultation, and I will answer other questions you may have. You can email me at nercy@hereandnowtherapist.com, call me at (916) 345-4320, or submit the contact form below.