What You Can Expect
Psychotherapy can be used on a short-term basis to address specific needs and concerns, or on an on-going basis to pursue more comprehensive self-awareness and change through exploration of the complex internal and interpersonal influences that have shaped your development, your sense of self and your experiences with others.
Fees
We believe that everyone deserves access to affordable counseling. We ask each of our therapists to establish their own rates, which you can find listed in their individual profiles in our Therapist Directory. In an effort to make our services more accessible, all therapists offer some reduced fee or sliding scale options for payment. To explore whether a particular therapist currently has any reduced or sliding scale fee openings, please contact them directly. The current average cost of therapy per session within the Bay Area ranges between $140 – $200 per appointment. Our therapists typically charge between $50 – $140. If for any reason our therapists cannot accommodate your budget or income, we will provide you with referrals to reduced fee clinics. While we cannot guarantee to accommodate all income levels, we will do our best to make counseling as affordable as possible. If you choose to submit the Therapist Referral Form through this website, we will ask you to specify what you can afford to pay for therapy.
Sessions
Individual sessions are generally 50 minutes in length and occur weekly, however some therapists recommend longer or more frequent sessions. Often, therapists schedule longer appointments (the equivalent of a session and a half or two appointments) for couples.
Payment
Payment for therapy is made at each session unless other arrangements are made with your therapist. Our therapists accept cash or check (made payable to Grateful Heart or GHHTC) and some clinicians accept credit and debit cards via Square. Unfortunately we cannot accept payments via PayPal or other credit processing portals.
Insurance
We do not bill insurance directly, however your therapist can provide you with receipts (sometimes referred to as a statement or invoice) for you to submit to your insurance. To find out if your insurance offers reimbursements for therapy services, please contact them directly. Be sure to ask if your benefits cover mental health services provided out-of-network and by an intern. Please also note that whenever insurance is used for psychotherapy, the treatment must be considered “medically necessary” and will require the documentation of a diagnosis. Other personal information may also be required for reimbursement for therapeutic fees by your insurance provider.
Cancellation
A full session fee will be charged for any session that is missed or cancelled without notice. Your therapists will discuss their cancellation policy with you during your first appointment.
Emergencies
If you are experiencing an emergency, please contact either Suicide Prevention at (415) 781-0500, Crisis Support Services of Alameda County at (800) 309-2131 or San Francisco General Hospital at (415) 206-8125. If you are in immediate danger or need immediate assistance of any kind, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Confidentiality
The information that you share in psychotherapy is confidential and will not be discussed or released to a third party without your written permission and consent, unless disclosure required by law. Disclosure is required by law (1) if you are a danger to yourself or others, or (2) if you, or someone you have discussed, have been involved in an incident of child, dependent adult or elder abuse or neglect.
Our clinicians are legally obligated to intervene in these circumstances, including reporting the possibility of abuse to our local child or adult welfare agencies and contacting other persons or agencies that may assist in protecting you or others if we believe you are at risk of harming yourself or others. In certain legal proceedings, they may be required to submit information.