What happens in a therapy session?

Generally, therapy sessions happen weekly for 55 minutes for each session. The therapist will ask questions and the client will talk about things that are challenging. Some of the session may the client expressing feelings, and some may be focused on working on goals identified in the first few sessions. The client is never forced to talk about things that are too overwhelming, and the therapist will often provide skill-building and psychoeducation to help the client learn ways to self-regulate in times of stress. Therapy requires active participation of the client and therapist, and sometimes the client will have tasks to complete outside of therapy in order to practice new skills or track observations of self.

Are therapy sessions confidential?

The law requires that information between a therapist and client be kept confidential. Information cannot be released without written consent of the client. The only the exceptions to this confidentiality are when a person is in danger of hurting themselves, intends to hurt another, or when a minor is being hurt by others. Therapists are required by law to break confidentiality when:

• Client is suicidal or has intent to self-harm. The therapist will work to safety plan with the client, but a higher level of care may be needed to keep the client safe.
• Client states a threat to hurt another person. The therapist is required to report this threat to the police.
• A minor or elderly person may be the victim of abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to Child Welfare Services.

Is Teletherapy confidential?

Yes, we use a HIPPA-compliant version of Zoom for all \teletherapy sessions. The State of California has standards of practice for the use of teletherapy, and we ensure these are carefully followed. We will work from a confidential space, and for your confidentiality in your home, it is important to have a private space and ask family or housemates to not come in during your sessions.