Practice Details and Frequently Asked Questions

To schedule an appointment you can call me at 415-860-5109 or email me using the contact form on the "Get Started" page of this website. I try to see clients between 9:00 - 5:00, however I will do my best to accommodate your schedule. I do have some limited evening and weekend appointments available.

I belong to the Concern EAP Network. For all other insurance panels I am considered an "out-of-network provider." I can provide you with an invoice or superbill to submit to your insurance provider if you think you are eligible for reimbursement. Here are some questions to ask your provider:

• Does my plan provide me with out-of-network reimbursement for psychotherapy?
• Am I covered to see a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist?
• Is there a deductible I need to meet before you will reimburse me?
• How much of the fee will be reimbursed? This is usually between 20 -80% of the session fee.
• NOTE: If they will cover a percentage of the “allowed fee” and use that term (“allowed fee”), ask how much the allowed fee is. We often think it means the full fee, but often it can be much lower. For instance, the “allowed fee” may only be $80 so if they cover 30%, you will only be reimbursed $24 per session
• Do I need a mental health diagnosis on the statement I receive from my therapist?

A note about insurance: The benefit of not using your insurance is that your psychotherapy treatment is fully confidential and is determined by you and I alone. There are no restrictions from your insurance company and there is no requirement for a mental health diagnosis to be added to your permanent health records. 

I offer a free 30 minute consultation.

My fee for therapy or for personalized creative sessions is $150 for a 60 minute session. A 90 minute session is $225 and a 2 hour session is $275. My fee remains the same for individuals, couples or families.

Do not hesitate to call me. If you require a fee reduction I will accommodate you if I can. I generally hold a couple of spots in my practice for reduced fee clients.

Payments may be made by cash or credit card.

If you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment you are required to give me 24 hours notice. Otherwise your credit card will be charged for the session. Having said that, if you are sick or your children are sick please stay home and take care. We will work around it.

In California, therapist-client relationships are privileged. This means that the sessions remain confidential and no information will be released to another professional or agency without your written consent. Exceptions will be made only if you endanger, or may endanger, yourself or others, and/or in the case of child abuse or elder abuse. In these cases the law requires me to share certain information with specific outside parties. As a mandated reporter I will make the required reports whether this information is revealed to me in a therapy or a coaching context. The coaching relationship does not benefit from the same legal protection of privilege.  Coaching relationships have an ethical right to privacy, but there is no legal recognition of confidentiality. This means that records could be subpoenaed with no requirement of consent by a client.

I have been trained and certified in Telemental Health Care.  Online therapy is available using HIPAA compliant video teleconferencing software. Doxy.me/carrietoddmft is accessible via computer, tablet or smartphone.  This option is available to clients anywhere in California. International clients may be eligible for therapy under some circumstances.

Individual coaching, group coaching, personalized creative sessions or creative arts groups and classes are available online to anyone globally. These are available via Doxy.me or Zoom.

 People seek therapy at many times for many reasons. Some of them are listed below.

• Crisis: You may want support to move through a crisis or difficult time. Examples of this include seeking help during a divorce, after the death of a loved one or after experiencing a trauma. During times like this therapy can help you manage overwhelming emotions, learn coping skills to manage daily stressors and gradually restore a sense of normalcy to life.
• Transition: You may seek support during times of transition. Change is stressful even when it is good. Examples of stressful transitions include moving to a new city, getting married, becoming a parent, embarking on a new career. Therapy can help you manage stress, identify conflicting emotions, resolve residual guilt and re-evaluate your sense of identity.
• Relationship Issues: Difficulty in a relationship can prompt someone to enter therapy. Marital discord, trouble trusting your partner, a pattern of choosing partners who do not respect your needs, a history with difficult friendships, difficult work relationships, a relationship with someone with mental health issues or addiction, are all examples of relationship issues that could be helped with therapy.
• Making decisions, setting goals and solving problems: Sometimes people come to therapy with a very clear and concise agenda. You may want help to decide whether or not you want to become a parent. You may want to set clear goals for the future and lay out steps toward achieving them. You may want specific tools to help you manage a situation at work or learn to communicate more effectively with your spouse. At these times therapy tends to brief, direct and solution-focused.
• Long-standing psychological issues: Some people come to therapy seeking support or relief from ongoing issues. Depression, anxiety and issues of addiction are example of problems that may span long periods of time. Traumatic events (recent or from the past) can interfere with quality of life and create long-standing problems as well. Therapy can teach you coping skills and help you learn new strategies for managing long-term problems. When addressing long-standing issues, therapy may be ongoing or it may take place in cycles.
• Personal growth and development: People often come to therapy as part of their commitment to ongoing personal growth. Therapy is an excellent tool to help you increase your self-awareness and to nudge you toward becoming your best possible self.
• Because I just can't take it anymore: Sometimes people are unable to identify exactly why they want therapy. They just feel like something has to change. If you are ready to jump in, then "now" is the right time.

You have managed challenges in the past and may feel like seeking the help of a professional is a sign of weakness or failure. But seeing a therapist is no different from going to the doctor when you are ill or taking your car to the mechanic when it starts making a strange noise. It is good self-care. It is a sign of your commitment to making positive change in your life. If you are seeking relief and you are ready to take action, then therapy can help. 

Your treatment will be tailored specifically for you. The process is different for everyone and depends upon your objectives. During our first couple of meetings we will work together to clarify the problem that prompted you to seek help and we will set one or more goals for our work together. Straight-forward goals such as clarifying whether or not to make a career change may take a handful of sessions. If you are seeking support through a difficult time or trying to resolve long-standing issues, therapy may be ongoing.

Generally, I start seeing clients once a week for 60 minutes. After a while, we may decide to change the therapy schedule to once every two weeks or even once a month. Sometimes, after clients have finished therapy, they choose to come back for the occasional "tune-up" session.  

Therapy is a collaboration and together we will determine the goals and schedule that works for you.

You do not necessarily need to talk about your past. I believe that the best therapy outcomes happen when people become fully aware of what is happening in the present. Sometimes past experiences intrude into the present and affect your thoughts, feelings and behavior in the here and now. If that is the case I think it is important to examine what is interfering with your healing.

Many people prefer to come to therapy and just talk. That is absolutely fine. If drama therapy or expressive arts don't feel right for you, we won't do it. You are in control of your treatment. Having said that, sometimes introducing small elements of creative work can accelerate healing. If I feel it will be helpful I will talk to you about it. We will only ever go at a pace that feels right for you. It is important to have an open and ongoing dialogue about your experience in therapy.

Absolutely! If you are a therapy client and you want to incorporate some of my creative projects into your treatment we can do that.

Drama therapy is an experiential form of treatment that draws on techniques from the theater and psychodrama to facilitate change. It can be fun and playful but also has the power to cut to the heart of the matter very quickly. It often draws out internal strength and resilience that was previously hidden from clients.  

Absolutely. There is no need to be gregarious, outgoing, or a “born performer” in order to participate in drama therapy. Drama therapy can be quiet and reserved or very active. This depends on your needs as a client.  “Non-performers” do just fine in drama therapy.

Whether you are working with me individually, or in a group, the atmosphere in my office is one of acceptance and respect. You will never be judged on a creative product and you will never be asked to do something you are unwilling to do. Sometimes people are highly self-critical or worry about being judged by others. This may become a focus of therapy as we work together to build your confidence and self-acceptance. 

Yes. Yes. Yes! All of my experiential work is process-driven, not product-driven. What is important is not the final product that you create. It is the act of doing it that matters. It is an opportunity to try alternative forms of expression. Symbol and metaphor can sometimes say so much more than words and the process can be a lesson in mindfulness. This art is soul-work!

The process of therapy is not the same for everyone. Though many people share similar life stories, your goals, needs, concerns and fears are unique to you and thus your path in therapy will be different from others. Having said that, here are some examples of creative activities I may ask you to do in a drama therapy or expressive arts session:

• Write a letter
• Draw a picture
• Create a collage
• Journal on a topic (for example, write for  2 minutes on what it means to be a mother – don’t edit anything out)
• Personify an emotion (for example, if your fear could talk what would it say to you?)
• Speak from the point of view of important people in your life (for example, what would your mother say about you? How would your spouse describe this problem?)
• Practice an upcoming conversation
• Identify the roles you play in your life
• Speak the internal “voices in your head” (for example, what does your internal critic say to you when you try to meet new people – does it say “She’s not going to like you. You’re not smart enough for her….”)
• Spend 10 minutes practicing mindfulness through art (practice noticing the chatter of thoughts that make noise in your head and work towards being fully present here and now)
• choose items from my prop shelves to symbolize different aspects of your personality and explore how they function together

Therapy is a collaborative process. We will work together to assess your needs and goals and to find the most effective therapeutic approach to support your growth and change.