Common Questions

How can I make an appointment?

You can make an appointment by submitting a request here or by calling (714) 797-6242.

Email requests for appointments are considered requests only until confirmed by an email response.

How much does a therapy session cost?

Therapy sessions are 50 minutes in length and the fee for each session is $150.

Cash, check, major credit cards and Health Savings Account Plans (HSA) are all accepted forms of payment.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Yes, we ask that you please cancel your appointment at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment time in order to avoid being charged for the full session amount.

You may call or text to cancel your appointment at: 714-797-6262 or send a message here.

Do you take insurance?

Brittney accepts United Health Care and Optum insurance plans. She has chosen to be an Out-of-Network provider for all other PPO insurance plans.

Upon request, we can provide you with a Superbill at the end of each session (or once a month if you prefer) that you may submit to your insurance company as a claim for reimbursement and to be applied to your annual deductible. Many of our clients receive 50%-100% reimbursement after meeting their plan deductible. We encourage you to call your insurance provider directly to learn about your specific plan. When you call, ask about your benefits for outpatient psychotherapy services with an Out of Network Provider.

What if I want to attend couples therapy, but my partner won’t come?

You can still make progress on your relationship by attending therapy on your own. Ideally, couples therapy involves both partners for the maximum benefit, but sometimes our partners are skeptical that therapy can help or in denial that the issues are more than you can handle yourselves. Attending by yourself sometimes gives your partner that extra reassurance they need to start coming to sessions when they hear from you what therapy is like and how it is helping you to see things differently or respond differently to the regular issues and arguments that are happening.

How long does therapy last?

The length of time in therapy depends on what issues you are having and what the goals of therapy are. Some people attend for a few sessions up to a few years. If you are wanting to work only on a specific issue, therapy will most likely be short-term. If you are experiencing severe and persistent mental health symptoms or relationship problems, therapy will probably take a little longer to achieve your goals of symptom relief and improvement in your relationships.

The decision of how long you will be in therapy is a collaborative decision with therapist and client based on what you are needing.

Is everything in therapy confidential?

The short answer is: mostly, yes. The relationship between therapist and client and what is discussed during therapy sessions is a legal privilege and is respected as such. However, there are some exceptions to confidentiality that all practicing therapists and doctors are required to report on if presented. These exceptions are:

Child abuse (physical, emotional, verbal, sexual or neglect)
Elder or dependent adult abuse (physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, financial or neglect)
If you are at immediate risk of hurting yourself, someone else or someone else’s property

Another exception to confidentiality that you should be aware of is that if you plan to use your health insurance to cover any portion of your counseling or therapy sessions, the following information is required for reimbursement of fees from your health insurance company:

Name, date of birth and other identifying information
Insurance plan, policy number
Dates of therapy sessions attended
Diagnosis of mental health condition that is being addressed in therapy sessions

Other than these situations, information about you or your therapy sessions will not be disclosed to any third party without your expressly, written permission and consent.

For any other questions about confidentiality, please contact me.

Do you work with same-sex or LGBTQI-identified couples and individuals?

Yes, we do! We are affirmative therapists and work with individuals and couples who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, LGBTQI-identified, or other. We believe that sexuality and gender identity are both personal and varied across persons. We also recognize the unique challenges and contexts that identifying as LGBTQI can present in one’s life. We strive to honor each individual’s perspective and situation. With regard to couples, we practice the Gottman Relationship Method, and all of the interventions we use and practice with heterosexual couples are equally effective with same-sex, gay, and open-relationship couples.