To send me a message, you can call, e-mail, or text me. If you text me, be sure to write who you are, as I don't keep clients numbers on my cell phone. If you're going to be late, don't e-mail me but rather call or text me.
If you have an initial question, it's best to either fill out a form or send me an e-mail.
Cursing is allowed in my office. Don't feel you have to censure yourself. This is especially true if we're discussing your inner monologue or self-statements. If I ask you, "So what do you think to yourself when you look at yourself in a mirror," and you respond "look at how overweight I've become," I'm probably going to correct you. That inner voice is never that polite. It's typically a lot meaner and has some curse words in there somewhere. Most people with self-esteem or self-image problems will think, "God damn it I've become a fat, fucking slob." Notice the difference in emotional resonance between the two, the amount of emotional impact. Since we're here to address inner thoughts, it's best if they remain unfiltered. Keep in mind I've heard everything before. Years of seeing clients and being on the internet have desensitized me to virtually everything that could be said in a therapist office.
We're in L.A.! Traffic can be hit or miss. I understand if you might run a few minutes late, just let me know as soon as you know. Usually if a person is more than 20 minutes late, and I don't hear anything, I'll assume the person won't make it and will run off somewhere to do errands.
Typically I'll have another session right after yours, so I can't always give you the whole hour if you end up being late.
I'm lenient here. Let me know 12 hours in advance, and I won't charge you. Beyond that, I'll charge full price.
Yes, we can certainly have a session on the phone, depending upon the type of session. Obviously, we wouldn't be able to do a virtual reality session on the phone. The best telephone sessions are usually follow-up sessions.
I can do sessions just on the phone but keep in mind you'll generally have to reside in the state of California. I'll also have to fax/mail you forms to fill out and send back to me.
My rule is in a public setting: "I acknowledge you when you acknowledge me." That means at a party, grocery store, or any type of public setting, I'll pretend to have never met you until you approach me and bring up the topic of us working together. This is so that no one knows you saw me or are currently seeing me unless you so choose.
I can barter so long as the object that is being bartered can be assessed in monetary units and is a product not a service. So, a painting but not housekeeping services. I'm typically hesitant to barter and will avoid it unless it's in the best interest and is not clinically contraindicated.
This means where we have a therapy role and a different role (e.g. business partner, student/teacher). It also includes having a relationship with someone close to you or the promise of a future role.
I'll avoid these whenever possible, especially as we live in L.A. not a small town where the options of who we can do business with are more limited. In essence, if I'm your therapist and you're my client, I can't be in business with you, nor be in any other role with you besides that of therapist and client. This is so that I don't lose clinical objectivity and you don't have to worry about undue influence.
I'll refer to the famous phrase, "Before you ask, the answer is no!"