Podcast Sponsorships
Do you have a product or service that you think Duff the Psych readers would enjoy? I do take on a select number of sponsorships for the podcast. Previous sponsors include Betterhelp, Audible, and Mindbloom. Send over your ideas and we can chat more!
Therapy
I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California under the license number: PSY 29147. I currently provide Internet-based psychotherapy for residents of California at a rate of $250 per hour. Specifically, I provide individual and couples therapy to clients 16 and older. I specialize in treatment of a variety of psychological issues including anxiety and depression. My approach is integrative, meaning I borrow the most useful pieces from a variety of modalities such as cognitive behavioral, solution-focused, and psychodynamic therapy.
INSURANCE
I accept medicare insurance for both therapy and assessment, which does not require pre-certification and covers 80% of the cost of the service. The remainder may be covered by co-insurance or billed directly to the client. I am not on any panels other insurance providers, but PPO insurance can be used in some circumstances. Many PPO insurances will reimburse the client directly for psychotherapy services. In this case, the client is required to pay in full for sessions and then I am happy to submit the relevant paperwork to their insurance company for reimbursement. If you are interested in utilizing your insurance plan, it is recommended that you contact them to determine whether they reimburse for psychotherapy and what rate they provide for the service. In circumstances in which PPO insurance is used, the client is reimbursed directly after submitting paperwork. I am more than happy to sign off and mail/fax insurance paperwork as necessary, but I am not responsible for determining your particular coverage.
Ask you insurance about the following CPT codes if you are checking coverage:
- 90791 Psychiatric diagnostic evaluation
- 90837 Psychotherapy, 60 minutes with patient and/or family
WHAT IS INTERNET THERAPY?
Internet therapy is essentially the same thing that you would experience in typical face-to-face therapy, except it is conducted over a different medium. Research has demonstrated that online therapy through video, audio, or even text is efficacious and seems to be just as effective as traditional therapy for a wide variety of issues. The biggest advantage over traditional therapy is that you can attend Internet therapy sessions from the comfort of your home or even while traveling. My doctoral dissertation was about Internet therapy, which you can learn more about here.
I am skilled in providing therapy over video or audio chat, as well as text (instant messaging) for a variety of issues. When undergoing internet-based therapy, you are always welcome to schedule an in-person appointment at the office. You are also allowed to vary the particular medium that we use week to week. For instance, I have had a client that normally meets with me over video chat occasionally conduct sessions via instant message (text) when they were travelling for business and did not have a fast internet connection.
The cost for internet therapy is the same as for face-to-face sessions and many insurance companies have begun to cover this form of treatment, so be sure to check with your PPO about reimbursement for online therapy if that is relevant to you.
Important note: For the most part, I am only able to see residents of California for online therapy. There are exceptions to this for residents of certain states that do not have their own regulations regarding internet therapy. If you live outside of California and are interested in pursuing internet-based therapy with me, please contact me, so I can look into the particular regulations for your state.
Neuropsychological Assessment
In addition to psychotherapy, I also specialize in neuropsychological assessment, which is essentially testing of memory, processing speed, language, and other thinking skills. Your neurologist or other medical doctor might have you do some brain scans to look at the structure of your brain, but those won’t actually tell you how your memory is functioning. Neuropsychological assessment covers the other side of the coin. We do verbal and non-verbal tests, pen and paper assessments, and different sorts of logical puzzles to determine how each area of the brain is functioning. Typically neuropsychological assessment is sought to investigate issues such as dementia, mild cognitive impairment, traumatic brain injury, or stroke. Neuropsychological assessments must be completed in person and can take place at our offices in Camarillo, Ojai, or Santa Barbara. In some circumstances, I can also travel to the clients home, hospital, or skilled nursing facility to facilitate the process.
My fee for comprehensive neuropsychological assessment is $250 per hour. Assessments typically include approximately 1 hour of interview, 2-5 hours of testing (depending on the issue), 1 hour of scoring, 3-6 hours of report writing and record review, and 1 hour of in-person feedback with the client. This equates to a total billed time of 8-13 hours. These guidelines are variable, depending on the particular issue at hand and the rate at which the client works. As with psychotherapy, this service is covered at 80% through medicare insurance. Typically payment is required in two parts: a deposit of $1000 (or half the estimated cost if a shorter assessment) at the first session and then the remainder after the final feedback session. Monthly payment plans can be worked out for clients demonstrating financial need.
Ask your insurance company about coverage for the following CPT Codes:
- 90791 Psychiatric diagnostic interview without medial services
- 96118 Neuropsychological testing, interpretation, and report writing by a psychologist (per hour)
I also perform learning disability evaluations for individuals 16 years or older. These are thorough evaluations covering general intellectual ability, learning and memory, concentration and attention, and academic skills such as reading comprehension. These evaluations can be use in some cases to justify academic accommodations for issues such as ADHD and dyslexia. I charge a flat fee of $2000 for learning disability evaluations.
If you would like to learn more or book an assessment, please head over to the Insight Neuropsychology website.
Speaking and Interviews
I am currently available as a keynote speaker, panelist or a live podcaster for your event! Happy to work with schools, startups or established businesses, mental health conferences, or even pop-culture events. I specialize in taking mental health concepts and translating them into funny, accessible, and useful language. I have experience speaking to local organizations such as police departments as well as community events such as TEDx.
I love serving as a resource and am available for interview on your podcast, television show, documentary, or written journalism piece! I have been honored to serve as an expert or guest on many different pieces of media including Teen Vogue, Self Magazine, How Stuff Works, the Daily Burn, and Smart Passive Income
Consultation
If your desired service is not listed above, don’t worry! I also provide consultation services to a variety of industries including television, movies, writers, and businesses. I have even worked with professional gaming teams and their support staff to maximize training effectiveness. If you would like to run an idea by me, no matter how crazy, just shoot me an email!