FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions
do you offer online therapy?
Yes. I currently offer sessions via video or phone so that you can do therapy from the comfort and safety of your own home. (Please note, that I can only offer therapy to California residents.)
Do you offer a free consultation?
I do offer an initial free 15-minute phone consultation. This is a chance for me to get a sense of what kind of support you need and to see if my services are a good fit for your goals. It is also an opportunity for you to ask me any questions you might have. If we are a good fit for each other, we would then schedule an intake session in which I would do a more in depth assessment of your history, needs and goals.
To set up a phone consultation you can contact me via email or phone. vanessalwolter@gmail.com. 415-763-7728.
Or you can instantly book a consultation through my online consultation calendar. I will give you a call at the phone number your provide at the time you schedule.
What happens during our first session?
Our first session would be a 50-minute intake session. It's a chance for me to get a more detailed sense of what kind of support you are needing and what goals you have for therapy. I will also ask you questions about yourself, your therapeutic and medical history, as well as a little about your family and relationship history. This information will help me get a more holistic understanding on how to tailor therapy to fit your needs, goals, and personality. The intake session is also a chance for you to ask me any questions you might have.
If we find we are a good fit, we would schedule a consistent time in which to meet every week.
What are your fees?
Send me quick message and contact me for my current fees.
I accept cash, check, credit card, debit card, Health Savings accounts, and Flexible Spending accounts.
My fees are always below the market average for private practice.
In addition I provide receipts for our sessions in case your health insurance offers out-of-network reimbursement. Many insurance policies offer this benefit these days.
~A few things to consider: although private practice fees cost more than corporate platforms such as BetterHelp, the big, significant difference is that a private therapist as myself will tailor therapy to your unique needs in an integrative and holistic way. Corporations such as BetterHelp (and the like) offer cookie-cutter strategies that, although helpful, are not taking your unique issues, history, trauma, culture, personality, and more, into consideration. They use a cookie cutter approach because it’s cheaper given that their main goal as a corporation is to make a large margin profit. The result is more of a temporary band-aid on a wound, versus deep emotional healing that can completely transform your life long term.
No matter which option you choose, therapy is a significant investment. However, when one thinks about how many things we spend money on, my belief is that there is nothing more valuable than investing in one’s own inner healing and self-actualization. This commitment to your well-being will pay dividends throughout your whole life in the most profound and meaningful of ways!
How do I know We are a good Match?
We are probably a good match if you feel safe to be yourself with me, you find our explorations engaging, and that I can empathize with you and what you are going through. A good sign that our work together is helping is that you are experiencing some relief, insight, and positive changes as a result.
How often do i need to come to therapy?
I recommend meeting weekly which has been proven to be an effective time interval to be able to develop a safe relationship with a therapist and to also practice new perceptions, behaviors and ways of expressing and processing feelings. Our brain in a way acts like a muscle, the more often we practice new patterns of thinking and new ways of being, the easier and more automatic these will become for us. If we wait too long between sessions, it is much easier for us to revert back to old patterns and the change we crave is harder to embody.
Also, having a regular time each week can create a sense of stability when one is going through transitions or challenging times which in itself contributes to positive change and healing.
how long does therapy last?
Each person coming into therapy is unique in so many ways and each person's goals and needs are also highly personal. Therefore, it is hard to say from the beginning how long therapy will last. In our therapy together I check in periodically to assess how therapy is helping and to address your various needs.
Do you take insurance?
I don't take insurance at this time for a few of the following reasons:
I would have to give you a mental disorder diagnosis that would go on your permanent medical record. This doesn't necessarily fit everyone needing therapy. Second, currently most insurance panels follow a medical model on psychotherapy, which usually only addresses the cognitive level. I work not only on the level of the mind but also on the levels of body, emotions, culture, past history, and spiritual/existential experience to get to the root of the pattern you are wanting to change. There is now extensive research (and it is also my professional and personal experience) that a holistic, integrative approach to therapy is most effective for long-lasting change as opposed to only working on the symptom.
However, more and more health insurance companies are now partially reimbursing out-of-network psychotherapy. I would be more than happy to provide you with a receipt of payment of our sessions for you to submit to your insurance company if you choose to do so. And also please note, I do accept Health Savings Accounts.