Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between coaching and counseling?

Not much! At least that's the case when it comes to me. My coaching is very similar to my counseling style. Traditionally, mental health counseling focuses on the past and on identifying “why” we have come to be the way we are; where as coaching is supposed to be solution focused and present oriented. However, my style of counseling is also solutions focused and does not spend a lot of time in the past. One notable difference is that coaching would not be appropriate for those dealing with issues with heavy emotional content (like grief, relationship issues etc) as that would be more of a counselor's realm. Also, when I am coaching I cannot diagnose… but then again, this is not a huge distinction from my counseling practice, as I typically try to avoid diagnostic labels.

 

Do you accept insurance?

Yes! I am an in-network provider with a few insurance companies and am pending approval on others. Talk to me directly to verify if your insurance policy covers our sessions.

 

Is this therapy HIPAA compliant?

Yes! Telehealth sessions are conducted via zoom which is HIPAA compliant and secure, meaning that everything that is said in our session is private and cannot be monitored or recorded. Please see consent forms for more on privacy and confidentiality including "the limits of confidentiality".

 

Do you work with teens?

I will not treat individuals that are “mandated.” If your teenager is looking for help, I would be happy to work with them but I will not see teens who are forced or coerced into therapy by their parents. People who have no interest in changing will not benefit from therapy. However, parents who have a difficult teen should consider coaching with me anyway, as I can teach you how to structure your environment to gain more compliance and responsiveness from your teen. I also will not see any individuals under 14 years old for individual therapy. For teens/children 13 and under, I am able to provide parent consultation or family counseling/coaching.

 

What is your cancellation policy?

You can cancel your session with no penalty as long as this is done 24 hours before the start time. Any sessions canceled with less than 24 hours notice will be subject to a $40 cancellation fee. Repeated cancellations and no-shows can lead to a discharging of the client.

 

Are there rules surrounding sessions purchased in packages?

All sessions purchased in a package must be used within 6 months and you cannot have more than 2 weeks in between sessions during your initial package. Subsequent packages must also be used within 6 months but there is no policy regarding minimum or maximum time in between sessions. 

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How do I communicate with the therapist?

The best way to cancel, reschedule or ask questions of your therapist is via text (number provided once therapy begins). I will generally not respond on Saturdays but all other days I will respond at my earliest convenience; I will not text after 9 pm or before 9 am though, and I will not discuss therapeutic/coaching goals or topics via text. Also, in order to preserve your privacy please do not include your full name in any text messages, instead you can use your initials.

 

What do the letters BCBA, LMHC, LPCC, CIMHP mean?

A BCBA is a board certified behavior analyst. Behavior analysts come from the behaviorist school of psychology (led by Skinner and Pavlov). We believe that behavior change can occur on an unconscious level, without requiring insight. We study problem behaviors to determine which environmental factors perpetuate the behaviors and we teach pro-social replacement skills to our clients. We also work to change the environmental variables so that they no longer support problem behavior but instead reinforce/strengthen the prosocial replacement behaviors. Behaviorism is the most scientific of all psychology fields. It does not focus on feelings or the past. It is data driven and believes goals need to be specific and measurable and that a constant analysis of progress is necessary so that interventions can be adjusted as needed for maximum success.

CIMHP is a certified integrative mental health professional that has had training in complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). This certification means that the clinician views the client's problems through a holistic lens and will often discuss lifestyle modifications such as diet, exercise, supplements etc as another method for tackling mental health concerns.

LMHC is a licensed mental health counselor. LPCC is a licensed professional clinical counselor. An LMHC and an LPCC are essentially the same thing, both licenses allow the clinician to provide mental health counseling. Three aspects that have been repeatedly identified as being crucial to the mental health counseling process are: empathy, unconditional positive regard and authenticity. This means that if therapy is to be successful, the therapist must demonstrate all three of those traits. Therapists have to have empathy, which is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. We must also show unconditional positive regard, which is a deep concern and care for our clients and their well being; that does not mean we always agree with or condone the behavior of our clients, but rather that we value our clients as people and want the best for them. And last is authenticity, which is a trait that is hard for many people. Authenticity requires living a life that is uniquely yours and being comfortable in your own skin, it includes acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses and working towards self actualization.

I assure you that the person you meet in the therapy room is the same person who teaches classes at FIU, the same person who has brunch with girlfriends and the same person that is actively involved in the community. This means you should be prepared to hear an occasional swear word in session because I pride myself on being authentically me! I also demonstrate empathy and unconditional positive regard for all my clients because I have a deep love for people (and animals too actually). I respect all points of view, all religions, political backgrounds, ideologies and believe it is a therapist's job to be supportive, not to impose values or to attempt to change a client to fit some preconceived notion of what is "right."

 

Why is it called “comprehensive counseling?

I believe mental health and physical health are inextricably intertwined. In order to be psychologically healthy, we must be physically healthy and I will push my clients towards physical health starting from day one of therapy. I will work with your to regulate your circadian rhythm as this has a profound effect on your mood and sleeping habits. And when your sleep is dysfunctional, your memory, attention, immune system, and mood all suffer. So sleep is at the top of my priority list, as well as, diet and adding daily exercise or physical activity. Exercise is the best antidepressant and depression preventative that is available to us (this is validated by science not just some hippie hocus pocus). Exercise also allows for the release of pent up energy, that can be manifesting in the form of anxiety and stress.

In addition to sleep, diet, and exercise, I encourage and work with all of my clients to get off of psychotropic medication. The truth about psychotropic meds is that no one, NO ONE, knows exactly how they work. That is why psychiatrists prescribe one medication and tell their clients to come back in several weeks so they can gauge the person’s response. We understand the basics of how these medications affect our brains but not all the complexities, nor do we understand the full effect of these drugs on other systems of the body. We also lack an understanding of exactly how these drugs interact with one another. Further, most drugs have side effects which can also have an effect on your physical and psychological well being (for example reduction in sex drive).

People often turn to antidepressants when they encounter a rough period in life and as they start to feel better they attribute the relief to the antidepressant. The truth is most depressive episodes last several weeks and then there is a return to baseline functioning. Taking an antidepressant while you are depressed is misleading because inevitably you will start to feel better (but this would've happened with OR without the meds) because your mood will naturally return to baseline, this is a statistical phenomenon known as regression towards the mean. People assume they started feeling better due to the meds but what they fail to understand is that their mood would’ve improved anyway because from a mathematical and statistical standpoint, it almost always does eventually. When I have clients start with me who have been on meds for a decade I think to myself, “what is their true baseline?” Meaning,  "how do they really function without meds? and who is the real self?" In order to effect real change, long term change with lasting results, I want to see your true baseline and in order to do that I need to be able to evaluate you and your behavior without the influence of substances, as much as possible.

*Note, I will teach clients coping skills and advise them on when I think they are psychologically able to start stepping down off of medication, however the client must speak with their medical doctor to create a tapering/discontinuation plan, as I am not licensed to give pharmaceutical advise.*

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What's the deal with interns?

I am currently supervising a counseling intern, Luis Menendez. Luis has a client centered and collaborative approach to therapy. His therapeutic style includes an integration of CBT and reality therapy as well as mindfulness techniques. He is in the last year of his master's program for mental health counseling. As an intern, Luis will have to meet with me weekly, to discuss his clients. In addition to discussing client details,  at times I may sit in on his client sessions or ask him to record sessions so that I can provide him feedback. I will always obtain consent from the client before I sit in on a session or before it is recorded. If you are not comfortable with sit-ins or recordings, you can still work with Luis but please note that he will need to discuss your personal details with me during our weekly meetings. Supervision is necessary in order to insure all ethical guidelines are being met and in order to promote his professional development. If you have any questions about therapy with an intern or if you are interested in booking with Luis please email or text (954-325-8558) so that we can send you the coupon code.