Frequently Asked Questions

During your first appointment, your therapist will gather information about you and your current and past emotional health, discuss your therapy goals, and address any questions or concerns you have regarding therapy. The first appointment is typically 75 minutes to ensure your therapist gains a deeper understanding of your personal history, concerns, and goals.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, solutions-oriented, and evidence-based type of psychotherapy. CBT focuses on your thoughts and behaviors and how the two affect your mood. By identifying and assessing your thoughts, you can adopt healthier thinking patterns to relieve your symptoms and improve the way you feel significantly.

Please click here to learn more about CBT or the benefits you can expect from treatment.

Appointments are available Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. Some therapists may offer availability in addition to the days and times listed to make your appointments as convenient as possible. Please let our care coordinators know your preference, and we will do our best to schedule you with the best fit.

We are out-of-network with most insurance providers*, so we do not accept insurance payments. The total fee for our services must be paid in full at the time of the appointment.

Many of our services may be eligible for reimbursement if you have out-of-network benefits. To help process claims, we can provide you with a superbill, which includes all the necessary information to submit claims to your provider, or we can submit claims on your behalf for your convenience. While payments are made directly to us by you, any reimbursement from your insurance provider will be made payable and issued to you.

Our billing team would be happy to verify and review your out-of-network benefits with you before scheduling your initial appointment.

*In some rare instances, we may be considered in-network with Kaiser.

The cost of therapy typically ranges between $165 and $295 per 45-minute session. Some factors that affect the price of therapy include the therapist’s training and experience, the length of the therapy session (we offer various session lengths to best suit your needs), and more.

You will be notified of any fee increase at least 30 days before the effective date.

 

Good Faith Estimate Notice

You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your care will cost. At Palo Alto Therapy, your costs are clear, as you pay per appointment based on the length of each appointment. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of therapy sessions you attend. You are encouraged to speak with us anytime about the Good Faith Estimate. Please find more information about Good Faith Estimates here.

Our therapists have extensive experience treating anxiety-related conditions, including panic, phobias, and stress, as well as depression, family issues, grief and loss, OCD, parenting, PTSD, relationship issues, sexuality, significant life transitions, trauma, and much more.

We work with children ages four and up, teenagers, and adults of all ages. We provide individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, as well as group therapy and support groups.

It depends. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is generally considered short-term therapy due to its solutions-focused approach, every individual is unique. Many clients notice improvements within a few sessions, while others may need more support. Various factors may also affect how many sessions are right for you, such as the length of your appointments, your treatment goals, your level of motivation, the amount of effort you are willing to put forth, and more.

Although it is difficult to predict exactly how many appointments you will need, you and your therapist will collaborate to set a treatment plan and discuss how many appointments may be the most beneficial for you. If you want to learn more about your role in the therapeutic process, please read the following articles: How to be Successful in Therapy and Is Palo Alto Therapy Right for You.

Yes. All of our therapists provide video or phone therapy.

We require 24 hours’ notice to avoid being charged for the full session. Please get in touch with our care coordinators or your therapist to cancel your appointment.

We do not prescribe medication. However, we work closely with psychiatrists and can give you a referral to a psychiatrist, who may prescribe medication as necessary. Often therapy is effective without medication, but we are happy to discuss other options with you.