Common Questions

Common Questions

All of our services are done through Telehealth.  This means live face to face services on-line. 

How do I sign up for Telehealth services?

Whether you are volunteering or court ordered, your 1st step is to e-mail our Operation's Manager at  [email protected], introduce yourself, and specify what service(s) you may be interested in.  Include attached to that e-mail a picture of your photo ID.  This will start the process of registration.

If you are court ordered, also attach a copy of your referral, and a copy of what you have showing proof of income.  If you do not have a copy of your referral, tell her in the e-mail so she may look to see if your referring party has already updated us.  

The Operation's Manager will e-mail you back explaining the next steps to complete Registration.  If you have not received anything back from her within 24 to 48 hours - call her @ 559.261.4008 and check-in.  Often e-mails are lost in the internet world.

Is therapy right for me?

Seeking out therapy is an individual choice. There are many reasons why people come to therapy. Sometimes it is to deal with long-standing psychological issues, or problems with anxiety or depression. Other times it is in response to unexpected changes in one's life such as a divorce or work transition. Many seek the advice of a therapist as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth. Working with a therapist can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges. Therapy can help address many types of issues including depression, anxiety, conflict, grief, stress management, body-image issues, and general life transitions. Therapy is right for anyone who is interested in getting the most out of their life by taking responsibility, creating greater self-awareness, and working towards change in their lives.

What can I expect in a therapy session?

Every therapy session is unique and caters to each individual and their specific goals. During therapy sessions it is standard to talk about the primary issues and concerns in your life. It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts 50 minutes. Sometimes individuals who are going through a particularly difficult challenge may request more time per session or more than one session per week. Therapy can be short-term, focusing on a specific issue or longer-term, addressing more complex issues or ongoing personal growth. There may be times when you are asked to take certain actions outside of the therapy sessions, such as reading a relevant book or keeping records to track certain behaviors. Between sessions it is important process what has been discussed and integrate it into your life. For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during and between the sessions.

What benefits can I expect from working with a therapist? Therapy can provide insight and new perspectives into life's challenges and can help create solutions to difficult problems.  Many people find that working with a therapist can enhance personal development, improve relationships and family dynamics, and can ease the challenges of daily life.  Sometimes, just having someone there to listen is helpful.  Therapy may not be helpful for everyone.  It is always possible that someone may get worse.  In general, though, with therapy, there is a beginning, a middle, and end.  Overall, people in therapy tend to have lower levels of anxiety and stress, decreased conflict, and improved quality of life.  Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

    • Developing new skills for handling stress and anxiety
    • Through changing one's internal scripts, a client may reduce unhealthy behavior and long-standing patterns
    • Attaining insight into personal patterns and behavior
    • Increasing confidence, peace, vitality, and well-being
    • Improving ways to manage anger, depression and moods
    • Discovering new ways to solve problems
    • Learning what are and how to to set boundaries
    • Navigating life’s obstacles more effectively
    • Improving listening and communication skills
    • Enhancing the overall quality of life through learning how to set realistic goals
    • Safety planning when needed...

Do you accept insurance?

AHC does not accept insurance of any kind.  We are totally private pay.  Please check with your carrier to see if they reimburse for out of pocket mental health expenses.  

We can provide you with a receipt for services that you may follow up with your insurance provider to see if you may be reimbursed.  It is best to always check with your insurance provider first if you want reimbursement. 

Why we do not accept insurance?

Primarily, with insurance, medical necessity is need for services to be approved.  Also, unfortunately, once a diagnosis is made, and provided to your insurance provider, this diagnosis may follow you for the rest of your life, and could have negative consequences.  AHC has no control over what your insurance company does with your PHI.

Is therapy confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission. However, here in California there are number of exceptions to this rule.

We often require referrals to sign Releases Of Information (ROI's) so that we may openly communicate with the referring party and/or others that we fell may be needed to assist in your treatment.

Here in California - we are required by law to break confidentiality if the following comes up with a client:

    • Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
    • If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s. The therapist must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
    • If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety.
    • If client discloses their plan regarding "Threats to Damage property."
    • If a client discloses information about a conserved adult who is being abused and/or neglected.
    • If a family member of yours contacts our office disclosing that you are involved in any of the above - this information may have to be reported.