Before we get started ….

I cannot be certain why you are reading the intro to my page, but if I had to guess, I imagine you might be going through some “stuff” and you are wondering if speaking with someone could help, and whether that someone might be me. I would like to provide some basic information about how I work to help you decide whether you’d like to schedule a call to start the conversation.  

I am a therapist. 

I am a relational therapist and I’m here to accompany you on your journey of self-discovery, as we take a deep dive into your psyche and better understand why you are who you are. We work together in a safe space that supports your growth and healing process. And for that, I require that we meet at least every week until we establish that weekly sessions are no longer necessary, and together we decide the appropriate cadence for future sessions. 

Requirements for weekly sessions are historically customary for psychotherapists but many therapists are comfortable with other formats. For me, to abide by my legal and ethical duties as a therapist, including completing a proper assessment, evaluation, prognosis, and treatment plan, I need to see you at least once a week to get started. 

And I am a coach. 

I have a separate life coaching practice that focuses on helping clients become more effective in overcoming challenges, by focusing on tools, skills, and encouraging you to be accountable for behaviors that keep you from reaching your goals. 

Therapy or Coaching

Therapy and coaching can get intertwined or muddled sometimes. For example, when we work on career goals or future oriented life choices in therapy, or we need to discuss why certain obstacles in our coaching sessions may be rooted in childhood trauma. So how can we decide which approach may be best for you. If you decide you would like to schedule weekly therapy sessions and, in working together, we agree that what you really need is action-oriented guidance in communication, career development or other personal growth goals, then there is no need for a diagnosis or treatment plan. On the other hand, if you choose to schedule intermittent coaching sessions and, in my professional opinion, I notice symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions, then we need to discuss how to best support you in a therapeutic setting and whether it makes sense for us to continue working together or if you would benefit more from a referral to another therapist. 

Telehealth Practice 

About ten percent of my practice is in person, usually with couples in crises who need two to three hours of intensive work to get started, and the rest of the time I meet clients on video (telehealth). I am licensed in California; therefore, all my therapy clients must be California residents. If you reach out for coaching from out of state and we decide you would be best served by a therapist, we will research how to find licensed professionals in your state of residence to ensure you get the appropriate level of support.

Fees 

My current fees will always be up to date on Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/sheila-rad-san-jose-ca/478662

I do not accept insurance but am willing to provide my therapy clients with a superbill for their sessions. I will keep your credit card on file, and you will be charged the full fee for the session, whether we meet or if you are a “no show”, or, if you cancel within a 24-hour period prior to our session. I reevaluate my fee structure from time to time and I will provide clients with a minimum of 3 months advance notice before adjusting my rates in order to discuss and prepare for situations of hardships and possible solutions to best support your long-term needs. 

I have limited openings for low fee clients based on financial needs. I invite you to reach out regardless and if I don't have an opening, I am happy to help you find a therapist who can support you. I also recommend checking out organizations such as “Open Path”  https://openpathcollective.org/ for a list of affordable therapists all over the country, or other similar agencies or collectives that offer clients a sliding fee scale.

Privacy and Confidentiality

The following are exceptions to privacy and confidentiality rules. This is not an exhaustive list, and we can discuss the matter in more detail as part of our initial session and as many times thereafter to ensure your understanding of the legal and ethical rules as they apply to our work together.  

California law requires that I break confidentiality to make a child abuse report if I have a reasonable suspicion that a child has been abused physically or sexually, or that a child’s health is endangered. I am also required to report neglect if I have a reasonable suspicion that you or another caretaker has failed to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision to your child or children.

There are also reasons for me to release confidential information without your authorization. For example, if I believe you present an imminent danger of serious physical violence against someone, I may decide to warn the intended victim, notify law enforcement, or both. If I believe you to be a danger to yourself, I can decide to hospitalize you involuntarily for evaluation and possible treatment, to prevent you from harming yourself. 

If you decide to submit your superbill to your insurance company for your reimbursement, I am expected to inform the insurance company of your mental disorder diagnosis, if any. 

If you are involved in litigation and you are claiming that someone harmed you, the person you are suing might request my records and ask me to testify about your treatment. If you are a coaching client, you are not in “treatment” and will not have any records.

Qualifications

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with a master’s degree. I am not a medical doctor and I do not have a doctorate degree. I am not a specialist or an expert, and I have no way of knowing or guaranteeing whether you will be cured of what ails you or even get better because of our work together. In fact, it’s possible you will feel worse as you uncover suppressed memories or become aware of previously ignored painful emotions such as grief or rage.  

Duration 

I cannot estimate how long our treatment will last. You can decide to terminate treatment anytime you want, and I ask that you schedule a termination session for us to properly close our work together. If I decide you are not benefiting from treatment or that another therapist might be a better fit for your situation, then I would discuss the matter with you and terminate treatment or refer you to another provider or agency.

Dual Relationships 

The state licensing board has strict rules around dual relationships, and I agree that to protect my client’s interests, I will not see any clients outside of our professional relationship. In fact, during our work together and for at least two years after our professional relationship has ended, if we encounter each other in a public setting, I will not acknowledge that I know you. Of course, you have the right to share any information about me to anyone you like, anytime you wish.

Conclusion

If after reviewing the basics, you think we might work well together, feel free to reach out via email and I will let you know if I am accepting new clients, and we can schedule a free 20-minute introductory session during which I can answer any additional questions you might have.