Q: I’m an existing client. What’s the best way for me to reach you?
Email: help@ccc-counseling.com
Voicemail: 617-440-4245
Email is strongly preferred and will receive a more timely response than voicemail.
I typically check email several times on weekdays, up to and through mid-afternoon. While I usually respond within 48 hours, please allow up to 72 hours on weekends and holidays.
Q: I’m a prospective client interested in teletherapy. Can you tell me more about it?
Yes! In fact I created a Teletherapy Hub just for you, with lots of information about how to access my phone and video platforms, how I keep our communications secure, and other client-specific considerations you may want to explore before committing to virtual appointments.
To the best of my knowledge, I have not opted-in to AI technology or data collection on any platform utilized by my practice (including Zoom’s AI Companion), nor do I utilize any AI-assisted technology in any area of practice administration.
Q: Okay, looks good. How do I go about making my first appointment?
Before we commit to working together, I require all prospective clients to schedule a complimentary 10-minute phone consultation to make sure we are a good match. You may do so by filling out the form here. If we both agree it's a good fit, we’ll discuss next steps at the conclusion of your phone consultation.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to overwhelming call volume and demand, I no longer respond to initial outreach requests received by phone. Voicemail inquiries to schedule a phone consultation will NOT receive a reply. Please fill out my inquiry form to request your consultation call. Thank you for understanding!
Q: What happens during our first session?
We will discuss this in more depth toward the end of your complimentary 10-minute consultation, but essentially I will take you through a full initial intake to establish an accurate history and understanding of your background. I want to know what factors in your life, from childhood through today, brought you to the point where you felt motivated come to therapy and set specific goals -- which we will begin to set and explore as well. Prior to the end of our initial session, we will also go through mandatory paperwork including confidentiality agreements and standard office policies that will help make sure we both have accurate expectations for the work we are about to embark upon together.
Q: Do you work with couples, children/adolescents, families, or other groups?
No. At this time I only work with adult individuals.
Q: Where are sessions held?
PLEASE NOTE: As of March 16, 2020, the Back Bay office is closed indefinitely in response to public health recommendations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All sessions are taking place virtually via teletherapy only — this includes first-time intake appointments, which must be conducted in a video session format. You can find more information about about how I conduct virtual sessions via my Teletherapy Hub here.
Formerly my main office was located in downtown Boston at 143 Newbury Street, Suite 4, Boston MA 02117. I also maintained an office at 72 Langley Road, Suite 23, Newton Centre, MA 02459 until September 2019. If you were previously seen at either location and wish to re-enter therapy in a virtual setting, please email me directly at help@ccc-counseling.com to reconnect and coordinate.
Q: How long are sessions?
All sessions are 45 minutes by default.
Q: Can we have a longer session?
Clients can request to extend any session. However, this must be discussed with me first and arranged at least 1 week in advance to be fair to all of my clients. I reserve the right to decline if extending your session interferes with another client’s prior appointment.
Q: How often can we have sessions?
New clients are scheduled weekly by default. Doing so is standard practice, and allows us to dive into what brings you to therapy and build momentum for your goals, which is otherwise difficult to accomplish when there is inconsistent engagement in therapy. A lot can happen in a week.
That said, I am mindful of my clients' schedules and understand we all face challenging, busy lives. I want to talk to you about specific conflicts that might make it difficult to attend weekly sessions, and I will do my best to accommodate your needs. As you progress in therapy and achieve your goals, you are likewise welcome to breach the subject and request to taper up or down from therapy as you feel suits your needs. Therapy is not meant to be punitive or traumatizing, and I welcome open discourse around your scheduling needs at all times.
Q: Can we have more than one session a week?
You may certainly request to schedule a session more than once a week. This may be a more effective option to simply extending a session. However, as with extended sessions, more frequent sessions must be discussed with me and arranged at least 1 week in advance in order to be fair to all of my clients and ensure there are no conflicts with anyone's schedule.
Q: How much does one session cost?
Standard teletherapy sessions cost $185, and shortened ‘check-ins’ at $90. Extended sessions may be arranged as well.
An exception exists for approved Lotus Therapy Fund recipients, whose first 8 sessions with me will be subsidized by the Asian Mental Health Collective. Thereafter, my standard rate applies.
You can find more detailed information about teletherapy phone/video sessions here.
Additionally, starting January 1, 2022, the No Surprises Act federally mandates that Good Faith Estimates be provided to all new and established clients. Read more about what to expect with Good Faith Estimates here, and about your other rights and protections against “surprise billing” here.
Q: Do you accept insurance?
No, I am NOT in-network with any insurance. However, if your insurer provides out-of-network (OON) mental health coverage, or if you have a "flex" or Health Savings Account (FSA/HSA), I can provide a monthly superbill that you may submit to your insurance company or employer for reimbursement. I suggest contacting your insurer or employer directly to explore what is available to you first, as I will not be able to issue a refund for any services already rendered.
An exception exists for approved Lotus Therapy Fund recipients, whose first 8 sessions with me will be subsidized by the Asian Mental Health Collective. Thereafter, my standard policies for payment and/or insurance usage apply.
Please inform me if you need a superbill, as this will require that I assign you a mental health diagnosis at the end of our first appointment.
Note: I am NOT in-network with Medicare or Medicare Advantage. If you have Medicare/Medicare Advantage and wish to work together, I will NOT be able to provide a superbill. Any Medicare/Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who wish to work with me can only do so by entering into a Private Contract waiving their reimbursement options with all Medicare products, similar to what I have agreed to as an Opt-Out provider for Medicare/Medicare Advantage.
Regardless of insurance usage, you are entitled to a Good Faith Estimate for all scheduled appointments, which you can read about in more detail here. I do not practice balance billing but support clients in understanding their rights and protections against “surprise billing”; you can find more information on that here.
Unfortunately I do not work with EAPs or Victim’s Compensation at this time.
Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
All major credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are acceptable. All clients must have a major credit card on file prior to their first appointment. If you would like to apply an FSA/HSA card, this can also be arranged.
I can NOT accept cash, personal/cashier checks, or money orders due to potential for fraud/abuse or lost payments.
I can NOT accept Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, etc. as these carry data privacy risks and are not considered HIPAA-secure forms of payment.
Q: You’ve mentioned the Lotus Therapy Fund a few times now. Can you tell me more about this?
Certainly! In short, the Lotus Therapy Fund is run by the Asian Mental Health Collective who works with AAPI-identifying therapists to provide 8 free sessions to AAPI folx in need. LTF recipients simply need to apply directly with AMHC first. If interested, you can learn more on their website: https://www.asianmhc.org/lotus-therapy-fund/.
Q: What are your credentials?
I am a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. My license is in good standing with the Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Service Professions. You can find details about my clinical training and background here.
I am also licensed by endorsement as an LMHC in the state of New York — and am registered to provide virtual therapy as an LMHC in Florida, and as a Professional Counselor Telehealth Provider in South Carolina.
Q: What theoretical orientation(s) or methods do you utilize in session?
I naturally resonate with the Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT) framework but consider myself primarily Person-Centered, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informed. I have drawn from Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Gestalt, Internal Family Systems, Humanistic, solution-focused approaches, expressive arts practices, and more in sessions. I am happy to integrate eclectic techniques in sessions if doing so benefits you.
If you have a strong preference for a specific type of theoretical orientation or style, I welcome you to voice this briefly during our complimentary 10-minute phone consultation (which you may schedule here) so that we might have a more in-depth conversation around your needs during our first session.
Q: Can you give me advice?
Yes and no.
What I will NOT do is "give advice" in the sense of telling you what to do. The goal of a therapist is not to make decisions for you in any area of your life. I believe you are ultimately the expert on what is best for you, whether you realize it or not in any given moment, and any change that you decide to make will be much more permanent with the weight of your conscious acknowledgment and decision-making behind it.
What I WILL do is make observations about what is or isn't working for you, suggest alternate perspectives or tactics to build your coping skill set, and brainstorm with you to accomplish your goals. Very rarely will I be directive, except in cases where present, immediate harm or serious risks appear imminent. My priority at all times is safety first, followed by collaboratively working with you to identify and make the changes you desire, both in and out of session, in a concrete and lasting way.
Q: I’m having a ‘breakdown’ or other mental health crisis right now. Can you help?
Unfortunately I am NOT able to provide “on call” services for existing clients in crisis. This is not because I am unwilling but because I operate in an outpatient capacity: when I am not seeing clients, this means my office is closed in a clinical capacity, and I am likely no longer checking emails or voicemails for that business day.
If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency between appointments, and you live in the Boston area, please contact the Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST) 24/7 hotline at 1-800-981-HELP to speak to a call center clinician. Clients in Massachusetts living outside of Boston may still call BEST to be redirected to the local mobile team covering their physical area. You always have the option to dial 911 or visit your nearest emergency room — however, BEST mobile clinicians may be able to visit you in the community to provide psychiatric assessment and diversionary care services. This can be especially helpful if you are having thoughts of suicide, homicide, or other intense psychiatric symptoms that prevent you from safely navigating to your nearest hospital ER. Then, please email me at help@ccc-counseling.com or leave me a voicemail at 617-440-4245 to alert me that you are in crisis. As an outpatient provider, I cannot guarantee a reply within 1 business day, but I will absolutely reach out to you to discuss stabilization steps and how to best proceed, as soon as I am aware of your situation.
Q: I have a question that hasn't been answered here. Can I contact you privately for an answer?
Absolutely! For non-urgent, non-emergency questions or concerns, existing clients are always welcome to reach out by phone at 617-440-4245 or by email at help@ccc-counseling.com. Email is strongly preferred.
New inquiries of any kind must be submitted by email or website form here.