About Therapy

     It is important to know that therapy has both benefits and risks. Therapy can be emotionally painful at times. Sometimes people feel worse before they start to feel better. This is a natural part of the healing process and often indicates that progress is being made. While there are no guarantees, participating in therapy should help you to reduce uncomfortable symptoms and increase your ability to communicate better and enjoy your relationships more. Please talk with me if you have concerns about how you are feeling to avoid any misunderstandings. My normal practice is to establish treatment goals, anticipated length of time and frequency needed to meet those goals. Sessions are generally 60 minutes in length and can be weekly, bi-weekly, or any frequency we decide on together.

Confidentiality

     You have the right to a confidential therapeutic relationship that is protected by law. However, there are some limitations. A consent form outlining these limitations will be presented to you for your signature at our first meeting. In addition to the conditions mandated by law, I adhere to a “no secrets policy” when working with couples or families. What I am told by one member in treatment is to be discussed openly with other members in treatment. When working with groups, I do not discuss individual members outside of the group session. Contact with me outside of group sessions is discouraged. Email contact can not be guaranteed and any communication to my email address or via website on a public server is done at your own risk.

Minors

     If you are under the age of 18, please be aware that the law may provide your parents or legal guardians with the right to examine your treatment records. Under most circumstances, I request parents give up access to records. If they agree, I provide them only with general information about our work together unless a high risk situation arises in which I feel you are in real danger at which time I will notify parents/legal guardians and/or law enforcement or social services. Before disclosing information, I will make every effort to discuss the matter with you.

Professional consultations

     I may occasionally find it helpful to consult with other professionals about our work together. I will avoid revealing your identity, however the consultant is also legally bound to keep the information we discuss confidential. I will not normally tell you about consultations unless I feel it is important to our work together.

Appointments and fees

     Generally our sessions will take place at a prearranged time, date and place. We will determine this schedule together. Payment for every session is expected to be paid by the close of the session. It is helpful if you prepare your check or payment envelope before the session so that we can use all our time together addressing your concerns. Fees per session are: $85/hour for office visits by individual/couples/families; other professional services, such as report writing, depositions or court testimony, including travel and wait times; phone sessions; extended email communications; and crisis interventions. See below for more on Additional Fees.

Cancellation and No-show policy

     If you can not make it to your scheduled appointment or group session, I request that you provide me with at least 24-hour notice or you will be charged for the session. Payment for the missed or changed appointment is due within one week. You will not be charged if the session time can be filled by another client. Out of equal respect for your time, I will provide you 24-hour notice of cancellation or offer your next session free of charge.

Insurance reimbursement

     This is a fee-for-service practice. You are responsible for all charges at the time of service unless covered by an approved Employee Assistance Program. Your insurance or EAP may or may not cover all of your therapy costs. For clients paying out of pocket for services, I am able to provide you with a written statement of fees paid by you that may be send to your insurance company for application to your annual deductible or for reimbursement at their discretion. Statements will be provided by mail within one week of your request, or by email if you so choose.

Additional fees and services

     In addition to appointments, I do charge my full hourly fee for other professional services. These may include: report writing, lengthy phone and email consultations, meeting with other professionals you have authorized, preparation of records or treatment summaries, and other services by request. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, you will be charged for my professional time even if it is not covered by your insurance or if I am called to testify by another party, including travel expenses, travel time, and wait time. If you elect to schedule home visits or therapy in a place other than my professional office, the fee for the hour will be $150.

Dual relationships

      San Diego is a big city, but full of small communities. Clients of my practice may know each other and or be familiar with me from other activities in the community. Consequently, you may bump into me out in the community, or into someone you know in the waiting area. Please hold this knowledge in confidence and respect others as they pursue happiness and health in ways of their own choosing. Although I may say hello, I will not acknowledge working therapeutically with anyone without his/her written permission. Not all dual relationships are unethical or avoidable, however a professional therapuetic relationship in no way ever involves sexual or any other dual relationship that impairs a therapist’s objectivity, clinical judgment, or therapeutic effectiveness or can be exploitative in nature.

Termination of service

     It is your right to stop therapy whenever you feel you need to. It is my hope that you will discuss your desire to stop therapy with me so that we have an opportunity to bring our time together to a close. I normally review your progress with you and make a referral list for your future use. I am very interested in and welcome your comments about my practice at any time, but especially as you take your leave. If you decide to stop therapy suddenly or do not feel comfortable with a closure session, I’d appreciate it if you would notify me by phone message, email, or US mail so that your disappearance does not become cause for concern.

Contacting me

You may contact me directly or leave a confidential message at (619) 318-6573. I check messages daily, and will attempt to return your call within one business day. I am not “on-call”, nor am I available 24 hours a day or on weekends. I am not available by pager or answering service. If you’d like, you are welcome to send me email or contact me via my website, however please note that I use a public server and can not guarantee your confidentiality. You will be notified ahead of time if I am to be out of town or unreachable, and I may arrange for a trusted colleague to be available to you when I am not available myself.

If at any time you experience a psychological crisis or emergency and can not reach me directly, please contact the CRISIS LINE at 1-800-479-3339.

I look forward to working with you to reach your personal goals for a happier life!

Crystal Green,PhD, LMFT