A Phone Call

If you would like to discuss receiving treatment at the Center, begin with a telephone call. Our telephone number is 510-652-4455. If you know which psychologist you would like to talk with, call that person directly. If not, contact the psychologist on call for the day, by dialing 510-652-4455 ext 9, to discuss your situation. The psychologist will answer your questions and discuss whether a consultation session with one of the psychologists at the Center is appropriate, and if so, help you determine who at the Center can best meet your needs, and if not, make some other referral suggestions if you would like them.

To inquire about treatment for a child or adolescent, please call Dr. Tompkins or Dr. Martinez.

A consultation (when the patient is an adult):
Treatment starts with a consultation. Most people who seek a consultation are seeking the answer to the question: "Could cognitive-behavior therapy be helpful to me?" However, you may seek a consultation to answer other questions, and if so, be sure to discuss this with the psychologist before the meeting. As part of deciding whether to pursue cognitive behavioral therapy, you and the psychologist will typically discuss the major difficulties you need help with, your goals for your treatment, and treatment planning to reach those goals. Often the consultation leads the psychologist to recommend that you pursue cognitive-behavior therapy, and you will decide to work together. The psychologist may make additional recommendations, such as to seek pharmacotherapy from a psychiatrist or other physician, to obtain group therapy, family therapy, medical treatment, or treatment from another therapist who can better meet your needs.

Consultations typically involve one to four sessions.

A consultation (when the patient is a child or adolescent)
A consultation appointment for a child or adolescent typically begins with a 90-minute meeting with the psychologist and the parents or primary caretakers of the child or adolescent. The purpose of this meeting is for the parents or caretakers to meet with the psychologist to develop a comprehensive list of the youth's problems, issues, or difficulties, while also learning more about cognitive-behavior therapy and whether it would be helpful for their child. At the consultation, in addition to a comprehensive list of problems, the psychologist will gather information about your child's developmental, social, medical, and academic histories. A second appointment may be scheduled for your child to meet with the psychologist to complete the consultation; at that time, the psychologist will discuss with your child the role of cognitive-behavior therapy and whether he or she believes it might be helpful. At the end of the second meeting or possibly at a third session, the psychologist will provide feedback to the child and/or parents. Feedback will include the psychologist's impression of the child's difficulties, and treatment recommendations, which may or may not include cognitive-behavior therapy. If the psychologist recommends other treatment options, the psychologist will discuss these with the child and/or parents and facilitate referrals to other resources.

Preparing for the consultation
To prepare for the consultation, the psychologist will ask you to complete a packet of questionnaires and bring them to the consultation session. The psychologist will likely spend the first several minutes of the consultation session reviewing the materials before interviewing you. Your time spent completing these materials'and the psychologist's time reviewing them-- frees more time to answer your questions and discuss recommendations. Come to the session prepared to ask any questions that are important to you.

The Evaluation and Treatment Agreement
Before the consultation session your psychologist will ask you to review and sign an Evaluation and Treatment Agreement that describes the psychologist's services, training, and experience, as well as the limits of confidentiality, payment procedures, and other matters. Please read the document carefully, sign it, and bring it to the therapy session; it will become a part of the clinical record. If you have any questions about it, please raise them at the beginning of the session.

Fees and Insurance
Each psychologist at the Center sets his or her own fee, with fees currently ranging from $175 to $220 for a session. (Consultation sessions and therapy sessions are billed at the same rate.) We generally ask our patients to pay the fee by cash or check at the time of the session. We would be happy to generate a monthly statement that you can forward to your insurance company if you have insurance coverage and would like to seek reimbursement. Many health insurance plans will reimburse for treatment provided by a licensed psychologist. However, plans vary widely, and the patient is responsible for determining what insurance benefits he or she receives and obtaining reimbursement.

Working Collaboratively With Other Professionals
We encourage our patients to provide written releases allowing us to coordinate care with other psychologists and professionals who are assisting in your care. Psychologists at the Center cannot prescribe medications. If needed, the psychologist with whom you are working can suggest names of local psychiatrists with whom the psychologist has a good collaborative relationship. If you are already working with a psychiatrist or other physician, your therapist will want to establish a collaborative working relationship with that person. Similarly, if you have a couple therapist or group therapist, your psychologist at the Center will want to collaborate with that professional.