Therapy is often appropriate when you are dealing with persistent sadness, anxiety, anger, or numbness that interferes with daily life; working through significant loss or a life transition; stuck in patterns you recognize but cannot change; wanting a confidential space to think through complex decisions; managing a chronic illness or caregiver demands; integrating an intense experience; or simply wanting to understand yourself better and grow. Therapy is legitimate as a tool for personal growth, not only as a treatment for diagnosed conditions. Honest caveat: therapy is not always the right answer. Sometimes the better support is medical, sometimes practical, sometimes social. A first session is often a useful way to figure out which type of support fits. If you are uncertain, the free 15-minute consultation is designed for exactly that question.
First sessions usually combine intake paperwork, a clinical conversation about what brings you in, and an initial sense of whether you and the therapist are a good fit. In my practice specifically: before the session, I send an email with a link to your personal client portal where you complete consent and intake forms and credit card authorization. During the session, we talk about what brings you to therapy now, what you have tried before, what you hope to change, and any specific symptoms or events you want to address. I ask background questions about your history, family, work, and current support. You can ask me anything about my approach, training, or experience. At the end, we discuss whether to schedule a regular weekly time. If either of us thinks you would be served better by a different therapist, I will help you find one. Research consistently finds that the strongest single predictor of therapy outcomes is the quality of the relationship between client and therapist, not the specific modality used.
50-minute in person and telehealth sessions are $250. I accept Concern Health, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offered through employers, which provides a set number of free sessions to eligible employees. If your employer offers this benefit, you can contact Concern at 800-344-4222 and request to see me. For current clients experiencing financial hardship, we can discuss a temporarily reduced fee, and I can refer you to lower-cost options if that would serve you better. In compliance with federal regulations, I provide a Good Faith Estimate of anticipated therapy costs to private-pay clients at the start of treatment.
I accept Visa, Mastercard, flex spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) debit cards. Credit cards are stored in a HIPAA compliant electronic health record and billed after each session. Any fees charged for declined cards will be passed through to you.
I am not contracted with any insurance companies, which means I am considered out-of-network. If you have a PPO insurance plan with out-of-network benefits, you may be able to be reimbursed for part of the cost. I am happy to provide a Super bill with the information your insurance company needs when you file a claim, and I can help you understand the specifics of your coverage. I cannot guarantee reimbursement, so you are responsible for verifying and understanding the limits of your coverage.
I have a 24-hour late cancellation policy. If you do not attend your scheduled session and have not notified me at least 24 hours in advance, you will be charged the full cost of the session. Before your first appointment, you are required to add a credit card to your client portal. This card is also charged for missed appointments or late cancellations. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact me as soon as possible.
Yes, what you say in therapy is confidential, with a few exceptions:
There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect a client and/or others from harm. For example, if I believe that a child, adult over 65 yo, or disabled person is being abused or has been abused, I am required to make a report to the appropriate state agency. If I believe that a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another, I am required to take protective actions. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalization for the client. If the client threatens to harm himself/herself, I may be obligated to seek hospitalization for him/her or to contact family members or others who can help provide protection. If a similar situation occurs in the course of our work together, I will attempt to fully discuss it with you before taking any action.
If you submit a claim to your insurance, they will require a diagnosis and sometimes information to justify the treatment. You are the one who will be submitting the claim, so can decide if you want your insurance company to have this information. If I am ever asked for additional information, I will get your consent before sending anything. If you don't want me to send requested information, your insurance company may deny the claim.
I may occasionally find it helpful to consult other professionals about a case. During a consultation, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of my client. The consultant is also legally bound to keep the information confidential. Ordinarily, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I believe that it is important to our work together.
Although this written summary of exceptions to confidentiality is intended to inform you about potential issues that could arise, it is important that we discuss any questions or concerns that you may have. I will be happy to discuss these issues with you and provide clarification when possible. However, if you need specific clarification or advice, I am unable to provide, formal legal advice may be needed, as the laws governing confidentiality are quite complex, and I am not an attorney.
For non-urgent matters, you can call me at 650-556-4906 or email Betsy@BetsyConlan.com. I check my voicemail and email regularly and will usually respond the same day, except after hours, weekends and on holidays. Please understand that I may be in session with other patients or addressing other matters when you attempt to reach me.
Email is not secure, so please avoid sending detailed health information that way; you can upload sensitive information through your client portal instead.
In urgent situations: if you can't reach me and feel you can't wait, call 988 for free 24/7 crisis support. If you are exerienceing a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
When I am away for an extended period, I will provide the name of a colleague you can contact.
Most clients who complete a course of psychotherapy feel better afterward than when they started. Common benefits include a better understanding of yourself and your values; skills for improving relationships; resolution of the concerns that brought you in; new ways to cope with stress and anxiety; more effective management of anger, grief, and depression; stronger communication; changes to old behavioral patterns; and higher self-esteem. Common risks include feelings and symptoms temporarily getting worse as therapy progresses; in rare cases thoughts of self-harm, in which case we work to help you cope safely; and, if you submit a claim to insurance, the requirement of a diagnosis. Not all therapy is effective — if you are not making progress after several weeks or months, please tell me, since a different approach or therapist may serve you better.
The length of therapy varies depending on your goals, needs, and the pace at which you want to work. Some clients benefit from a few sessions, while others engage in longer-term work. We check in regularly about progress; if after several weeks it does not feel like therapy is helping you move toward what matters to you, we talk about why and we adjust. That conversation is more important than picking a number of sessions in advance.