FAQs
What is your availability?
My private practice is small and limited in space. My availability does vary and may fluctuate from time to time. I do offer sessions in the evenings and some Saturdays.
Do you speak another language?
Yes, I speak Vietnamese. Tôi nói tiếng Việt.
Do you offer in-person sessions?
No, I do not. My services are exclusively online via telehealth (i.e., phone or video sessions).
How do I know if a therapist is right for me?
There is no clear answer to this. And not all therapists are created equal. If a therapist offers a free initial phone consult, you can use this opportunity to inquire for that therapist's style, experience, cultural awareness and knowledge in the area of needs that you're looking to get more guidance and support in.
Always trust your intuition and check in with yourself to see if you feel safe and comfortable whenever you're in a therapist's presence. If after around 6 sessions and you don't experience any real shifts (small or big), or if you don't feel safe to be who you are and share your vulnerability in sessions, it may be time to communicate your concerns with your therapist and discuss your options.
It is important to note that a sense of safety, honesty and authenticity should be keys to build a healthy therapeutic relationship between you and your therapist.
If it is not a right fit/match, it's okay. Keep looking until you find the right one for you. Trust me, it will be worth your time and investment when you have the right therapist for you.
How do I know whether tele-therapy is appropriate for me?
Tele-therapy may NOT be appropriate for you if you are currently experiencing any abuse, intimate partner violence, having active suicidality (e.g., contemplating suicide, making plan or attempting to take your own life), and/or psychosis (e.g., hearing voice that tells you to hurt yourself and/or someone else).
If you are experiencing any life-threatening emergency or feeling unsafe towards yourself and/or other people, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital ER and request for in-person mental health or psychiatric services.
If you are not in immediate danger but would like to speak with someone right away, please contact National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.
If you are a California Bay Area resident, please explore these resources for additional crisis support.
How do I prepare for a tele-therapy session?
For video session, you will need reliable internet connection, a headset with microphone, tablet or computer with video camera, and a safe and private space for your teletherapy session. For telephone session, it's important that your phone is functional, fully charged and has good signal.
If it is a video session, you will receive a private appointment link via email within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment. Please do not share your private appointment link with anyone. Your video session will take place via HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platform. I will meet you on screen at the time of your scheduled session.
If it is a telephone session, I will call you at the time of your scheduled appointment.
Do you accept insurance?
No, I do not accept insurance as direct form of payment. I am an out-of-network provider and only accept major credit/debit cards, HSA/FSA cards.
If you need to use your insurance, please contact your insurer in advance to verify your coverage for out-of-network for telehealth mental health services (both phone and video sessions). Upon request, I will provide a monthly Superbill for you to submit to your insurance company for partial or full reimbursement.
Please be aware that in order to use your insurance for coverage, I must give you a mental health diagnosis, which will become a part of your legal medical record. Please understand that not all mental health diagnosis will be reimbursable. Reimbursement rate may also vary with different insurance companies.
Do you offer sliding scale options?
At this time, I do not have any slots for sliding scale.
What age group do you work with?
I work with individuals age 18 and older.
Do you work with couple?
No, I do not.
Do you work with family?
No. Unfortunately I do not offer family therapy in my private practice.