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3. Q: What if I need to call you between appointments? A: At times, you may find that you need to talk with me by phone
between our regular sessions. You may call me directly at 415-505-0179. If I am unable to answer, you may leave a message
in my confidential voice mail and I will return your call as soon as possible, as I check voicemail several times during the
business day. If I have not returned your call within 24 hours during the business week, please call back again, as there
may have been an error in recording the message. For brief calls concerning scheduling and such, you will not be charged.
However, time spent on the phone consulting about your concerns that would normally be discussed in a therapy session will
be charged at the regular rate and can be paid at your next visit.
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4. Q: Are you available 24 hours a day for consultation? A: Please note that I am not available 24 hours for counseling.
Because a personal crisis is sometimes part of the counseling and/or recovery process, if you are in a life or death, extreme
crisis, or emergency situation and are unable to reach me, my voicemail recording will instruct you to call 911. It is important
that you not abuse this crisis line as it is for extreme emergencies only. For a suicide crisis, call the National Hopeline
Network at 1-800-784-2433. For crises with alcohol, call the Alcohol Treatment Center 24 Hour Help Line at 1-800-711-6375,
or Alcoholics Anonymous in San Francisco at 415-674-1821.
5. Q: What if I need to cancel an appointment? A: When you schedule your appointment, I set aside a specific time
for you which I do not schedule for anyone else. If you miss your appointment without prior notice, I am unable to reschedule
and use the appointment productively. Because of this, if you need to cancel an appointment, you must call a minimum of 24
hours in advance. If your appointment is on a Monday, you must cancel the previous Friday by 12 noon. I charge a $100 cancellation
fee for the first appointment missed without prior notification as described above. After that, you will be charged full session
fee.
6. Q: How does treatment come to an end? A: The decision to stop therapy is frequently a mutual and gradual decision
that comes at an appropriate time based on the work that you accomplish in therapy. I encourage you to allow at least
four sessions for this purpose. In the event that circumstances require a sudden decision to terminate therapy, it is my policy
that we meet for at least one termination session, with which to close the therapy. Termination sessions allow you an opportunity
to tie up loose ends, assess the work you have accomplished and discuss future options. I believe that these valuable
sessions allow for completion that will protect and preserve the therapeutic work that has been achieved. In the event that
I feel you are not benefiting from our work together, I will initiate termination, and will provide you with at least two
referrals to other therapists who I believe will provide you with therapeutic benefit.
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