Rachel Ward, LMFT, ATR
626-327-3456
626-327-3456
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start?
First of all let me acknowledge that the getting started part is really hard. When you initially call or text me, we will set up a time for a consultation call. I’ll gather enough information to see if I am the right person to help you. I offer a free 20- minute phone consultation. We will schedule a session, typically 50 minutes, where we will continue to get to know each other and set some goals for our work together. Generally, therapy works best when it is consistent, usually weekly, until your goals are met. Often clients like to come back for check-in sessions and maintenance. Preventative care is also important. I also offer longer sessions for families and those in crisis.
Does therapy work?
YES! Therapy is a collaborative process. Your participation, openness over time, and commitment are very necessary. If you want to make changes, feel better, set goals and meet them, move through some tough stuff you’ve experienced, you can. The results of therapy can be things you can see and things you can feel. Both are incredibly valuable to feeling better.
Do you offer Telehealth Video Therapy?
YES. I offer telehealth therapy services online within the states of California and Michigan. Let’s say your teen is going to college (in CA or MI), you have a short business trip, something came up — telehealth therapy can be a wonderful tool. I utilize a secure HIPPA-compliant system to keep our telehealth sessions private and confidential.
I have found since 2020, when Telehealth became a necessity, that online services have many benefits. I had my early doubts! When you can’t even imagine putting on outside clothes, you lack transportation, suffer from chronic or acute illness, lack local access to in person, work constraints make it hard to get away, etc. having the option to log in can be a literal lifesaver.
Do I have to fill out a bunch of forms?
Not really. When we schedule our first appointment you will receive an email from me asking you to enter the secure and confidential client portal for my practice. It’s helpful to be as thorough as possible.
What if I would like to use my insurance?
Ah insurance. I do not accept assignment from insurance companies but can provide a superbill if we are comfortable sharing a diagnosis, in the hope that you may be reimbursed. Please note that insurance only applies if there is a diagnosis they feel is valid enough to reimburse. I have found that utilizing insurance has limited the kind of work that I do and creates barriers to that work. When not using insurance, you have the flexibility of managing your own care without the oversight of an insurance company which, can limit care and tell us what to do.
I hope that the landscape of insurance coverage for mental health can change over time and increase access. In the meantime I volunteer services and provide pro bono and sliding scale sessions in attempt to align with the values of accessibility I hold dear. I do this in an attempt to earn a living wage and do the work I love to do without burning out or letting big insurance telling us how to work.
While working outside of insurance is quite a common practice in California, for a myriad of reasons, I understand this is not the case in Michigan. I’m happy to talk more about it if you like.
How can I pay?
I accept cash, credit cards, and Zelle. My clients pay me weekly or monthly.
Not sure you need therapy?
First of all let me acknowledge that the getting started part is really hard. When you initially call or text me, we will set up a time for a consultation call. I’ll gather enough information to see if I am the right person to help you. I offer a free 20- minute phone consultation. We will schedule a session, typically 50 minutes, where we will continue to get to know each other and set some goals for our work together. Generally, therapy works best when it is consistent, usually weekly, until your goals are met. Often clients like to come back for check-in sessions and maintenance. Preventative care is also important. I also offer longer sessions for families and those in crisis.
Do you have a speciality?
I love working with creative people and using the arts for wellness.
I am also passionate about teens and young adults, LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. The ones who feel people don’t get them and have a hard time talking to their parents about what is really going on. EVERYONE, whomever you are in this journey of life, is welcome in my office.
I’m also particularly interested in adult children of divorce, transitions in life, somatic (aka body awareness), and nature as medicine.
I also work with many who are also in the helping professions. Medical professionals, therapists in training, who also need someone to talk with.
My training as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist is broad and constantly evolving as I consider lifelong training/learning very important. My early career was spent with children and families experiencing significant trauma. I have additional specific training in couples work, nutritional approaches to mental health, expressive arts therapy, and many other approaches to look at how to feel better.
Are you going to diagnose me?
I can, but that’s not really the focus of what we will be working on. Thinking about diagnoses can inform what we do together in the room, but it doesn’t define you. The DSM, what we therapists use to diagnose for a code that insurance would recognize, is often unwieldy and problematic for reasons I can elaborate on if/when we work together. While I appreciate an attempt at consensus about human experience through categorization and research, this medical model is not necessarily my favorite.
What is confidential?
Short answer, basically everything. The only exceptions are very specific to whether you are safe or in danger. Otherwise, I am required by law and ethics to maintain your privacy.
Therapy for teens and adults in California and Michigan