Rates & Insurance

Amount: $

While I prefer an old fashioned check, Venmo and PayPal are also acceptable.

MANY AFFORDABLE CHOICES:

Our first meeting to consider in-office therapy is 15-20 minutes and is always free unless we have already communicated re: issues and your needs via phone, e-mail, etc. This is considered a "get acquainted" intro-assessment visit to determine if we are a good fit. If not, I will endeavor to give you referrals that might suit your needs better.

I accept credit cards, cash, checks and electronic payments such as Venmo and PayPal and charge as follows as of the above signed date. Fees are subject to review and change annually.

  • In Office: $250. for 50 minutes. Consider using this only if you prepare your thoughts and objectives for the session well beforehand so you are getting the maximum help and improvement.
  • In Office: $325. for 70 minutes. Consider using this if you need a little more time to process what is going on in your life, or who have concerns you want to address in depth without being rushed by the clock, persons struggling with trauma or addiction, or for those who travel some distance.
  • In Office: $475.00 for 2 hours for those clients with special circumstances or who drive a long distance, fly in, or families/friends needing intervention help and support, or for those who just want more time for themselves. This pricing is also a savings for couples who need joint time but also need private time each and don't want to drive back for solo sessions.

* Please note that ongoing Online Therapy/Telemedicine is billed at same rates and not everyone is a good candidate for Online Therapy which is at the discretion of Sharon Valentino MFT. See website for fees: www.valentinotherapy.com

  • ~ Life Coaching Clients pay same rate as above.~
  • ** Sober Coach and Family Support Clients pay $190.00 per 50 minute hour or $1,000 per day for unlimited services (see the web page for details at: www.intensiverecoveryworks.com)

Telemedicine/ Online Therapy for Calif. Residents: All online communications needs to go through a third party secure website to meet HIPPA and security requirements. I offer Online a la carte or on Retainer. It can be canceled by you or me at any time and I reserve the right to not accept a client for online or continuing online work if it doesn't not seem advisable as online therapy is not for everyone . T here are no contracts, minimum terms or upfront fees but payment must be received prior to the commencement of any session so that valuable session time is not wasted. I do not offer Couples Counseling online as I have not found it as effective as in-office. Certain informational documents and an Informed Consent Form (just like in-office therapy) must be completed and returned before the start of any sessions. The below fees do not apply to Legal Cases, which require significant extra work and documentation. It also does not apply to existing in-office clients.

Insurance: For the sake of keeping fees affordable and confidentiality, I am direct pay and do not accept direct insurance payments. I will provide an insurance ready statement each month so that you may submit for reimbursement. I work on a fee-for-service basis only. Many clients can receive reimbursement for a portion of my services through their out-of network mental health benefits.

Payment: Cash, check, or Venmo and PayPal for credit cards are accepted for in-office session payments in advance. Please pay before the start of the session so that none of your valuable session time is taken up with completing payment. If you are not paying by cash or check, I prefer you use Venmo as they do not charge the relatively large fees that PayPal does, which helps keep my rates low. Go to Venmo.com to sign up and Venmo.com/app to get the app for your phone. Otherwise, feel free to use PayPal.com. Both accounts take almost all credit cards and are in my name: Sharon Valentino MFT.

Cancellation Policy: If you do not come for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not notified us at least 48 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.

Schedule Online: Feel free to request a therapy appointment online. However, I prefer that you e-mail me at: [email protected] as I will be able to respond to your request much faster.

Please note: I do not work with Borderline individuals (and a few other diagnoses) as Borderline PD is not an area I am skilled in.

Taxes:

  • If you have a health care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) though your employer, the cost of psychotherapy may be an eligible reimbursable expense. Check with your employer and tax advisor.
  • Please speak to your CPA regarding whether your medical expense for therapy is deductible from your taxes in your particular situation.

Legal Injury Health Treatment - Trauma, Memory Loss, PTSD: If you have been injured due to the fault of others and are referred via a legal case, the costs differ from those noted above due to significantly increased demands, attorney consultations, and documentation of legal cases. Contact me for details. Fees for legal cases involving trauma, memory loss and PTSD which require significant paperwork and documentation, thus the fees are higher for greater services rendered. Call or email for a detailed listing of costs.

Contact Me

Location

Office Hours

Monday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed