Questions we get
a lot.

Therapy is worth considering any time you notice a pattern you can't shift on your own, a relationship that keeps looping through the same fight, or a level of distress that's affecting how you sleep, work, or connect. You don't need to be in crisis. Many clients come to us for growth, clarity, or prevention — not just acute problems.

Book a free 15-minute consultation online — a brief video call where we'll talk about what's bringing you to therapy, answer your questions, and help you figure out which of our therapists is the best fit. If we're not the right practice, we'll refer you to someone who is.

A brief conversation — around 15 minutes — where you share a little about what you're working on, and we share a little about how we work. No intake forms, no commitment. The goal is to check fit, not to begin therapy.

No — you can book a consult with any of us and we'll help match you with the right therapist during or after that call. We refer internally often; the person you first talk to may not be the person you end up working with, and that's by design.

Sessions are private-pay with fees that vary by therapist and session type (individual vs. couple, 50-min vs. 75-min) — we share current rates during your free consultation so you can plan with accurate numbers. We also provide a Good Faith Estimate in writing before your first paid session, as required by the federal No Surprises Act.

Yes — we're in-network with Lyra, and for every other insurance plan we partner with Mentaya to help you get reimbursed using your out-of-network benefits. Mentaya handles the paperwork and claim submission for a 5% fee per claim, and guarantees the claim will be submitted successfully or they refund you.

Credit card, debit card, and HSA/FSA cards. We don't accept cash or check for telehealth sessions. Payment is collected at the time of service.

Yes, we offer sliding scale spots for clients who need financial support. Availability varies by therapist — ask during your consultation.

A superbill is an itemized receipt of your therapy sessions with the billing codes your insurance needs for reimbursement — and yes, we provide them on request for clients using out-of-network benefits. If you'd rather not handle the paperwork yourself, Mentaya can submit the claim for you.

The federal No Surprises Act requires providers to give self-pay clients a written Good Faith Estimate of expected costs before starting care — you'll receive yours showing expected session fees and frequency, and if your actual bill ends up $400 or more above the estimate, you have the right to dispute it. More at cms.gov/nosurprises.

Most sessions are online via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth across California, with in-person sessions available by client request or clinical recommendation at 1460 Maria Ln #300 Walnut Creek with one clinician, Tina Masoudi. Operating primarily via telehealth lets us offer evening and weekend availability that a traditional office couldn't match.

Somewhere private in California — your therapist must be licensed in the state where you're physically located during the session, which is a legal requirement, not a preference. If you're traveling out of state, we'll coordinate scheduling around that.

Sessions are typically 50 minutes. Longer session formats may be available by arrangement for specific work — we'll discuss options on your consult.

Most clients start weekly. Some move to biweekly after an initial phase of work. For couples doing active relationship repair, weekly is usually the most effective rhythm. We'll talk about cadence as part of your treatment plan.

It depends on what you're working on — focused issues can resolve in 8–12 sessions, while deeper work (trauma, relationship repair, identity) often takes longer. We'll check in periodically about progress and whether to continue, adjust, or plan to wrap up.

We ask for 48 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Lyra clients follow Lyra's 24-hour policy. Late cancellations and no-shows are charged the full session fee. We understand life happens — exceptions are made at the therapist's discretion for genuine emergencies.

You can still do meaningful relationship work in individual therapy. We help you understand your own patterns, communicate more effectively, and shift what's within your control — which often changes the dynamic enough that the relationship improves. Sometimes your partner joins later. Sometimes the work is about deciding whether to stay.

Absolutely — we work with partners at every stage, including dating, engaged, married, divorcing, and everything non-traditional in between (non-monogamous, polyamorous, long-distance, reconciling).

Yes, affirmingly and without centering your relationship as 'different.' Our work with LGBTQ+ couples — including non-monogamous, polyamorous, and kink-involved partnerships — follows the same frameworks as any couples work, with clinicians trained to understand the specific context.

The Gottman Method is a research-based couples therapy approach developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman over 40+ years of studying what actually predicts relationship outcomes — we use it because it gives us structured tools for conflict, friendship, and intimacy grounded in evidence rather than opinion. Christina is trained at Level 2.

Yes, with narrow legal exceptions: we must break confidentiality if you disclose intent to seriously harm yourself or another person, or if you disclose abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or dependent adult. Your therapist will explain these limits at your first session.

The first session is an intake: your therapist will ask about what's bringing you in, relevant history, current functioning, and your goals. You'll complete paperwork beforehand. Expect to do more talking than listening, and to leave with a sense of how your therapist works.

Sometimes — certain approaches (Gottman, CBT, EMDR homework) involve practices or reflections between sessions, while other work happens entirely in the room. Your therapist will be explicit about what's being asked and why.

Occasionally, yes — especially with trauma work, where processing hard material can temporarily surface more distress. Good therapy paces this carefully. Tell your therapist if you're feeling worse; that's useful information, not a sign therapy isn't working.