Getting Started & Frequently Asked Questions
Anny Papatheodorou, LMFT
Certified IFS Therapist, Certified EMDR Therapist, Certified Brainspotting Therapist
Trauma-informed, culturally affirming online psychotherapy for adults in Walnut Creek, Oakland, the San Francisco Bay Area, and throughout California and Virginia.
Come as you are. I’d love to hear from you.
I welcome people across cultures, racial and ethnic identities, spiritual traditions, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, national identities, and relationship structures.
Getting Started
Beginning therapy doesn’t require having everything figured out or knowing exactly what you need. You may have a clear sense of what brings you here, or simply know that something in your life no longer feels sustainable and you would like support making sense of it.
If you’re considering working with me, the first step is to complete a brief consultation request. I’ll respond within two business days to let you know whether I currently have an opening that may fit your needs and schedule.
If so, I’ll invite you to schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation. This gives you a chance to tell me a little about what brings you to therapy, ask questions about how I work, and get a sense of whether you feel comfortable with me. I’ll also consider whether my experience and approach are a good match for what you’re seeking.
If we decide to move forward, we can schedule an initial therapy appointment. If I’m not the right fit or don’t have an appropriate opening, I’m happy to offer referrals when I can.
Please note: I’ll be out of the office October 7 through 18 and will respond to messages when I return on October 19.
Your story matters.
No story is too small, too complicated, too late, or unworthy of being heard.
You deserve a place where you don’t have to carry it alone.
Below, you’ll find answers to common questions about therapy, fees, scheduling, insurance, and my practice.
Therapy & Working Together
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I generally work with clients on a weekly basis. Consistent sessions give us the time and continuity needed to build trust, understand the patterns we’re working with, and engage more deeply in the therapeutic process.
Your appointment is typically held at the same day and time each week and reserved specifically for you. I understand that travel, work, illness, and life occasionally require flexibility, and we can address scheduling changes as they arise.
As therapy progresses and the work feels more integrated, we may decide together that meeting less frequently makes sense.
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My approach is collaborative and responsive rather than one-size-fits-all. Sessions will look somewhat different depending on what you need, what we’re working on, and where you are that particular day.
We’ll often begin with a brief check-in and make space for anything important that has emerged since we last met. From there, we may continue something we were exploring previously, turn toward something new that feels more pressing, or engage more intentionally in approaches such as IFS, EMDR, or Brainspotting.
Therapy rarely unfolds in a perfectly linear way. Even when our focus shifts from week to week, I’ll continue holding the larger themes and goals of our work in mind.
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There isn’t a predetermined timeline for therapy. Some people find that several months of focused work meets their needs, while others choose to engage in longer-term therapy, particularly when working with complex trauma, longstanding relational patterns, or deeper questions of identity and meaning.
We’ll periodically check in about how the work is feeling and whether therapy continues to be useful. If either of us senses that we’re feeling stuck, that becomes something we can talk about openly and use to reconsider what you need, shift our approach, or clarify where we’re going next.
My Approach and Who I Work With
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My approach is trauma-informed, relational, humanistic, and collaborative. I’m certified in Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Brainspotting, and I integrate these approaches based on your needs rather than following a rigid, one-size-fits-all protocol.
I pay close attention to the relationship between your present-day experiences, your history, your nervous system, and the protective patterns that may have developed along the way. Therapy with me is active and engaged: I’ll offer reflections, ask questions, and help us notice what may be happening beneath the surface while respecting your pace and autonomy.
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I work with adults navigating complex and relational trauma, difficult childhoods, anxiety, depression, shame and self-criticism, relationship patterns, grief and loss, identity concerns, and periods of significant transition or questioning.
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, self-aware, and capable in many areas of their lives, yet find that insight alone hasn’t shifted certain longstanding patterns or emotional wounds.
I also have particular experience working with immigrants and children of immigrants, and I welcome the ways culture, identity, family, and larger social contexts may shape your experience.
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My practice is focused exclusively on individual psychotherapy with adults. I don’t provide couples, family, or child therapy.
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Not at all. You don’t need to arrive knowing which therapy approach is right for you.
Some people contact me because they are specifically looking for IFS, EMDR, or Brainspotting, while others simply know what they would like help with. We can talk together about what feels most appropriate based on your goals, history, preferences, and how you respond to different approaches.
We may use one modality more extensively, integrate several over time, or spend periods working more conversationally and relationally. The method should serve the therapy, and not the other way around.
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I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California and Virginia, and I’m certified in Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Brainspotting. I’ve also completed additional training in trauma, attachment, dissociation, mindfulness, and related approaches.
You can view my full Clinical Background & Training here.
Fees & Insurance
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My fee is $230 for a 50-minute psychotherapy session, typically scheduled weekly.
Longer sessions may occasionally be appropriate, particularly for more focused trauma work. If we decide together that a longer session would be clinically useful, the fee is prorated accordingly.
I accept credit, debit, HSA, and FSA cards through my secure SimplePractice portal. Payments are processed after each session.
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I don’t participate directly with insurance plans and am considered an out-of-network provider.
If your plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, I can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Coverage varies considerably by plan, so I recommend contacting your insurer directly to ask about your specific benefits.
Using insurance for psychotherapy generally requires a mental health diagnosis, which becomes part of your health record.
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I maintain a limited number of reduced-fee spaces for clients experiencing financial need. These spaces are currently full.
If cost is a barrier, Open Path Psychotherapy Collective may be a helpful resource for finding lower-fee therapy.
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If you do not have health insurance, or you choose not to use insurance to pay for therapy, federal law generally gives you the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of the expected cost of your care.
I provide eligible clients with an estimate of anticipated psychotherapy charges. Because the length and frequency of therapy can change over time, the estimate is not a treatment recommendation or a commitment to a specific number of sessions.
If a bill is at least $400 more than the amount listed on your Good Faith Estimate, you may be eligible to dispute the charge. You can learn more about your rights through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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I am an opted-out Medicare provider and do not bill Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare beneficiaries may work with me on a private-pay basis under a private contract, which means neither of us will submit claims to Medicare for reimbursement.
Scheduling, Telehealth & Logistics
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I currently provide psychotherapy exclusively online through a secure telehealth platform. I do not offer in-person sessions.
Telehealth allows us to meet from a private space that works for you and offers greater flexibility without the additional time and logistics of commuting.
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I’m licensed to provide psychotherapy in California and Virginia. You must be physically located in either California or Virginia at the time of your session.
If you travel frequently or expect to spend an extended period outside either state, please let me know so we can talk about how that may affect continuity of care.
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If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please provide at least 48 hours’ notice.
Sessions cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice, as well as missed appointments, are charged the full session fee. If I’m able to reschedule your appointment within the same workweek, I’ll waive the late-cancellation fee.
Emergencies such as accidents, severe illness, or family bereavement are not subject to the late-cancellation fee.
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Yes. You’re welcome to contact me between sessions for scheduling, administrative questions, or other practical matters.
Because email, text, and voicemail are not continuously monitored or appropriate for sensitive clinical material, I generally ask that more substantive therapeutic concerns be saved for our sessions or communicated through the secure client portal when appropriate.
I respond to non-urgent messages during my regular practice hours. Electronic communication should not be used for urgent or crisis support.
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You can find more detailed information about scheduling, billing, cancellations, confidentiality, communication, vacations and other practice matters on my Practice Policies page.
“The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.”
— Paul Farmer, MD
Office locations
1460 Maria Ln Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
2940 Summit Street Suite 2D, Oakland, CA 94609
Hours
Monday–Thursday
8:30 am–2 pm
Phone
(925) 270-6168
Services are currently provided via telehealth.
