Are We a Good Fit for Treatment

I’d encourage you to read the other parts of my website including fees and how to get reimbursed and models I used in treatment. However, that’s a lot of reading, so if you’re not interested in that, below is a 10 bullet point summary of items that can help you make a decision to work with me or not. Click on the blue link at the bottom to schedule a 15 minute consultation.

1. Logistics: I see teens and adults and do a comprehensive evaluation that can take 2-4 appointments to complete. Appointments (including therapy) are spaced out 1x/week for 50-60 minutes per appointment. I do not see people more frequently than this.

2. Working with teens (age 12 - 17yo): I defer all my treatment assessment and planning to my teenage clients and do NOT involve the parents outside of the initial evaluation (unless there is an emergency). I treat my teenage clients the same way I do adults. This way, I know who I am working for and who to hold accountable.

3. Specialty: I specialize in the treatment of depression/anxiety particularly if there are symptoms of suicidality, perfectionism, and/or phobias.

4. Insurance: I’m completely Out-Of-Network with all insurance companies. You will be responsible for the full fee for each appointment. You’ll receive a superbill that you can submit to your insurance for partial reimbursement. It’s advised that you call your insurance and confirm before you decide to schedule an initial appointment.

5. Medications: I do not prescribe ADHD medications or controlled medications (benzodiazepines or hypnotics) for anxiety/insomnia. I value therapy more highly than medications and will only prescribe you medications under very specific circumstances. Read more here: https://www.caichendo.com/medications.

6. Approach: I ask a lot of commitments up front from people before I agree to work with them. This is my only way of holding my patients accountable. Commitments range from agreeing to do written homework consistently to agreeing to never again self-harm for the rest of your life. Read more here: https://www.caichendo.com/decisions.

7. My Role: I see my role as your guide. I can help lead you to the right time and place where the methods/tools will be most useful. I’d strongly discourage you from seeing me just to learn new methods/tools. You can easily learn them on your own and for free!

8. Your Role: I see your role as my student. You may have to do some tedious things that you may not have thought to do before. You may have to commit to different philosophies and beliefs that I share with you. The result is that eventually, you’ll outgrow me and leave me behind. That’s how we’ll know that you’ve succeeded.

9. My Philosophy: The purpose of treatment/therapy is to help you learn to be honest with yourself and the world around you. It’s other purpose is to teach you to hold yourself accountable for the problems in your life. In practice, this means focusing your efforts and energy on the painful symptoms you have and choosing to face your problems head on no matter how uncomfortable you feel.

10. FMLA for Depression/Anxiety, ESA Letters, and Disability for Depression/Anxiety: I do not help or encourage my patients on any of these financial-legal matters. I regard them as conflicts of interest that will impede your recovery.