Services, Fees and Payment for Therapy

The fees for individual therapy are:

• 50-minute therapy session: $240
• 75-minute therapy session: $360
• Prorated sessions or services: $72 per approx. 15-minute increment

Most people begin therapy with one session per week depending on their preferences, needs, and goals. If we decide to work together, I will provide you with a good faith estimate (GFE) reflecting the cost of regular therapy sessions.

Additional services:

• In-home or mobile therapy (limited availability): Includes a travel fee prorated at $66 per approximately 15 minutes of round-trip travel from my Encinitas office. Please contact me to learn more.

Payment Policies

Payment is due at the time of service.

You may securely store a credit card (including most HSA/FSA cards) through my electronic medical records system.

I will provide advance notice of any fee changes.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please let me know so we can explore care options or referrals.

You are responsible for payment for all services received, even if you plan to seek reimbursement from insurance or a third-party payer.

If you have questions, I’m happy to answer them. You may also use the free resource I created below to help verify your benefits and coverage:

I am an opted-out Medicare provider. This means Medicare does not reimburse for my services. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, we will need to sign a private contract prior to beginning therapy. Please let me know if this applies to you so we can review the agreement together.

Therapy Approach & Modalities

How does EMDR work?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based approach to trauma therapy and can be used to treat other mental health conditions. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not always require detailed discussion of traumatic events or homework between sessions.

EMDR helps the brain process memories that have become “stuck,” along with the thoughts / negative beliefs, emotions, and body sensations associated with them. By reprocessing these experiences, EMDR supports the brain’s natural healing processes and allows memories to be stored in a more adaptive way. Read more about it here.

What is depth psychotherapy?

Depth psychotherapy is an umbrella term for approaches influenced by thinkers such as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. It is based on the understanding that much of our emotional life is shaped by processes outside conscious awareness (often referred to as the unconscious). My theoretical lens is influenced by Carl Jung, Marie Louise von Franz, Marion Woodman, and others.

Have you ever:

• Been surprised by something you said or did?
• Wondered about the meaning of a dream, symbol, or recurring image?
• Felt deeply moved by art, music, or stories without knowing why?
• Noticed intergenerational or cultural patterns shaping your reactions?

In depth psychotherapy, we approach experiences like these with curiosity and care. By reflecting on inner experiences, active imagination, relational patterns, and the therapeutic relationship itself, we can deepen insight and explore new ways of relating, communicating, setting boundaries, and caring for yourself.

What is attachment theory?

Attachment theory is a research-based framework that helps explain how we experience closeness, distance, emotional connection, and conflict in relationships.

Through an attachment- and trauma-informed lens, therapy may help you understand relational triggers, manage intense emotions, communicate more effectively, and navigate conflict with greater awareness. Over time, this work can support healthier and more fulfilling relationships.

What should I talk about during a therapy consultation call?

A therapy consultation call serves a few important purposes:

• Firstly, a consultation call is not therapy and it does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Typically there is no cost and the time duration could be 15 to 30 minutes on average. You can think of the call as a low-risk way to see if a therapist could be a good fit and to ask questions about the therapy process
• Before you hop onto a consultation call, it helps if you have an idea of what you want to accomplish in therapy, what your preferences are, and what questions you have about getting started (such as fees, scheduling, and other logistics)
• When I am meeting someone for a consultation call, in addition to answering whatever questions someone might have, I am listening for a few important things: what someone’s expectations of therapy and the therapist are, what their comfort level is, what their needs are, if my practice structure (meeting once a week on average, either in person or virtually) would work well for them, and if I feel like we could establish an effective, collaborative therapeutic relationship

What can I expect during my first therapy appointment?

Here is how I structure the beginning phase of therapy with new clients:

I begin by sending an invitation to my HIPAA-compliant electronic medical record system (Ensora / TheraNest), where you will find all required intake paperwork. This includes the Notice of Privacy Practices, informed consent, an emergency plan, a release of information for an emergency contact, a credit card authorization form (so payments can be processed after each session), an intake questionnaire, and any relevant mental health screenings or assessments.

You are welcome to answer only what feels comfortable. I encourage clients to limit detailed descriptions of traumatic experiences in the paperwork to reduce the risk of feeling triggered before we’ve had a chance to prepare for trauma work together in session.

I use assessments and screenings during the intake process because they provide helpful insight into your overall mental health and highlight areas that may be important for us to focus on in our work together. I value being thorough and comprehensive so we can build a strong foundation for treatment.

If you’re able to complete the intake paperwork prior to our first session, I review it carefully and note areas to follow up on. Preparing in advance allows us to make the most of our time together.

During our first one or two sessions, we’ll focus on answering any questions you have about therapy and the therapeutic process, exploring what’s bringing you in at this time, and collaboratively establishing meaningful therapy goals.

What factors make therapy more effective?

There are many different therapy approaches shown to be effective. Rather than promoting one specific modality, research consistently highlights the importance of a purposeful, collaborative therapeutic relationship.

Some ways we may foster an effective working relationship include:

• Ongoing feedback: We are partners in the process. Sharing what feels helpful (or not) helps guide our work.
• Clear goals: We identify goals together and revisit them over time.
• Repair: When misunderstandings or concerns arise, we address them directly and compassionately.

Reach out today:  Would you like to see if we are a good fit? You can schedule a free consultation by video call or phone through this secure booking form. If you don’t see any times that work for your schedule, please email me with your availability and I will see if we can find an alternate time to connect.

You may reach me by leaving a voicemail at (619)202-1481 or by sending me an email at kristen@kristenhornung.com