Your Rights

Last updated: July 25, 2026

This page describes your rights regarding the cost of services and the privacy of your health information. If you have questions about anything here, please ask — I'm glad to discuss it.

Good Faith Estimate

Under the No Surprises Act, individuals who are uninsured or who choose not to use their insurance have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate explaining the expected cost of mental health services.

You have the right to:

  • Receive a written Good Faith Estimate before your scheduled appointment

  • Ask questions about your estimate

  • Dispute charges if your final bill is substantially higher than your estimate, as permitted by federal law

A Good Faith Estimate is an estimate only and does not obligate you to receive services. For more information about your rights under the No Surprises Act, visit https://cms.gov/nosurprises.

Confidentiality

Your privacy is very important to me. I maintain the confidentiality of your protected health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and applicable California law. Information shared during therapy will not be released without your written authorization, except when disclosure is required or permitted by law. These situations include:

  • Reasonable suspicion of child, elder, or dependent adult abuse or neglect

  • A serious threat of harm to yourself or another person

  • A valid court order or other legal process requiring records

  • Other circumstances required by federal or California law

Electronic communication, including email and text messaging, carries some privacy risks despite reasonable safeguards. By choosing to communicate electronically, you acknowledge these risks.

Clients receive a separate Notice of Privacy Practices explaining in full how protected health information may be used and disclosed.

Your Rights Under HIPAA

You have the right to:

  • Receive a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices

  • Request access to your clinical record, subject to legal limitations

  • Request corrections to your health information when appropriate

  • Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your information

  • Request confidential methods of communication

  • Receive an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information

  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

Exercising these rights will not affect the quality of your care.

Questions

If you have questions about your rights, your privacy, or your treatment, please discuss them with me at any time.