FAQs

Do my sessions need to be recorded or observed?

Yes, consent for live observation and/or recording is required for initiation of services in our clinic. The supervision in our clinic consists of live observation or digital recording of sessions and supervisors review recordings to ensure clients are receiving high quality care. The recordings are used only to provide feedback to the students; they are confidential, stored securely, and deleted at the end of treatment. Sessions may be observed by supervisors or other doctoral students for training purposes. Clients who decline this arrangement can be provided with referrals to other providers.

Is what I say in therapy private?

Yes, information shared during your sessions is confidential. Your written permission is required before any information about your contact with the SDSU Psychology Clinic is released to anyone outside of the Clinic. There are four specific situations in which we are required to release information 1) If a minor child, elderly individual, or a dependent adult is at risk of being physically or sexually abused or neglected, 2) If you present an imminent risk of serious injury to yourself, 3) If you threaten serious harm to another person, and 4) When a release of records is court mandated (see Privacy Policy section of the website for more details about these specific situations).

In addition, as we are a training clinic, information about your care is shared with your care team which is made up of other doctoral students and the licensed supervisor overseeing the case. Doctoral students in the clinic and other clinical supervisors may be involved in observing or advising on treatment for your case. The Clinic Director is involved in all cases in the clinic.

How long does therapy take?

How many sessions a person participates in in treatment varies based on individual need. At the beginning of treatment your therapist will develop and discuss a treatment plan with you and will revisit the treatment plan with you throughout treatment to make sure that your concerns are being addressed and monitored.

How long does each therapy session last?

Intake appointments are 2 hours each and generally occur over 1-2 visits, though the specifics will vary for each individual case. Intake appointments are followed by a 50 minute feedback session in which the therapist discusses the results from the intake and the client’s treatment options. After the intake, therapy sessions are 50 minutes long.

How often are clients seen?

Therapy clients are seen for weekly 50 minute sessions. Assessment clients will generally attend 2 or 3 longer appointments at the clinic (each appointment will be around 3 hours long).

Does the SDSU Psychology Clinic take insurance?

The SDSU Psychology Clinic does not take insurance. Fees are determined by a sliding fee scale.

Do providers at the SDSU Psychology Clinic prescribe medication?

Providers at the SDSU Psychology Clinic do not prescribe medication. If you are interested in working with a provider who can prescribe and manage medication, referrals can be provided.

Is the SDSU Psychology Clinic able to provide recommendations for Emotional Support Animals?

The SDSU Psychology Clinic is not able to provide assessments or letters for Emotional Support Animals.

What is evidence-based treatment?

Research studies have shown that some treatments work better than others in treating specific problems. Evidence-based treatment is treatment that is backed by scientific evidence, which means that studies examining the treatment (called clinical trials) have been conducted and results have shown that the treatment has proven to help individuals. As a clinic that specializes in using evidence-based treatment we are committed to offering high quality care by ensuring that we are using safe and effective treatments.