FAQ

DO I NEED THERAPY?

Therapy is a personal choice and can benefit anyone seeking extra support to manage life's stressors. Mental health is essential to physical health, and they share a two-way relationship. Whether you are grappling with stress, depression, anxiety, relationships, or other challenges that may feel overwhelming or disrupt your daily functioning, talking with a licensed psychologist can help you gain deeper insight and tools to cope effectively.

Finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming; often, it involves trial and error. Therefore, Dr. Bemis encourages you to schedule a 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your concerns and determine if you may be a good fit. You can reach Dr. Bemis by phone or email.

Dr. Bemis is an independent contractor with Headway, a technology-enabled mental health group that assists clients in finding therapists who accept insurance. Currently, Dr. Bemis only accepts Aetna health insurance.

Please view the "Contact" page to check for any updates to office hours. Group therapy sessions are TBD.

Individual therapy sessions usually occur once a week for 45 to 50 minutes. As therapy progresses, the frequency of sessions may adjust based on your developments. Dr. Bemis will collaborate with you to evaluate and decide whether you would benefit from increasing or decreasing the number of therapy sessions.

Clients can cancel via text, phone, or email 24 hours before their appointment without incurring charges. If cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the session, the full fee for the appointment will be billed to the client.

Dr. Bemis is a licensed psychologist based in Orange County, California, and can provide therapy to California residents. She is currently offering services through a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform only. However, she expects to resume in-person therapy in the future.

No. A clinical psychologist's scope of practice does not include the prescription of medication. If you are interested in psychiatric medication, Dr. Bemis can refer you to a psychiatrist who can conduct an assessment to determine your medication needs. With your permission, Dr. Bemis is always willing to connect with them to coordinate your care.

Although Dr. Bemis offers skills training in individual therapy, where clients learn four major modules from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, she does not provide DBT treatment. For a program to qualify as DBT, it must include four essential components: individual therapy, group skills training, in-between session coaching, and a weekly consultation team for the therapists. Therefore, Dr. Bemis strongly recommends comprehensive DBT treatment for individuals with BPD or those experiencing significant emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, self-injury, or suicidal behaviors. Please visit DBT California or call 1-800-624-1475 to inquire about comprehensive DBT services.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that requires the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information (PHI) from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. As a healthcare provider, Dr. Bemis' private practice is a covered entity subject to HIPAA and the Privacy Rule and Security Rule. While the HIPAA Privacy Rule safeguards PHI, the HIPAA Security Rule ensures that covered entities maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all electronic PHI by detecting and safeguarding against anticipated threats to the security of PHI. For more about HIPAA, visit https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/index.html

Dr. Bemis uses HIPAA-compliant Google Workspace for email communication. She offers telehealth services through Zoom's HIPAA-compliant platform under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) license to conduct live therapy sessions. Her confidential phone number is also covered by the BAA license. For more information on HIPAA, visit https://explore.zoom.us/docs/doc/Zoom-hipaa.pdf.