Individual or teen therapy is:
$180.00
for a 50 minute virtual or office session.

Family or Relationship therapy is:
$220.00
for a 60 minute virtual or office session.
$330.00/ 90 minute session.
Polycules of more than 4: $385.00/ session and always 90 minutes.

In-person ‘walk and talk’ therapy is:
Individuals only
$200.00
for a 75 minute session.

I do not take insurance at this time. Electronic Payment is collected via IvyPay, a HIPAA compliant platform using a credit or ATM card. Cash or Checks are also accepted for in-person appointments.
Superbills are provided for you to submit to your insurance carrier for reimbursement.

I do offer a number of sliding scale spotsin my practice. Please note that preference is given to teachers, low-income, single parent households, emancipated minors and young people aged 16-26 and CZU Lightening Complex Survivors.

According to the “No Surprises Act,” enacted in December 2020, you have a right to a good faith estimate and will be provided one upon commencement of services.

There are myriad reasons to begin therapy or return to it.
If you have never been to therapy, welcome.
If you had a negative experience once before, or were forced to go to therapy against your will in the past it is reasonable that you might feel sour toward trying again.
Just like finding the right contractor, doctor or school, it takes time to find the right therapist with the right style that works for you now.

You might know it is time to seek help:

If you are anxious. Did you know that anxiety is the number one reason folks seek therapy?

If you have been referred by a professional like a psychiatrist after being prescribed medication for your mental illness, or referred by a school counselor, teacher or coach.

Maybe your sister, wife, friend or pastor has spoken to you and encouraged you to try therapy because they have real evidence of your need. Maybe the people who care about you are worried and maybe you are worried, too.

If you need support and are seeking a place to be heard while you process what is troubling you. Not everyone has family or friends, not everyone who does feels accepted and heard by them. A professional therapist is trained to listen and provide support and a fresh perspective.

If you need someone to share with who can hear the details without fear of betrayal. Professional therapists are bound by a strict code of law and ethics which places a high value on confidentiality. My client’s kink, addiction, shame, fears and desires are always treated with respect.

If you have frequent mood changes. If you notice your mood going from happy to irritable quickly. Or maybe you're tearful more than usual. Are these mood changes persistent? Does your sadness last for a long time? Do you rarely get angry and when you do you, tend to fly into a rage?

If you have new, returning or increasing symptoms that concern you. If you have changes in sleeping and eating patterns, or are noticing a loss of interest in hobbies, more self-isolation, or extended feelings of hopelessness. Are you experiencing chronic stress or burnout? Perhaps you are cutting, picking, pacing, or obsessing over people or things.

If you are going through a life transition and it is challenging. Are you getting married or divorced? Are you a new parent or have your children left home? Did you just move and the family is having a hard time adjusting? Feeling frustrated as a parent? Are you having a hard time adjusting to being a part of a blended family?

If you want to maintain a healthy mental outlook. Maybe things are starting to go well for you now and yet you have nagging fears that you will lose it all or that something terrible will happen which prevents you from enjoying what you worked so hard to create.

If you are growing and changing in your relationship status. Maybe this is the first time you have ever been single at 36 or 68 or 80. Maybe you have never been married or in a serious relationship but want to be.
Maybe you have noticed that you start strong with someone only to find yourself single again after weeks, months or a few years.
Perhaps you are trying to find your way after the death of a significant other, partner or family member.

If your self-care practices are not enough. If you run, eat right, and take care of yourself, yet you are still anxious or sad all the time and you do not know what else to do.

If you have poor habits and addictions or find yourself repeatedly engaging in reckless behavior. Do you smoke, or have a closet full of clothes with tags, watch hours of porn at a time or drink to the detriment of self and others?

Begin with a free 20 minute call to see if an appointment to explore your concerns and consider working together is a good next step.

Research indicates that the relationship you develop with your practitioner is the greatest contributor to successful therapy next to your own determination to be well.
If you feel safe, seen and supported in a way that allows you to relax enough to be honest and vulnerable, then that is a good indication that you have found the right therapist.
You should be treated with unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuineness throughout the process from intake to conclusion of therapy. Your therapist should be professional and ethical at all times and be ready to consult with other professionals or refer you out when necessary.
The goals and the pace of treatment, as well as any questions or concerns should be handled thoughtfully as you proceed. Some issues can be resolved in a few sessions while some individuals work with their therapist for months or years.

Regardless of their race, your practitioner should demonstrate cultural competence and an ability to work with clients that look like you. They should possess the ability to communicate, understand and interact with others regardless of their racial or cultural background. Competent therapists are aware of cultural, social, economic or gender barriers you may face as well.

Your beliefs are valued and the therapist meets you where you are. For example, if you find prayer helpful there should be no reason it cannot be a part of your therapy.

Your therapist is here to challenge your assumptions and this is part of healing and gaining new perspectives. Having a compassionate practitioner to work things out with in a nonjudgemental container is part of the safety provided by a therapist you trust.

Your therapist should have some sort of treatment plan for you. Your treatment should be based on your feedback and how fast or slow you wish to move. Don't be afraid to discuss your treatment plan. Progress may be a slow process. As long as you are on the right track, that's what matters. Your practitioner should check in with you regularly about your progress and willingly discuss your goals along the way.
A quality therapist encourages you to set goals and is open to working with you on the pace of therapy. It is okay to feel challenged, but you should never feel pressed into any agenda or move in directions that don’t resonate.

My approach to each client is specific to their needs and goals.
In general I practice holistic family systems therapy within a relational framework.
I offer virtual tele-health, in-person walk and talk therapy and office visits in Felton, California.

I may screen you for Adverse Childhood Experiences, which assesses the cumulative impact of trauma during your developmental years. Exploration of your formative attachment patterns often provide insight into current relational issues that may be arising.

I believe all people possess an inherent capacity to heal, grow and change regardless of their past, their upbringing or their current circumstances and that all people need love and appropriate support in order for this healing, growth and change to happen.

I deeply value and believe that it is the birthright of every person to fulfill their highest potential and I am grateful to witness your journey.

I believe that change happens when people are connected to themselves with unconditional compassion, self-respect and self-love.
When this powerful connection to self is reflected and matched with robust systems of support, then true health and wellbeing are achieved.

As a lifelong educator and learner I seek to empower my clients with information that supports their resilience and capacity to know, love and care for themselves while being a part of the world around them in meaningful, healthy ways.

Support might include acquiring knowledge, developing personal agency, creating mindful practices around self care, learning new skills in communication and problem solving, or practicing new boundaries with those we love.
It might look like connections to individuals, groups or organizations that support your goals and dreams.
This might be a club, AA, a support group, a new job or hobby, new friends or volunteering. It might look like working with a trauma specialist or an addiction counselor, a massage therapist, a sleep specialist or a nutritionist.

In addition to attending to systems of support,
I employ evidence-based interventions from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Somatic Theory and Mindfulness when it comes to reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression or grief.

I am a student of neurobiology and neurogenesis and often provide peer reviewed research and education around topics such as adolescent mental health, emotional resilience and strategies for managing the symptoms of mental illness or learning disabilities. I utilize Polyvagal theory as a way to understand and promote health, growth and restoration of the nervous system.

When addressing trauma, family of origin issues, life transitions and other topics of personal healing and development, I primarily utilize interventions from Narrative Theory and Internal Family Systems to help individuals and families heal, forgive and move forward.

I do.
I have more than three decades of experience as a credentialed teacher, teen mentor, parenting educator and school counselor.

I am qualified to work with a range of issues that come with the territory of being a teen today: academic, social and emotional issues, identity exploration, and navigating the demands of parents, peers and personal needs in an era of intense social and environmental change. In the past several years I have developed specialized skill in treating teens experiencing symptoms of anxiety and panic disorders through CBT and mindfulness.

I have extensive experience working with parents and I am very forthright and honest.
I actively seek change for the good of each individual client within a more fair and just world for everyone.
Right now in America, everything is in flux, nothing is a certainty and plans need to remain as flexible as possible. Given this reality, my only real goal in teen and family therapy is to foster the unconditional love necessary to weather these intense changes.

Please note, I do not treat severe mental health disorders such as PDD, ODD, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline tendencies or other indicators of personality disorders, high suicide risk teens or teens with eating disorders as these are specialties beyond my scope of qualifications and should be addressed by a psychiatric specialist. I will always be clear about my capacity and will assist you in finding proper care if we are not a fit.

I can.
I have more than three decades of experience working with children with ADD, ADHD, OCD and children with Autism. I also work with children with generalized, social and academic anxiety.

Please note that family sessions are recommended when working with minor children. My experience dictates and research supports a collaborative effort between the child, family, school and other professional support personnel to create consistency of care and best outcomes for the child.

I do not work with actively addicted, actively experiencing anorexia or bulimia, ODD, PDD, children who are at high risk of suicide or children with a history of violence as it is beyond the scope of care that a weekly therapy session can provide. In these cases, please consult a qualified Psychiatrist or consider higher levels of care more appropriate to the condition such as intensive outpatient or in patient treatment. See my resources pages for a detailed list of such providers.

Mountain Family Therapy
Kristen M. VanKlootwyk AMFT#130316
CALIFORNIA PRIVACY PRACTICES NOTICE

Notice of Psychologists’, Psychiatrists’, Therapists’, Social Workers’ Policies and Practices to Protect the Privacy of Your Health Information

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Disclosures for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care options.

I may use or disclose your protected health information (PHI) for certain treatment, payment and health care operations purposes without your authorization. In certain circumstances I can only do so when the person or business requesting your PHI gives me a written request that includes certain promises regarding protecting the confidentiality of your PHI. To help clarify these terms, here are some definitions.

“PHI” refers to information in your health record that could identify you.

“Treatment and Payment Options”

Treatment is when I provide or another healthcare provider diagnoses or treats you. An example of treatment would be when I consult you with another healthy care provider, such as your family physician or another psychologist, regarding your treatment.

Payment is when I obtain reimbursement for your healthcare. Examples of payment are when I disclose your PHI to your health insurer to obtain reimbursement for your health care or to determine eligibility or coverage.

Health Care Operations is when I disclose your PHI to your health care service plan (for example your health insurer), or to your other health care providers contracting with your plan, for administering the plan, such as case management and care coordination.

“Use” applies only to activities within my [office, clinic, practice group, etc.] such as sharing, employing, applying, utilizing, examining and analyzing information that identifies you.

“Disclosure” applies to activities outside of my office [office, clinic, practice group, etc.] such as releasing, transferring, or providing access to information about you to other parties.

“Authorization” means written permission for specific uses or disclosures.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization

I may use or disclose PHI for purposes outside of treatment, payment and health care operations when your appropriate authorization is obtained. In those instances when I am asked for information for purposes outside of treatment and payment options, I will obtain an authorization from you before releasing this information. I will also need to obtain an authorization before releasing your psychotherapy notes. “Psychotherapy notes” are notes I have made about your conversation during a private, group, joint or family counseling session, which I have kept separate from the rest of your medical record. These notes are given a greater degree of protection than PHI. You may revoke or modify all such authorization (of PHI and psychotherapy notes) at any time, however, the revocation or modification is not effective until I receive it.

Uses and Disclosures with Neither Consent nor Authorization

I may use or disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization in the follow circumstances:

Child Abuse: Whenever I, in my professional capacity, have knowledge of or observe a child I know or reasonably suspect, has been the victim of child abuse or neglect, I must immediately report such to a police department or sheriff’s department, county probation department, or county welfare department. Also, if I have knowledge of or reasonably suspect that mental suffering has been inflicted upon a child or that his or her emotional well-being is endangered in any other way, I may report such to the above agencies.

Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse: If I, in my professional capacity, have observed or have knowledge of an incident that reasonably appears to be physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse or neglect of an elder or dependent adult, or if I am told by an elder or dependent adult that he or she has experienced these or if I reasonably suspect such, I must report the known or suspected abuse immediately to the local ombudsman or the local law enforcement agency.

I do not have to report such an incident if:

I have been told by an elder or dependent adult that he or she has experienced behavior constituting physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse or neglect;

I am not aware of any independent evidence that corroborates the statement that the abuse has occurred; the elder or dependent adult has been diagnosed with a mental illness or dementia, or is the subject of a court-ordered conservatorship because of a mental illness or dementia; and in the exercise of clinical judgment, I reasonably believe that the abuse did not occur.

Health Oversight: If a complaint is filed against me with the California Board of Psychology, the Board has the authority to subpoena confidential mental health information from me relevant to that complain.

Judicial or Administrative Proceedings: If you are involved in a court proceeding and a request is made about the professional services that I have provided you, I must not release your information without 1) your written authorization or authorization of your attorney or personal representative; 2) a court order; 3) a subpoena duces tectum (a subpoena to produce your records) where the party seeking your records provides me with a showing that you or your attorney have been served with a copy of the subpoena, affidavit and the appropriate notice, and you have not notified me that you are bringing a motion in the court to quash (block) or modify the subpoena. That privilege does not apply to you when are being evaluated for a third party or where the evaluation is court ordered. I will inform you in advance if this is the case.

Serious Threat to Health or Safety: If you communicate to me a serious threat of physical violence against an identifiable victim, I must make reasonable efforts to communicate that information to the potential victim and the police. If I have reasonable cause to believe that you are in such condition, as to be dangerous to yourself or others, I may release relevant information as necessary to prevent the threatened danger.

Worker’s Compensation: If you file a worker’s compensation claim, I must furnish a report to your employer, incorporating my findings about your injury and treatment, within five working days from the date of your initial examination, and at subsequent intervals as may be required by the administrative director of the Worker’s Compensation Commission in order to determine your eligibility for worker’s compensation.

Patient’s Rights And Psychologist’s Duties

Patient’s Rights:

Right to Request Restrictions – You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of protected health information about you. However, I am not required to agree to a restriction you request.

Right to Receive Confidential Communications by Alternative Means and at Alternative Locations – You have the right to request and receive confidential communications of PHI by alternative means and at alternative locations. (For example, you may not want a family member to know that you are seeing me. Upon your request, I will send your bills to another address.)

Right to Inspect and Copy – You have the right to inspect or obtain a copy (or both) of PHI in my mental health and billing records used to make decisions about you for as long as the PHI is maintained in the record. I may deny your access to PHI under certain circumstances, but in some cases you may have this decision reviewed. On your request, I will discuss with you the details of the request and denial process.

Right to Amend – You have the right to request an amendment of PHI for as long as the PHI is maintained in the record. I may deny your request. On your request, I will discuss with you the details of the amendment process.

Right to an Accounting – You generally have the right to receive an account of disclosures of PHI for which you have neither provided consent nor authorization (as described in Section III of this Notice). On your request, I will discuss the details of the account process.

Right to a Paper Copy – You have the right to obtain a paper copy of the notice from me upon request, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically.

Psychologist’s Dutes:

I am required by law to maintain the privacy of PHI and to provide you with a notice of my legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI.

I reserve the right to change the privacy policies and practices described in this notice. Unless I notify you of such changes, however, I am required to abide by the terms currently in effect.

If I revise my policies and procedures, I will provide a revised notice to be kept in a binder in the front office.

Complaints.

If you are concerned that I have violated your privacy rights, or you disagree with a decision I made about access to your records, you may contact Kristen M. VanKlootwyk at 831-227-4779 or kristen@mountainfamilytherapy.com

You may also send a written complaint to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The person listed above can provide you with the appropriate address upon request.

Effective Date, Restrictions, and Changes to Privacy Policy

This notice will go into effect on 01/01/2022.

I reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all PHI that I maintain. I will provide you with a revised notice by placing the updated policies and procedures here an in your in-take paperwork.