FAQ

At Alba Center, we are invested in ensuring you get help when it is convenient. Since we are a group practice, we have multiple amazing therapists available. This allows us to offer our clients a lot of flexibility when scheduling an appointment as nothing is more frustrating than not being able to get help when you are struggling.

We try to accommodate and work with your schedule. We are open seven days a week and see clients from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Call us at (619) 616-0733, and our intake coordinator will help you schedule your first appointment.

Therapy sessions are 50 minutes long. We may extend the session time to 80 minutes when working with couples and families. This additional time allows for everyone to have time to talk and process without the concern of time.

Extended sessions are not the norm as they have an additional charge and will only happen if you and your therapist have previously agreed.

This is one of the hardest decisions we had to make and one where we feel that we have made the right choice for you as our client and us as your therapist.
We are not on panel with insurance companies as they require a mental health diagnosis, as sessions are only covered based on medical necessity. We address your mental health needs not based on what is acceptable to a 3 rd party but on what you need. Insurance companies can also request to review your medical records and get a copy of all your information whenever they want, and you cannot object to this as they are the ones that are paying for your sessions. When it comes to your confidentiality, we don’t want to have to share this precious information with anybody.
Not accepting insurance allows us to work on a collaborative model where you and your clinician decide what is best for you, not an insurance company.

Nevertheless, if you want to use your insurance benefits knowing the above information, we are considered an out-of-network practice, which means that your payment is due at the time of your service. We can provide you with a super bill to submit to your insurance and file a claim on your own.

We reserve a special time for you to attend therapy. We ask that if you cannot attend for any reason, please let us know 24 hours before your scheduled appointment to cancel and reschedule your session.

If you don’t notify us before this time, you will be responsible for paying the full rate agreed upon when scheduling.

Therapy works when you are ready, open, and willing to commit to self-discovery.

You can work through your losses, heartbreaks, frustrations, and anything else that impacts your ability to have the best life you deserve. It is different than talking to your friends and family because you will have someone who can give you new tools and guide you through the process of self-discovery.

Together, we will uncover and learn about yourself and help you recover from the past. You will be able to communicate your needs to others in healthier ways, feel more at peace, and trust yourself in a deeper and more meaningful way. Sometimes, people have to make changes in their lives, and it can be scary when you are the first to do something new.

You will not have to do this alone, as we will support you. Don’t do what others have done and expect different results. Take a chance on yourself and change your life. Therapy works!

The people who are in our lives have an investment in our happiness. This makes them unable to be objective with our struggles. Talking to someone neutral allows you to learn about yourself in a safe, nonjudgmental, confidential way.

Talking to a therapist lets you see yourself more objectively. It is not that therapists are not invested in your happiness – they are, but not at the expense of your self-discovery. We trust your journey and are here to help you find the way.

Excellent question! And one that is hard to know.

The number of sessions you will need depends on why you are coming to therapy, how long you have been struggling with what is bothering you, your support system, and how much time you can invest in learning new ways to manage your feelings and learn new skills.

Some people come to therapy and, within a few sessions, know what they need to do and can implement changes in their lives. Other people need to go deeper into their experiences as they are naturally more inclined to wonder why things happen. For them, therapy is a journey into the depths of themselves and one that never ends.

When you first start therapy, it is helpful to commit to coming in once weekly. Like any relationship, the more time you invest in yourself, the easier it will be to get to know yourself deeper.

Embracing our culture and our ancestral heritage into our mental health is something that people of color have always done when they visit the lady that reads the cards or when they think they need a limpia.

Working with a therapist who understands and relates to the ancient world of healing and can incorporate it into practices like talk therapy allows for a deeper and more natural way of healing. Getting rid of el chamuco in your head is something we can do together.

A play therapist is someone whose specialty is working with children. They are experts in working with this age group. Our play therapists work with children experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties. In the playroom, they help children express themselves through the language of play.

Children experience enormous relief from expressing difficult thoughts and processing difficult experiences. This allows them to see their problems with a new perspective, ask for help when needed, and relate to others in healthier ways.

Couples often come into therapy stating that they have communication problems. No matter how often they have tried talking about a certain subject, they cannot understand the other.

Therapy is like learning a new language, the language of your partner. Your therapist speaks both languages and can help you understand each other. This allows partners to feel loved, valued, and supported by the one who means the most.

In the Latinx culture, food like sopita de fideo or un caldito de pollo is considered food that heals your soul.

Many of us grew up being nurtured through food. Anytime you go to someone’s mom’s house, you will be offered food. Regardless of how you respond, you will be served a plate. So, things like chilaquiles, tamales, mole, and pan dulce are some ways we reconnect with parts of ourselves.

Claro que yes, we do! English is not the first language of many people that come to our office, and the main language of others.

Some people speak Spanglish, a flow of words coming from your head and your heart. English is the language many of us learn in school, and Spanish is the one we learn at home. So, whatever your language preference is, we will meet you where you are.