These are the questions I am most often asked. If you have additional questions, please feel free to call or email me.

Q: The first question I often get is: do I work with Individuals?

Yes. Most of my clients are individuals. The professional title of LMFT or Licensed Marriage And Family Therapist refers to a therapist with a master’s degree in clinical psychology who is trained to conduct psychotherapy (talk therapy) with individuals, similar to an LCSW or LPCC. In addition to this, an LMFT has additional, specialized education and training equipping them to address issues involving relationships. This distinction is recognized by the state of California in the form of the LMFT license credential, which allows the therapist to do relationship counseling work with couples and families, in addition to their psychotherapeutic work with individuals. Most of my clients are individuals, and much of the work we do together concerns their relationships with family, friends, coworkers, peers, and partners/spouses.

Q: Am I currently accepting new patients?

Yes. I currently have a limited number of openings for individual adults. Please contact me for availability.

• I do not currently have any couples openings.

Q: Do I offer online THERAPY?

Yes. Therapy via Telehealth video is available for clients located anywhere in California. Please contact me for availability.

Q: AM I seeing clients in person?

No. My private practice transitioned to a Telehealth-only model during the pandemic. I closed my physical office in late 2022, as demand for in-person therapy services continued to decline. If at some point the trend shifts back to an increased preference for in-person sessions, I will revisit this decision. Please note online therapy (“tele-mental health” or “Telehealth”) is not always an appropriate method of treatment for everyone. In cases where symptoms are severe or unmanageable, or behaviors are/have the potential to become harmful or destructive, in-person treatment may be more appropriate. In such cases, I refer to providers or facilities which see clients/patients in person.



Q: HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?

Please see the fees and payment page.

Q: Can I use Insurance?

I currently take Optum, HealthNet and Cigna insurance for work with individuals only. Please see the fees and payment page for more information.

Q: What are My hours?

My normal business hours are Tuesday through Friday from from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Evening and Saturday appointments may be available, subject to availability. Sessions are by appointment only. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact me for current availability.

Q: What Kind Of Therapy Do I Do?

My work is built upon a foundation of Collaborative Language Systems Therapy. This works just like it sounds, a collaborative approach to therapy. Wikipedia’s definition of CLS is excellent: “This approach involves a reciprocal relationship between both the therapist and client, through which the client works through [their] clinical problems using dialogical conversation with the therapist. The therapist and client work together, utilizing their own, individual knowledge and understanding of the issues, to conceptualize and illuminate the client’s problems and provide new context, meaning and comprehension to those problems based on the collaboration.” [Click here for the Wikipedia article]. This really is exactly how it works.

Much of my work also involves Solution-Focused Brief Therapy interventions, which are excellent tools for uncovering resources and strengths. I use SFBT questions to help you focus on finding the hope, resilience, and resources needed to move forward. I also utilize Narrative Therapy to help clients modify internal beliefs about their story/narrative, and the agreements they have made with themselves about who they are, what matters, what they can/can't or will/won't do, and what they want and deserve. Helping people improve their self-esteem and self-confidence is often at the core of the work I do, and the combination of the above postmodern therapies are ideally suited to this.

I also employ a Family Systems approach and CBT interventions when appropriate. Family Systems Therapy allows your experiences in your family system to be explored in terms of the meaning they create in your life and how they affect your relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions may also be employed to address issues related to negative thoughts or specific behavioral issues. My overall theoretical orientation could best be described as primarily postmodern, with a Family Systems twist.

I work with individual adults to help them with depression, anxiety, adjustment, stress-management, relationships, and coping with life stressors and challenges. I have done a lot of divorce/relationship recovery work, and it is one of my primary areas clinical focus. Other key areas of specialty include working with entertainment/television/film professionals (including artists and musicians), entrepreneurs, and businesspeople (I have a business and technology background). For more information, please refer to the Specializations menu at the top of the screen. To find out if I can help with something not mentioned here, please contact me. If I cannot help, I will do my best to find you someone who can.

Q: Do I work with couples?

Yes. A percentage of my appointments are reserved for working with couples, and they tend to fill quickly when open. I do not currently have any openings for new couple clients (I update this when I do, so if you are seeing this sentence, this is current info). If you would like to discuss individual work, please contact me. Please note I do not take insurance for couple or family therapy.

Q: DO I treat children or adolescents?

No. I do not see children or adolescents in my practice. I work with stable adults who are not engaged in active substance abuse, and who genuinely want to come to therapy to help themselves. If you are a parent seeking therapy for your adult child, please ask them to contact me directly via phone or email. If I am in session and cannot answer the phone, please leave a message and I will call you back.

Q: AM I AN LGBTQ ALLY?

Yes. I am a vocal equal-rights ally with many years of experience working with LGBTQ folks. I welcome people of all genders and orientations in my practice. My pronouns are he/him/his.

I also welcome individuals of all relationship philosophies, including CNM/ENM, polyamory, solo-polyam, and relationship anarchy.

Q: WHERE IS MY OFFICE LOCATED?

Until late 2022, I saw clients in my Westlake Village, California office. My practice is now entirely online, which means I can meet with clients located anywhere in the state of California.

Q: WhAt is the Client Portal?

The secure Client Portal is where clients can access their documents and view upcoming appointments at Matthew McLean Family Therapy, Inc. (MMFT). It can be accessed via the “Client Portal” link at the top of the screen. Please note this portal is not used for clients of Change Within Reach, Inc.

Q: IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THERAPY CONFIDENTIAL?

Yes. Confidentiality and privacy are extremely important. Except under the circumstances described below, what we discuss in therapy is strictly confidential. Exceptions to this include:

1) California law requires me to report suspected abuse of children, elders, or dependent adults to the appropriate authorities. This includes sexual, physical, emotional, and financial abuse and neglect.

2) California law requires me to act to protect the well-being of my clients and other entities if I have reason to suspect the client or another person(s), or their property is in danger.

3) A court of law may subpoena the records.

4) The Department of Homeland Security may request access to records for issues related to national security.

Information regarding confidentiality is covered in the informed consent agreement. Please give me a call if you have questions about this.

Q; Will therapy help me?

Therapy can be beneficial when you commit to helping yourself. Each individual has their own reasons for seeking therapy, and a correspondingly unique experience in therapy. Those who are willing to enter into the process with an open mind and a willingness to grow may benefit tremendously from therapy. The best answer to this question is: you will get out of therapy what you put into it.

Your mind is like a muscle: if you go to the gym and work on your muscles, they will grow and change, and you will get stronger. Therapy is like a workout for your mind—if you work on it, it too can grow in terms of understanding and ability. René Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am." What you think and do determines how you feel—and interestingly, the reverse is often true as well. Therapy may help you change negative or harmful thought patterns and replace beliefs that hold you back with new ones that let you grow and flourish. It bears repeating that what you get out of it depends largely on what you put into it. Are you ready to get to work?

Q: Can I bring a friend or family member with me to therapy?

Bringing someone with you to a session can be beneficial in certain circumstances, and should be discussed with your therapist in advance so the logistics, risks, and confidentiality concerns can be addressed. If you wish to bring someone in with you, please let me know at least one week in advance. Due to the legal/confidentiality issues inherent with bringing someone into session with you, there are no exceptions to this policy.

Q: Are you going to prescribe medications?

Medications can be helpful in the right circumstances, and require a prescription from a medical doctor. Prescribing medication is not within my scope of practice. If you are considering medication to help treat a mental health issue, I suggest you contact a psychiatrist (a medical doctor who prescribes medications specific to mental health).

Q: I am struggling with substance abuse. Can you help me?

I am here to help you change your life, but I cannot see you if you are actively drinking or using, or are under the influence at the time of a session. Drunk/high therapy is like drunk driving: you may harm yourself or others and you might not remember it. Once you have truly stopped drinking/using we can work together to help you set and accomplish new goals. You must be clean and sober to attend therapy, and I have firm policies regarding this which are covered in my informed consent agreement. Please call me if you have additional questions.

Q: Can we text or communicate On social media?

Due to concerns regarding safety and confidentiality, the answer to this question is unfortunately a firm no. Please call or email me instead. I must also ask that you refrain from including therapy-specific or personal content in email or voicemail. Social media is not as private as you may think—everything you say, share, or post on social media, including private messages, lives in perpetuity somewhere, and may be accessible to others. Please use discretion on the internet, in all forms of social media, and all communication platforms or applications. This includes sites like Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter, Yelp, Instagram, TicTok, NextDoor, LinkedIn, Google, etc. California LMFTs are not allowed to solicit reviews, testimonials, or ratings from past or present clients. Out of concern and respect for you and your privacy, I ask that you refrain from using any such media in this manner or to communicate with me. Please use telephone or email to communicate with me.

*Important note: rescheduling or cancelling appointments should always be done via telephone call/voicemail.



Q: Why is the information I found about you on a professional directory inaccurate?

There are many provider “directories” on the internet. Many (most) are scams which create profiles for providers without the consent or knowledge of the provider. These scams often include wildly incorrect information about the professional (and I do mean wildly incorrect - one such site listed me as a veterinarian, and another listed me as a plastic surgeon, both of which I assure you I am not). These sites may attempt to extort money from professionals in exchange for “allowing” them to change the incorrect information they illegally post about them. Please note the only directory listings I have authorized are: goodtherapy.org, psychologytoday.com, the Entertainment Industry Therapist Finder (now managed by goodtherapy.org), onlinetherapy.com (formerly HelpPro), and beingseen.org, all of which are legitimate directories. Listings anywhere else are unauthorized and may contain incorrect information.

Q: My question was not answered on this page. Can I call or email you?

Yes, please feel free to call or email me if you have additional questions.