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Counseling and Psychotherapy

The 2024-25 Fall Cohort has arrived and is beginning orientation September 1st. We’re now accepting clients. Clinicians will start seeing them starting September 16th. We have 26 current clinicians and will be accepting 200 clients to the program with low wait times. 

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About The Clinic

We offer counseling for individuals age 7 and up, couples/polycules, and families. We are a practicum site for interns working to gain hours for their licensure. All interns work under the Supervision of a Licensed Clinician. In your first two sessions, and as needed, you will complete an intake which includes signing and reviewing consents for services, a clinical assessment, collaboration to identify your goals, discuss what you want from therapy, and figure out how you will assess your progress. Once intake is completed clients will meet weekly with their clinician for ongoing therapy. You can expect that your therapist will take your concerns seriously and help you deal with them more effectively. All clinicians are open to discussions about any concerns you may have.

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A transgender woman sitting on a therapi

Photo via The Gender Spectrum Collection

Getting Started

The first step to getting into counseling is determining if we are a good fit to serve your needs and getting you registered with the clinic. Please read the following details before scheduling a call with a clinician to answer questions and get registered with the clinic.  Please be aware that average wait times can be 2-3 months once registered. The shortest wait times are in the fall when we have a new cohort of clinicians accepting clients in mid September until caseloads are full.  Clinician hours are Monday - Thursday from 9am - 6pm with very limited availability on Thursdays. We have limited evening hours reserved to serve youth who are in school during the day.

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*All parties must be present at the time of the call. You can not register someone else with the clinic. For example, if you are calling for couples therapy and your partner is not present or a parent seeking services for a minor who is not present at the time of the call you will be asked to reschedule. For general questions please contact our information line at (510) 548-8283.

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We accept Alameda Alliance Medi-Cal insurance only and offer sliding scale rates and Superbills for private pay clients in California who do not have Alameda Alliance. *Private pay clients must review the sliding scale rates below and provide the max they are able to pay in order to get registered. Therapy services are free for Ryan White eligible clients in Alameda County and Contra Costa County living with HIV and whose annual income is below $75,300. Please check out our HIV services for more information.

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We are offering group sessions for Ryan White clients starting October 15th, 2024. Please see the HIV Services tab for more information. 

Pacific Center offers the following sliding scale services to our community:

Student Trainees are currently working on their master’s degree. Associates have completed their master’s program and traineeship, and have applied for or obtained their registration number with the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

 

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY 

Student Trainee 

    Tier 1 $45 - $60

    Tier 2 $61 - $80

    Tier 3 $81 - $100+

 

Associate 

    Tier 1 $80 - 120

    Tier 2 $121 - 150

    Tier 3 $151 - 175+                 

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FAMILY, COUPLES, POLYCULE THERAPY

Student Trainee

    Tier 1 $60 - 75+

    Tier 2 $76 - $92

    Tier 3 $93 - $130+

 

Associate

    Tier 1 $95 - 138

    Tier 2 $139 - 175

    Tier 3 $176 - 215+

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We use the green bottle system for our sliding scale. The green bottle system has 3 sliding scale tiers listed below and allows for self identification on what you can pay. Clinicians can review this with you to help answer any questions during your appointment. Please keep in mind that we are able to offer sliding scale services to provide lower rates because of those who are willing to pay more. 

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[Image Description: Image states “ The Green Bottle” at the top and center in white lettering with a black background. Below in black lettering states “Where you fall on the sliding scale.” Below this is an image of 3 bottles and the words “Financial Privilege” written sideways along the outside left. The first bottle on the left Is labeled Tier 3 above and is full with green liquid. In the middle is another bottle that is half filled with green liquid and is labeled Tier 2 above it. To the right is another bottle  ¼ full of green liquid and labeled Tier 1. Inside each bottle is a description of each of the tiers. Please read each description below.]

Tier 1 

I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them. I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them. I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs. I rent lower end properties or have unstable housing. I do not have a car or have limited access to a car and gas. I am unemployed, underemployed, or have been denied work due to incarceration history. I qualify for public aid including foodstamps & healthcare. I am supporting children, elders, or other dependents. I have no access to savings. I have no or very limited expendable income. I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them. I cannot afford a vacation or take time off without financial burden.

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Tier 2 

I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them. I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs. I have daily reliable transportation. I am employed. I have access to healthcare. I might have access to financial savings. I have some expendable income. I am able to buy some new items and I thrift others. I can take time off either for sickness or leisure and am still able to pay next month's bills. I can travel annually without financial burden.

 

Tier 3  

I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic* needs. I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs. I own my home or property or I rent a higher-end property. I own or lease a car. I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs. I have reliable access to healthcare. I have access to financial savings, family wealth and/or resources in time of need. I have an expendable income**. I can always buy new items. I can afford multiple vacations or take time off for leisure.

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Please note: clients are charged their full session rate for no-shows and cancellations less than 24 hours advance notice

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Click HERE to get registered with the clinic!
This takes about 20 minutes. Be sure to review the sliding scale rates first.
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Medi-Cal Clients:
We are not currently accepting Medi-Cal Clients. When our availability for Medi-Cal clients opens back up, this webpage will be updated.  For a list of providers accepting Medi-Cal clients, please call ACCESS at 1-800-491-9099. 
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If you are in crisis or are considering calling 911 please review Alameda County's Guidelines for Calling 911​. Also check out the services of our friends over at Oakland LGBTQ Community Center for Bay Area LGBTQ services and the hotlines below.


Trans Lifeline  1-877-565-8860

  • The Trevor Project  1-866-488-7386

  • Youth Crisis Hotline/National Suicide hotline  1-800-784-2433

  • Sexual Assault Hotline  1-800-656-4673

  • La Clinica De La Raza  510-535-4000

  • Center for Non-Abusive Relationships-Berkeley & Oakland  510-452-6243 

  • Berkeley Free Clinic List of Free and Low Cost Urgent Care

    • 510-548-2570 

    • 1-800 6-CLINIC 

  • Bay Area Legal Aid

    • 415-982-1300 SF 

    • 510-663-4744 Oakland

  • Transgender Law Center  

    • 510-587-9696

    • 510-380-8229 (collect line for people in prison and detention)

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