Frequently Asked Questions | Pedro Molteni LPC

Q: What can I expect during the first few sessions?

The first session is similar to an intake where we go over your goals for therapy. The second session is dedicated to EMDR theory and practice. The third session covers IFS. By the fourth session, you'll experience how EMDR and IFS work together.

Q: What therapy approaches do you use?

I use IFS (Internal Family Systems), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). I define myself as an IFS-informed EMDR therapist.

Q: How long does therapy typically take?

Length depends on your goals. Reducing how disturbing a memory is can take a few sessions, while transforming a negative core belief or pattern of behavior can take longer.

Q: What are your fees and do you accept insurance?

My private pay fee is $185 per session (50 minutes). I am not in-network with any insurance company, but I can provide superbills for reimbursement claims if your plan allows.

Q: Is therapy confidential?

Yes. Therapy is confidential, and confidentiality is one of its therapeutic properties. Since I offer only online sessions, it's important to find a private space for your sessions.

What can I expect during the first few sessions?

The first session will be similar to an intake and we will go over your goals for therapy. That will be a helpful guide for the future. If we have time, during the first session, I will start going over the theory behind EMDR.

The second session will be fully dedicated to the theory and practice of EMDR. Most of the session will be dedicated to guiding you through an EMDR exercise. The objective is that by the end of the second session, you will get a theoretical understanding of EMDR, as well as a felt sense of how EMDR works.

The third session will be fully dedicated to IFS. Similarly to the second session, the first part of the session will be dedicated to the theory of IFS, and the second part will be an IFS exercise, so that by the end of the session you will know how IFS works.

The fourth session will be a combination of EMDR and IFS as needed and by the end of the session you will have a sense of how therapy with me will feel like.

What therapy approaches do you use?

I have completed the Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 1 training by the IFS Institute, and I am certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy by the EMDR International Association. I am also trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), among other modalities.

I define myself as an IFS-informed EMDR therapist. The blend of EMDR and IFS is a central part of my practice.

How long does therapy typically take?

The reason why I am drawn to EMDR, IFS and DBT is because I find them to be effective modalities of therapy. One EMDR research study showed that 90 percent of rape victims in the study no longer had PTSD after only three sessions.

The length of therapy will be relative to your goals. Reducing how disturbing a memory is can take a few sessions, but transforming a negative core belief, or a pattern of behavior can take longer.

Is therapy confidential?

Therapy is indeed confidential, and in fact, the confidentiality of therapy is one of its therapeutic properties. I only offer online sessions, so it will be important that you find a space to have therapy sessions that allows for confidentiality.

How can therapy help with trauma?

I believe that trauma can affect our bodies and our brains, and it can affect how intensely we experience emotions, how disturbing memories are, and how threatening we perceive our relationships to be.

An approach to therapy that has a trauma lens, and a body lens can help by restoring a sense of safety and control. For example, EMDR can help us reprocess traumatic memories and make them less disturbing. As you integrate traumatic memories into the larger narrative of your life, without being overwhelmed by them, your core belief about yourself can change to a more adaptive and regenerative belief.

IFS can help us build a connection between mind and body by providing us with a way to communicate with the parts of us that are protecting us from perceived threats and the parts of us that are holding on to burdens. DBT can help us address triggers and avoidance, as well as developing new coping skills.

Do you offer in-person or online sessions?

I offer online sessions only at this point.

What are your fees, and do you accept insurance?

My private pay fee is $185 per session. Sessions last 50 minutes.

I am not in-network with any insurance company. If your health insurance company provides reimbursements, I can provide superbills for you to submit your claim for reimbursement.

A limited number of sliding scale spots are available for clients who demonstrate financial need. Please reach out to discuss whether this may apply to you.

How can I prepare for my therapy sessions?

To make the most out of sessions, and in preparation for therapy, I suggest reading some of the books that have been the most influential in my approach to therapy and my understanding of trauma.

For example: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz, EMDR by Francine Shapiro, Building a Life Worth Living by Marsha Linehan, and Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

How do I know if therapy is right for me?

I believe that trauma therapy can be transformative. If you feel like talk therapy has provided you with insight but you want to change your patterns of behavior, a more body-based modality like IFS-informed EMDR could be helpful. After 4 sessions you will hopefully have a sense of how EMDR and IFS work and if it will be helpful for you.

Do you offer sessions in Spanish?

Yes, I offer therapy both in English and Spanish.