Frequently Asked Questions

In San Francisco's Hayes Valley, on Gough Street between Lily and Page. The address is 110 Gough Street, Suite 402. There is an elevator in the building. Street parking isn’t too bad, even in the heart of the city. It’s also close to major public transportation hubs.

I also see clients virtually- you just need to be located in the state of California for our appointment (so if you go to Lake Tahoe, make sure you're on the California side).

• Individual therapy sessions are $250 for 50 minutes.

• Family Based Therapy (FBT) sessions are $350 for 50 minutes.

I am not an in network provider, but I do help clients use their out-of-network benefits

What are out-of-network benefits? Here's a breakdown:

✨ Unlike in-network providers, who bill your insurance company directly, with out-of-network therapists, you pay for the session upfront and then submit a claim to your insurance for reimbursement (called a “superbill”).

✨ Insurance companies often reimburse a percentage of the therapist's fee, usually after you meet an out-of-network deductible. For example, after you meet a $1,000 deductible, your insurance may reimburse 50-80% of the session cost. A deductible is the amount you have to pay on your own before insurance benefits kick in (they use a lot of fancy words, I know).

✨ Out-of-network benefits give you flexibility to choose the right therapist for you, not just one in network.

✨ I can help you submit claims for reimbursement if you’re overwhelmed by paperwork. I use a company called Mentaya to help.

I work with teens ages 12 and up. I work with adults in quarter to mid life. I love seniors, but I am not adequately trained to offer services to adults in later life.

No, I treat other disorders and challenges too. I am also trained in treating depression, ADHD, and parenting concerns. I am passionate about women's issues, serving the LGBTQ+ population, and working with people who have immigrated to the U.S. themselves or are children of immigrant parents.

Oh heck yes! I work with all genders and am a gender non-binary & trans affirming therapist. I love the LGBTQ+ population!

I actively work to be anti-racist and welcome discussions about the impact of racism on my clients lives.

In a society that favors white people and whiteness, racist thoughts and actions are the default setting. Whiteness is given privilege in psychotherapeutic training too! This means as a white therapist, I have a lot of unlearning to do and it's an ongoing process.

Racism is empowered by silence. Let's talk about it.

Sessions are 50 minutes long. If you need a shorter or longer session, we can prorate the time to fit your needs. Just let me know, and we’ll adjust the fee accordingly.

24-Hour Notice: Please give me a heads-up at least 24 hours before your appointment if you need to cancel or reschedule. This helps me offer your spot to someone else.

Late Cancellations: If you cancel with less than 24 hours' notice, there’s a fee of 100% of the missed sessions' cost.

No-Shows: Missing an appointment without notice will result in a no-show fee of 100% of the session fee.

Rescheduling: Need to change your appointment? Just give me at least 24 hours’ notice. I’ll try to fit you in, but it depends on my availability.

Megan Bruce, LCSW has opted out of Medicare under §1128, 1156, or 1892 of the Social Security Act. If you have Medicare coverage, you will need to complete the Opt-Out Private Contract. Signing this contract means you agree that you or your legal guardian will be solely responsible for the cost of treatment.

Typically, appointments are scheduled once a week for the first month or so. After that, some clients find they prefer meeting every other week, or every few weeks. We will talk it through and find the frequency that makes sense for you.

You can use my online booking system, email megan@meganbrucelcsw.com, or call/text 408-805-4385to set up an appointment.

The first session is a chance for us to get to know each other. We’ll chat about what you want to work on, your background, and what you hope to get out of therapy. It’s also a chance for you to ask me any questions and see if we click. The first session can feel vulnerable– some jitters are normal when connecting with a new person! I’ll do my best to help you feel comfortable 🙂

You don’t need to prepare anything! It can be helpful to come with any topics or questions you want to discuss. But this isn’t like school, so don’t stress. I love getting to know my new clients, so I will have plenty of questions I want to ask you if you're comfortable answering them.

That’s okay! If you end up feeling like we’re not the right fit, please let me know. Too intimidating to say that directly? That’s okay too! Let me know you will be ending our services so I don’t worry something bad happened to you. But I would love to help you find the right therapist, so let me help? Seriously, it’s part of therapist training to not take this personally and I know so many great therapists!

In our sessions, we’ll talk about what’s going on in your life, especially anything that feels hard. We’ll set some goals based on what’s really bugging you. We might try different techniques or exercises or just talk through situations. It’s all about what you need to feel better.

I use a mix of different approaches depending on what you’re looking for. This might include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help change negative thought patterns, psychodynamic therapy to explore deeper issues and patterns from the past, and acceptance-and-commitment therapy (ACT) to help you pursue values-driven actions. I mix it up depending on what my clients prefer and what I think would be the most useful.

This depends on your needs and what challenges brought you into therapy in the first place. For example:

• Short-term therapy: Typically lasts 6-12 weeks. Used in the treatment of mild anxiety or stress about a specific situation. Quarter life stress can sometimes be addressed in a shorter time frame.

• Moderate-term therapy: Typically lasts 3-6 months. Used to treat ongoing depression, anxiety or relationship problems.

• Long-term therapy: Over 6 months or longer. Used in the treatment of eating disorders, more severe depression and anxiety, and trauma. Family Based Therapy (FBT) is usually 6 months to a year long.

• Maintenance therapy: Ongoing. For clients who have recovered from their eating disorder, depression or anxiety, but who are wanting to deepen their recoveries, self awareness and prevent relapse.

Progress is different for everyone! Some areas that people notice improvements in are:

• More self awareness

• Better coping skills

• Increased ability to tolerate painful emotions

• Increased ability to set goals and achieve them

• More fulfilling relationships

• More self confidence

Education:

• University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) 2010: Bachelor's Degree in Community Studies with a focus on Sex, Gender & Sexuality; Minor in Psychology (Go Slugs!)

• San José State University (SJSU) 2015: Master’s in Social Work with a focus on Health and Mental Health

License:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): 2022 - Present

  • California License LCSW107498

Clinical Experience:

• Residential Treatment Therapist: Provided family and group therapy specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and skill building to clients requiring 24 hour a day medical and psychological care as a result of an eating disorder. Provided meal support and behavioral interventions.

• Partial Hospitalization Program/ Intensive Outpatient Program Therapist (PHP/IOP): Provided individual, group and family therapy to clients requiring day treatment for their eating disorders. Created personalized treatment plans and facilitated coordination of care with a multidisciplinary team. Discharge planning and outpatient treatment team building.

Specialized Treatment Modalities:

• Family Based Therapy (FBT- The Maudsley Method):

  • This evidence-based treatment modality can help adolescents recover from an eating disorder at home with their families support rather than having to uproot their lives to attend treatment.

• Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT):

  • EFFT helps families better manage intense emotions and improve their connection to one another. It is especially helpful in the context of supporting a loved one with an eating disorder or mental illness.

I sure do! Here they are:

• Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences; Learn more at: contextualscience.org/