FAQs

Yes! You must meet all of the following criteria in order for us to work together:

1. You are located California: If not, you are not eligible for remote treatment. Due to the way that the process of psychologists and therapists are regulated, we can only offer remote treatment in states where our clinicians are licensed to practice (California). This is true even for video-conference-based services, such as online EMDR therapy. If you are located in California, or a foreign country where psychological regulations don’t apply, you may be eligible for online psychotherapy or another other type of remote treatment. Keep reading to see if you meet the remaining criteria…

2. Your symptoms be addressed appropriately via remote treatment: Not all symptoms can be addressed appropriately via online therapy. For example, if you are in a crisis, if you are abusing drugs or alcohol, if you are thinking of harming yourself or others, online therapy is not the best fit for you.  Online therapy allows clinicians to easily do some types of treatment but not others, which may limit our ability to help you. Thus, if your treatment is likely to require a significant portion in-person, face-to-face interaction that cannot be replicated via online/telephone-based options, you are not eligible for remote treatment. If your symptoms would be expected to respond to remote treatment, you may be eligible for online therapy.

3.  Our clinicians determine that he/she can provide you with the best treatment possible for your concerns and that it is in your best interest to receive services remotely: Every situation is different, and sometimes it is in a patient’s best interest to refer patients out to work with another provider (even if that provider is not a specialist). As such, eligibility for online therapy or another other type of remote service is ultimately at each clinician’s discretion.

4.  You have access to a computer with a webcam, ipad or tablet, or a smartphone and you have internet access fast enough to stream video: One of the wonderful things about online therapy is that you are able to participate in your therapy session wherever you feel comfortable and free of distractions or interruptions.  As long as you have an internet connection, and a computer, smartphone, or tablet, you’re all set!  We do encourage people to think about their own privacy and confidentiality when choosing when and where to hold sessions, so keep that in mind when you’re making that decision.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal.  EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.  When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound.  If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain.  Once the block is removed, healing resumes.  EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes.  The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health.  If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering.  Once the block is removed, healing resumes.  Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes. As such, I am committed to the highest quality of compassionate care.

Clients with a wide range of mental disorders, including PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, OCD, body-dysmorphic disorder, as well as anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, phobias, can benefit from cognitive-behavior therapy.

More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. There has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization and the Department of Defense. Given the worldwide recognition as an effective treatment of trauma, you can easily see how EMDR therapy would be effective in treating the “everyday” memories that are the reason people have low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, and all the myriad problems that bring them in for therapy. Over 100,000 clinicians throughout the world use the therapy.  Millions of people have been treated successfully over the past 25 years.

After the initial evaluation, the patient, with the guidance of the therapist, becomes engaged in a process of gaining awareness of how his/her automatic, beliefs and habitual actions perpetuate the situation he/she so desperately wishes to gain relief from.  An individually tailored cognitive-behavioral treatment regimen geared to helping control his/her obsessions by gradual exposure and habituation to feared situations. During this time, the patient is helped to resist engaging in compulsive rituals. Considerable home practice is often needed. Not infrequently, a home visit may be required to assist the client to carry out the cognitive-behavioral procedures at home. Gradually, the patient learns to master formerly feared situations without the need to ritualize, avoid or escape.

No. When Shapiro (1989a) first introduced EMDR therapy into the professional literature, she included the following caveat: “It must be emphasized that the EMD procedure, as presented here, serves to desensitize the anxiety related to traumatic memories, not to eliminate all PTSD-symptomology and complications, nor to provide coping strategies to victims” (p 221). In this first study, the focus was on one memory, with effects measured by changes in the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale. The literature consistently reports similar effects for EMDR with SUD measures of in-session anxiety. Since that time, EMDR therapy has evolved into an integrative approach that addresses the full clinical picture. Two studies (Lee, Gavriel, Drummond, Richards, & Greenwald, 2002; Rothbaum, 1997)have indicated an elimination of diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 83-90% of civilian participants after four to seven sessions. Other studies using participants with PTSD (e.g. Ironson, Freund, Strauss, & Williams, 2002; Scheck, Schaeffer, & Gillette, 1998; S. A. Wilson, Becker, & Tinker, 1995) have found significant decreases in a wide range of symptoms after three-four sessions. The only randomized study (Carlson, Chemtob, Rusnak, Hedlund, & Muraoka, 1998) of combat veterans to address the multiple traumas of this population reported that 12 sessions of treatment resulted in a 77% elimination of PTSD. Clients with multiple traumas and/or complex histories of childhood abuse, neglect, and poor attachment may require more extensive therapy, including substantial preparatory work in phase two of EMDR (Korn & Leeds, 2002; Maxfield & Hyer, 2002; Shapiro, 2001, 2018).

More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy.  Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.  Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. There has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization and the Department of Defense. Given the worldwide recognition as an effective treatment of trauma, you can easily see how EMDR therapy would be effective in treating the “everyday” memories that are the reason people have low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, and all the myriad problems that bring them in for therapy. Over 100,000 clinicians throughout the world use the therapy.  Millions of people have been treated successfully over the past 25 years.

We offer mental health evaluations and psychological evaluations for Immigration purpose.  All Mental Health Immigration Evaluations are done by appropriately trained psychologists who are experienced in the specific type of evaluation you need for your immigration petition. Immigration psychological evaluations we offer include:

• VAWA Evaluations (Violence Against Women Act Immigration Petitions)
• Hardship Waivers (Hardship Immigration Petitions)
• Psychological Evaluations for Immigration
• U-Visa Evaluations 

These psychological evaluations could be the components in your case that make the biggest difference, as these evaluations can add remarkable value to your immigration cases. Since our assessment reports are very in-depth and thorough, they could be used effectively by your attorney to support your case to move forward in your immigration proceedings.

VAWA Evaluations- Violence Against Women Act Petitions

Dr. Kuo has extensive training and experience in domestic violence treatment and evaluation, for both victims and offenders. She understands the process of VAWA petitions and has worked with immigration attorneys to document domestic abuse for VAWA petitions.

VAWA Evaluations are used in cases where a person immigrates to the United States (often under a fiancee visa) and marries an American citizen.  It can happen that this relationship becomes abusive, with the American citizen as the abuser and the immigrant spouse as the victim.  Often, the abuser will threaten the victim with deportation to keep her/him silent about the abuse.  When this happens, the victim can leave their abuser and petition US Immigration to be allowed to stay in the United States and eventually receive a Green Card (permanent resident status) by proving that they are being abused by their American husband/wife.

If you already have an immigration attorney for your VAWA petition, we will be happy to work with your attorney.  If you do not have an attorney, we can refer you to an attorney who is experienced with VAWA petitions.

Extreme Hardship Assessment for 601-Waiver, Cancellation of Removal for Deportation, and J-1 Visa

When an individual faces deportation, this can be a significant emotional and psychological hardship on their family (spouse, children, or elderly parents).  A hardship evaluation done by a mental health professional is designed to document and explain this hardship to immigration professionals.

Dr. Kuo and her associates conduct in-depth immigration hardship assessments using both clinical interview and objective mental health tests and assessments to produce the best evidence to support your petition.  We collaborate with immigration attorneys locally and nationally, and if you do not have an attorney, we can refer you to a lawyer that is experienced in immigration matters.

U-Visa Evaluations – Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault, etc.

If you have been the victim of a crime and are cooperating with law enforcement officials in the prosecution of the perpetrators, you may be eligible for a U-Visa.  U-Visa Evaluations conducted by mental health professionals are used to document the type and extended of the psychological damage and distress you suffered as a result of your victimization.

Psychological Evaluations for Immigration

Sometimes, immigration officials will ask for a Psychological Evaluation that does not fall into one of the other categories described here.  In those cases, we will work closely with your attorney to determine the issues that need to be addressed in your evaluation and report.  Mental Health Assessments and Psychological Evaluations are done by qualified mental health professionals and clinical psychologists, as required by the specific demands of US Immigration Services for the type of visa or status you are applying for.

Quick Turnaround Times

While great attention and care go into all of our Mental Health Immigration Evaluations, we strive to provide quick turnaround times.  Many experts conducting immigration evaluations can take up to one month to even get an initial appointment. In contrast, in our office, you will receive your first appointment within one week, and in most cases, your evaluation report will be completed in three weeks.

Expert Witness Services

We also provide Expert Witness Services and Courtroom Testimony in addition to psychological assessment.

Hourly Rate is $300.

Psychotherapy and EMDR:1st session is intake assessment where we collect your background information.  Follow up sessions are usually 45-50 minutes.

Psychological Evaluations: The immigration evaluation includes

• In depth interview

• Mental Status Exam (MSE)

• Behavioral observations and interpretations

• Current mental health struggles and/or symptoms

• Assignment of mental health diagnoses, where applicable

• Applicable evidence-based psychological research

• Tests for malingering

• Highly standardized, objective, and valid psychological measures

• Professional, realistic predictions based on risk and protective factors

• Incorporation of applicable medical records from outside physicians, mental health professionals​, etc.

• Professional recommendations based on psychological assessment

• Other specific factors related to immigration cases (e.g., survivor of violent crimes for U-Visa, religious persecution for asylum cases, etc.)

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Since my assessments are very in-depth, they could be used effectively by your attorney to support your case to move forward in your immigration proceedings.   It usually takes about a 28 business days after we complete the interviews.   Under certain circumstances, we offer in-person visit and devote one day for in-depth interview.  In this situation, the day rate is $2400 includes traveling.

Rush Fee- Once all the necessary information is collected, we will write the report and send it your attorney within 28 business days following the second interview session. We also offer options for rush reports, with appropriate rush fees. For example, if there is a hearing scheduled within a month by the time you contact me, there will be a surcharge for the expedite process.

Testimony: In immigration cases, when a clinician needs to testify in court there is a $1800. flat rate for the day of testimony. Other cases involved with legal proceeding is $350 per hour and no flat rate for testimony. Telephonic court appearance is $1200 for four hours of reserved time

Psychological Assessments

$1500 Immigration Assessment (T&U Visas, Asylum, Hardship, & VAWA)*

$1000 Psychodiagnostic Assessment

$500 Medical Report/ Treatment Summary

Rush Fee for Immigration Evaluation (N-648, T & U Visas, Asylum, Hardship, VAWA, Psychodiagnostic)

+$500 More than 72 hours but less than 14 days

+$800 72 hours or less

Click this link: https://soulidaritytherapy.com/nosurprisesact/