Calmly Direct Therapy
for Men, Grief and Anxiety

Yes! Licensed requirements for a Marriage and Family Therapist include 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training, passing two California State board exams by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), a background check by the State of California Department of Justice. Licensure includes being held legally and ethically responsible by the BBS for maintaining a strict code of ethics in the field of psychotherapy, abiding by the laws of the State of California, and obtaining continuing education credits for each license renewal to support professional development.

I hold a Master's degree in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, East Bay, and a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from Westmont College. My professional journey includes working at Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, where I provided counseling for traumatic grief, suicidal ideation, and depression. I've had the privilege of working with clients of all ages and have served on the board of directors for the Bay Area Psychotherapy Institute.

While AI chatbots can provide general information outside of therapy sessions, they cannot replace the personalized, human connection, clinical judgment and expertise provided by a licensed therapist like Annelise. Annelise emphasizes the importance of human connection, legal duty of care, and mandatory reporting obligations that AI systems cannot fulfill. Engaging in therapy with a qualified professional ensures you receive compassionate, tailored care that addresses your unique needs, something an AI chatbot cannot provide. For your mental health and well-being, it's always best to consult with a licensed therapist.

I accept Medicare Part B insurance, but for others, I am an Out-of-Network provider (OON). I do not accept Medicare Part C Advantage plans offered through commercial companies unless they have OON benefits. In the past, I have done Single Case Agreements through Kaiser. These are pre-approved by Kaiser for a specified period of time. Please contact your Kaiser Psychiatrist or Doctor for pre-approval. Kaiser does not accept Superbills or OON unless pre-approved. Some insurance plans offer benefits for OON. In these cases, I can provide a monthly superbill upon request for you to submit to your insurance company. They can reimburse you directly according to your plan. I still require payment at the time of every session. I also use Mentaya, a platform that allows you to easily submit superbills for a small fee and check on the reimbursement details of your insurance plan. If you are interested in using Mentaya for your sessions, please ask about it during our intake call. FSA/HSA cards may also be used.

I currently have in-person availability on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. My latest appointment for the day starts at 5 PM.

Yes! We have the option to meet via a secure video conferencing platform called Simple Practice, which is similar to meeting on Zoom. Clients using Medicare must meet in-person for their initial session. This is required by Medicare as of October 1, 2025.

My fee is $210 for a 50-minute session. You can pay by check, credit card, or FSA/HSA. If you have any questions about payment, feel free to ask!

I require 24 hours notice for canceled appointments. Please contact me directly by phone/text or email. If you cancel within 24 hours of your appointment, you will be required to pay the full fee for your session. I allow for one 'free pass' late cancellation during our time working together.

You can find my office at 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite B200, Lafayette, CA 94549, in the Corporate Terrace business complex. It's a short walk from the Lafayette BART station, and there's plenty of free parking available. My building is towards the back of the complex on the freeway side, and my office is on the second level. Just follow the signs for bapti.org.

Yes, there is a free parking lot with ample space. You can park in any spot that isn't reserved.

We will typically meet weekly for sessions. In some cases, we might meet every other week or occasionally, especially if we've been working together for a while. My availability for bi-weekly sessions may differ from weekly sessions to accommodate more clients. I recommend weekly meetings for at least the first four weeks as we get to know each other. If you prefer less frequent sessions, we can discuss your needs and reasons together.

A standard therapy session is 50 minutes. For special situations, I sometimes offer 60-minute sessions if schedules allow. We can discuss if an extended session might be a good fit for you.

I use a variety of evidence-based approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Strategic Therapy, and Humanistic Therapy. This allows me to tailor my services to your unique needs, providing a flexible and personalized therapeutic experience. Together, we'll find the best approach to support your journey.

You can book an appointment through my online portal at https://annelise-miller.clientsecure.me/ (https://annelise-miller.clientsecure.me/)or by contacting me directly via email at Therapywithannelise@gmail.com (Therapywithannelise@gmail.com)or by phone at (925) 255-5350. I will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation.