Frequently asked questions.

Therapy may be worth considering when something continues to affect your relationships, work, body, sleep, sense of self, or ability to be present — even when you have tried to understand or manage it on your own. You might also come because you keep encountering the same pattern, because an old experience still feels close, or simply because you want a place to understand yourself more honestly.

You do not need to be in crisis, have a diagnosis, or know exactly what you want to change. Therapy is one possible form of support, not an obligation or a verdict that something is wrong with you.

I often work well with adults navigating anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, complex trauma, family-of-origin wounds, or the emotional weight of cultural expectations. Many of my clients are immigrants, international professionals, first- or second-generation adults, neurodivergent people, and LGBTQ+ people trying to understand themselves in contexts that have not always understood them.

In couples therapy, I work with recurring conflict, emotional distance, trust rupture, different communication styles, and the complexity of intercultural and neurodivergent relationships, including Korean and Korean-American couples.

My style is warm, direct, and collaborative. I will not rush you or expect you to perform, but I will help us look beneath familiar explanations when deeper work may be useful.

My practice does not provide crisis intervention or the intensive and specialized support some situations require. Another service may be more appropriate when there is:

• An active mental health crisis or a need for immediate support
• An eating disorder requiring specialized treatment
• Active substance dependence or psychosis
• Court-ordered treatment or an active custody dispute
• Ongoing coercive control or violence in a relationship seeking couples therapy

Being outside my scope does not mean your needs are “too much.” It means you deserve care designed for the kind or level of support you need.

That is a reasonable question. The free consultation gives us a brief opportunity to consider fit, but you may need a few full sessions to know how it feels to work together. You can ask questions, name discomfort, request a change in direction, or decide not to continue. You are not required to remain in a therapeutic relationship that does not feel useful to you.

I am currently accepting inquiries for both individual and couples therapy. ADHD and autism evaluations currently run on a waitlist. Availability changes, and I cannot guarantee a particular appointment time or recurring opening. The best way to learn whether I have a space that fits your schedule is to contact me directly. If I do not have an immediate opening, a waitlist may be available.

The consultation is a brief virtual conversation about what brings you to therapy, what you are looking for, scheduling, fees, and whether my practice appears appropriate for your needs. For couples, both partners are welcome to attend. It is not a therapy session, and there is no obligation to schedule afterward.

Yes. Therapy is available in English and Korean. We can work in the language that feels most natural, and you may move between languages within the same session. Sometimes a feeling, memory, or relationship belongs more naturally to one language than another.

Yes. All therapy sessions are held through a secure video platform. For psychotherapy, you must be physically located in Washington State at the time of the session — what matters is where you are during the session, not where you normally live.

My approach is trauma-informed and integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Gestalt therapy, and EMDR. We may work with thoughts, emotions, bodily responses, relationships, values, culture, and the stories you carry — not only symptoms. Therapy is collaborative; I bring clinical knowledge, and you bring knowledge of your own life.

I'm trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and my couples work is attachment-based. We slow down the recurring cycle beneath the argument — the pursuit, withdrawal, defensiveness, silence, or escalation — so each partner can understand what is happening and begin reaching for the other differently. The purpose is not to decide who is right, but to build a more secure and honest relationship.

The initial individual session is 55 minutes. We will begin with what brings you to therapy, the context surrounding it, relevant history, and what you hope might change. My goal is to understand your world rather than reduce you to a list of symptoms. Depending on complexity, this initial assessment may continue across the next session or two.

The first couples session is 75 minutes. I will hear from both partners and learn about the relationship, the concerns bringing you in, and the pattern that seems to keep repeating. As part of the initial assessment, I may also meet with each partner individually. The purpose is to understand the relationship clearly enough to decide how we can work together.

No. You do not need an agenda or a polished explanation. We can begin with what has been difficult lately, what you notice in your body, what feels absent, or even why finding words feels hard. Crying is welcome, and becoming overwhelmed does not mean you are doing therapy incorrectly. We will pay attention to pacing together.

Most clients begin with weekly sessions. Consistency helps us build trust, recognize patterns, and maintain momentum. There is no single timeline: focused concerns may benefit from shorter-term work, while complex trauma, longstanding relationship patterns, or deeper identity work often takes longer. We will revisit your goals rather than assuming therapy should continue indefinitely.

Progress may look like less distress, greater flexibility, clearer boundaries, more honest relationships, improved daily functioning, or a different relationship with thoughts and emotions that once controlled you. We will check in about what is changing, what is not, and whether our work remains connected to what matters to you.

Yes. I provide formal ADHD and autism evaluations for adults. Depending on the referral question and your circumstances, the process may include clinical interviews, developmental and relevant history, standardized measures, and instruments such as the DIVA-5 for ADHD and the MIGDAS-2 for autism. As a licensed psychologist, I can make a formal diagnosis when the findings support one, and you will receive a written report with the findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

An evaluation is a structured process designed to answer a diagnostic question and provide findings and recommendations. Therapy is an ongoing relationship focused on healing, functioning, relationships, or growth. Some people seek one, some seek both, and neither automatically requires the other.

I integrate information from clinical interviews, developmental and relevant history, standardized measures, patterns across settings, and clinical judgment. No single questionnaire or interview determines the conclusion by itself. I also consider whether another explanation better accounts for what you are experiencing. If the evidence supports a diagnosis, I make the diagnosis formally and put it in writing. If it does not, I explain what the findings do suggest and what support may still help. Either way, we discuss the findings and recommendations openly.

Evaluations are currently scheduled from a waitlist. Contact me with the type of evaluation you are seeking, and I will explain the current scope, estimated timeline, fee, and whether my evaluation process appears appropriate before you decide to join the list.

• Initial individual session: $300 for 55 minutes
• Ongoing individual therapy: $250 for 55 minutes
• Couples therapy: $350 for 75 minutes, including the first session

Evaluation fees depend on the type and scope of the assessment. Contact me for current evaluation information.

PADO is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. You pay the full fee at the time of service. For therapy sessions, I can provide a superbill that you may submit if your plan includes out-of-network benefits. Reimbursement depends on your plan and is not guaranteed.

A superbill contains clinical and billing information and generally includes a diagnosis. If you submit it, that information is shared with your insurance company.

Call the member-services number on your insurance card and say that you want to verify out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits with a licensed psychologist. Have this provider information ready:

Provider: Yeji Son, PhD
Credential: Licensed Psychologist
Washington license: PSYC.PY.61613007
NPI: 1891517702
Format: Telehealth from Washington State

If the representative asks for other billing information, contact me and I can provide what they need.

Ask the representative:

• Does my plan include out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits?
• What is my separate out-of-network deductible, and how much of it have I met?
• After the deductible is met, what percentage of the allowed amount will the plan reimburse?
• What is the plan's allowed amount for CPT code 90837 for individual therapy?
• Are out-of-network telehealth sessions covered at the same rate, and are there any place-of-service restrictions?
• Is prior authorization or a referral required?
• For couples therapy, is CPT code 90847 covered, and does coverage require one partner to be the identified patient with a covered diagnosis?
• How do I submit a superbill or claim, and what is the filing deadline?

A plan may describe reimbursement as a percentage, but that percentage is generally applied to the insurer's allowed amount after any deductible — not automatically to PADO's full session fee.

Psychological evaluations use different billing codes from therapy. If you are checking benefits for an ADHD or autism evaluation, contact me first for the anticipated CPT codes, then ask whether your plan covers out-of-network psychological evaluation or testing and whether prior authorization is required.

Ask for a reference number and keep a record of the date and the representative's name. Your insurer — not PADO — makes the final coverage and reimbursement decision.

Please provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations and missed sessions are charged $200. If something happens, let me know as soon as you can.

Your privacy is central to therapy. Information is kept confidential except when disclosure is authorized by you or required or permitted in limited circumstances by law. These limits, record practices, and considerations specific to couples therapy or evaluations will be explained during the informed-consent process before services begin.

In couples therapy, both partners are my clients, and I work in service of the relationship rather than taking one person's side. I use a strict no-secrets policy for information that materially affects the relationship, the safety of either partner, or the integrity of our work together.

I may meet with each partner individually as part of the assessment or treatment. If something significant is disclosed privately, I will not reveal it immediately or unexpectedly. Instead, I will talk with you about why it needs to be addressed and help you plan how and when to share it with your partner as safely and honestly as possible.

I cannot continue couples therapy while holding an ongoing relationship-relevant secret for one partner. If you are unwilling to bring the information into the couples work, we may need to pause or end couples therapy and discuss other appropriate options.

The limits of confidentiality — including safety concerns, abuse, and legal requirements — will be reviewed before therapy begins.

Email is the best way to reach me for scheduling, administrative questions, or brief updates. I generally respond within two to three business days during my office week, Tuesday through Friday. Email is not continuously monitored, and between-session messaging is not a substitute for a therapy session or crisis support. We can discuss in session how to handle clinical material that comes up between appointments.

PADO does not provide crisis or emergency services. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent mental health support, call 911, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or go to the nearest emergency room. Email is not continuously monitored and should not be used for emergencies.