Kunimatsu, Melissa M PHD
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At this time, I will only be able to respond to any potential new client inquiries with referrals to other mental health providers and I recommend checking the Resources section of the website for other mental health service options. I am a licensed developmental psychologist in private practice in New Orleans, LA.

I hold master's and doctoral degrees in applied developmental psychology from the University of New Orleans where I also served as an instructor for multiple undergraduate classes including General Psychology and Human Sexual Behavior.I completed my postdoctoral training at Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority and UNO's Counseling Services in addition to being employed as a psychometrist at Children's Hospital of New Orleans.

I've worked with clients experiencing a wide array of psychological concerns including anxiety, depression, anger management, behavioral issues, problems in peer relationships, and family conflict. My clinical experience includes individual therapy, family therapy, community mental health, juvenile justice, psychoeducation, and psychometric assessment.
Services
Developmental psychology focuses on changes in the way people think, feel, and act over time as viewed from a lifespan perspective.
This point of view suggests that clients of different ages may have different presentations of mental health problems, as well as unique pressures or milestones that they are struggling with at any given time.
Training in developmental psychology also emphasizes the importance of considering clients' unique contexts (biological, cognitive, emotional, social, familial, cultural, etc.) when planning treatment, as these variables are likely to influence individual growth in countless ways.
Before beginning therapy with a potential client, I will first need to speak with them over the phone in order to determine whether or not my specific services would be appropriate for their current symptoms and concerns.
If yes, in-office services will be scheduled.
If not, I will provide them with referral information for other mental health resources.
Phone consultations can also be scheduled by current clients, should they feel a need to discuss therapy content outside of regular sessions.
Research indicates that the therapeutic alliance (i.e., the trust between a therapist and client that allows them to work together effectively) is a major contributor to successful treatment outcomes (Orlinsky, Ronnestad, & Willutski, 2004), so it's important for clients to find a therapist whose practice is a good "fit" for them.
It's not unusual for therapy styles to be as varied as the individual practitioners themselves, so clients may need to "shop around" in order to find a specific therapist whose treatment style is well-aligned with their goals and presenting concerns.
A major ethical principle that psychologists abide by is to practice within our "boundaries of competence, " which means that we provide treatment for clients based on our "education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study, or professional experience" (APA, 2017).
Maintaining boundaries of competence ensures that clients will receive services from a provider familiar with their types of symptoms and knowledgeable about best practices for specific treatments.
While I, like most psychologists, have "generalist" skills, certain potential clients may have presenting symptoms or concerns that fall outside of my scope of practice.
PLEASE NOTE: Insurance payment for psychotherapy requires that the services be "medically necessary, " which means that a mental health-related diagnosis will be made.
This diagnosis will go on a client's medical record and will be disclosed to a client's insurance company each time a claim is filed.
Insurance companies may also contact a provider directly during the course of therapy to review treatment records, reduce the number of approved sessions, or even terminate therapy payments.
I charge a self-pay rate of $100 per in-office session for individual therapy, $125 for family therapy.
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