FAQ

Yes, I do!

I understand how crazy Los Angeles traffic can be, and time can be limited, so I offer both. I recommend video over phone, but if you’re more comfortable with phone, that is fine, too.

I work mostly with adolescents and adults from the ages of 15 to 55. Most of my clients come from a minority background (race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation).

I tend to see most issues stemming from a family system, so I LOVE treating the entire family.

I am always skeptical when a parent gives off the vibe of “fix my child.” If possible, I always try to work with the whole family.

Sessions are 45 – 50 minutes.

I’m currently taking Cigna and Optum with the possibility of more insurance panels in the future.

If you are out of network, I can provide you with a superbill if your insurance company allows it.

You can either call me at (804) 310-7516 or email me at wesleyjdu@gmail.com.

Email is usually the best way to contact me since I’m in session during the day. If you do call, PLEASE leave a message. Your call is important to me, and I’ll get back to you within 2-8 hours if I can.

I offer a 15- to 20-minute free consultation to see if we are the right fit.

I ask for a 24 hours’ notice of any cancellation. If I receive less than 24 hours’ notice or no notification at all, I may charge you for my time. If it’s due to an emergency or some other exigency, please let me know, and we can talk about it.

I’m strict on this policy because it’s a matter of respecting my time. I value your time and commitment to therapy, so I would never be away from the office at your appointment time unless something drastic happened.

Great question!!! It’s debatable whether Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is more effective than Psychodynamic or Humanistic Therapy. People can go on and on about the pros and cons of all these various treatment models, but the one aspect that no therapist can debate is this:

The number-one factor that catalyzes growth and healing is the therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist.

That is why I have seen interns who were more effective than Ph.D. practitioners. I come from a Gestalt background, but the theory is secondary to connecting with the individual and making them feel seen, heard, and witnessed.

No, I cannot… and therein lies the risk, right? I empathize with the fact that you are spending your limited time and hard-earned money to see results. Who wouldn’t?

But, unfortunately, due to the nature of our work, no therapist can promise you that.

I do screen clients first to see if I can help them with their issues, but even that doesn’t guarantee results. However, what I can promise you is that I will do everything within my power to help you reach your goals.

If I feel like your situation is beyond my scope of practice or competence, I will refer you to someone I trust. The last thing I will ever do is continue to see you and take your money if I know I can’t help.

Your dreams are possible.

However, having dreams brings risk. Fear prevents us from taking risks, which stops us from achieving our potential.

From the age of 13-16, I wanted to be a professional basketball player.

I wanted to be Yao Ming before Yao Ming and Jeremy Lin before Jeremy Lin. I woke up early every morning to shoot hoops in my driveway. I tried extremely hard to make the school team but was cut all three years in a row. It was devastating because I could see my dreams slipping away despite how hard I worked, which was counter to everything I was told. “If you work hard enough, anything is possible.”

I still believe that to a certain degree, but hard work was not enough to overcome the genetic limitations I had.

But as I look back now, what that experience gave me was a certain amount of determination and confidence that I continue to take with me today. I did not let the failure consume me.

It prepared me for the many other disappointments and failures I would have in my life and the grit to keep going.

Your dreams are possible but don’t let fear stop you. It’s sad to me when I see so many people live a life of obligation versus intention since they are so afraid to risk failure.