Frequently Asked Questions

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Therapy Services

Who do you work with?

I work with adults and adolescents age 13 and up. I work with individuals and couples.

Where do sessions take place?

I can meet with you in-person at my office located near the Denver capitol building or anywhere in Colorado via phone or secure video platform. I just ask that you are in a private location at the time of your appointment so you can feel safe and comfortable to share.

Do I have to live in Colorado?

No, you do not have to be in Colorado! I am part of PSYPACT, is an interstate compact designed to facilitate the practice of telepsychology and the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries. This is a credential that is available to psychologists who are licensed in good standing in PSYPACT-participating states.

Currently I provide teletherapy to all PSYPACT participating states including:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of, Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

This list was updated on 12/04/2023. For the most up to date list of PSYPACT states please visit PSYPACT.org

How long are sessions and how often will we meet?

Sessions are typically 50 minutes and are typically one time per week. We can discuss if there is another format or timing that works better for you.

When are you available?

I am currently available Monday – Thursday from 9am – 6pm. Please contact me for current availability within that timeframe.

Immigration Evaluations - Monarch Collective

As a part of my practice, I am part of the Monarch Collective, a group of psychologists who are dedicated to providing comprehensive and culturally responsive immigration evaluations. Currently, the collective includes myself, Bryan Rojas-Araúz, PhD, and Gwen V. Mitchell, PsyD.

What is the interview process like?

The in-person evaluation typically lasts 2-6 hours and involves an in-depth clinical interview and psychological testing. The interview usually takes 1-2 meetings (depending on complexity and if follow-up is needed).

Can you work with an interpreter?

Yes, we work with interpreters regularly. Please note: clients are responsible for finding and bringing an interpreter to the appointment. I am a Spanish-speaking evaluator and Dr. Rojas-Araúz is also Spanish-speaking.

What forms of payment do you accept?

You can pay using: Credit Card, Check or Cash.

Do I need to bring anything with me to the appointment?

In most cases, no. However, there may be instances in which obtaining a copy of your medical or legal records would be helpful. We can discuss this at the time of the evaluation.

How much do you charge for evaluations?

A starting rate for these evaluations is between $2,000-$2,500 depending on the evaluation request, interpretation needs, and if the report is being asked to be done on an expedited timeline (less than two weeks out). The sliding scale range ends at $1500 for the written evaluation and verbal feedback to the client and attorney. The package includes a clinical interview, records review, and a comprehensive report sent to the client’s attorney (or the client directly if not represented by an attorney). Additional hourly fees may be applied if asked to testify in immigration court ($200 per hour).

Do I have to pay the full amount at the time of the appointment?

If possible, we prefer half of the total agreed upon amount to be paid at the time of the time of the first appointment. The assigned evaluator requires a minimum payment of $500 at the time of the appointment. The remainder can be paid at a later date but we will not send the report to the attorney (or to the client) until you have paid in full.

What is the report like?

After the interview, the evaluator writes a comprehensive (typically five to fifteen pages) report outlining your personal (family, educational, medical, etc.) history and any mental health diagnoses. All reports include a summary paragraph where we answer the legal question specific to the case. We may also request and include medical or legal records that are relevant to your case.

How quickly will you have the report ready after our appointment?

Reports are typically sent to client attorneys (or directly to clients, where applicable) within two weeks to one month after meeting with the client.

Do you see clients in immigration (ICE) detention?

Yes, we are available to meet with clients in immigration detention in Colorado.

Do you see children?

Yes, we provide immigration evaluations for children and adolescents and have specialized training in the evaluation of unaccompanied minors.

Do you see clients for therapy?

While we do provide clinical services, we do not provide therapy to individuals we have evaluated. However, in cases where a client is seen for an evaluation and they express an interest in therapy, we can make referrals to mental health professionals in the Denver area. Some of us teach and supervise in a program that has a low-cost/high quality clinic called the Trauma Disaster Recovery Clinic (TDRC) that we highly recommend as they have specialized training in working with interpreters and trauma survivors.

How will a psychological evaluation help?

The answer to this question differs depending on the type of case (i.e., hardship vs. U visa vs. asylum); however, the general purpose of a psychological evaluation for immigration court is to document any mental health conditions or diagnoses and to describe, from a psychosocial perspective, how potential deportation would impact a client and their family. A psychological evaluation can also help address discrepancies in a client’s report of personal history or clinical presentation, for example, by citing research regarding memory and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Research studies have demonstrated the utility of psychological evaluations in immigration cases. For example, in a study of asylum seekers, 89% of those who received a medical evaluation from Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) were granted asylum, versus the national average of 37.5% of US asylum seekers who did not receive PHR evaluations (Asylum Grant Rates Following Medical Evaluations of Maltreatment among Political Asylum Applicants in the United States.)

To understand more, please see How a Psychological Evaluation May Help an Immigration Case.

I’m already seeing a therapist. Can’t they just write a letter?

Yes and no… Yes, they can certainly write a letter describing any mental health conditions and where applicable, we will include these in the report. However, treating providers are not generally trained to write reports for legal audiences, particularly for immigration court, and therefore often do not know how to adequately address the legal question at hand. In addition, treating providers typically are not familiar with and able to cite literature on the psychological impact of deportation and family separation.

Are you experienced in writing for a legal audience?

Yes. The Monarch Collective is exclusively devoted to providing psychological evaluations for immigration proceedings and we have worked with immigration attorneys from around the United States on a range of cases. In addition, members have worked in the global mental health space as trauma psychologists, Staff Psychologist in hospital settings with expertise in diagnosis and crisis mitigation and as a risk evaluator in a number of forensic settings. Two of our evaluators are also bilingual Spanish-speakers and can conduct evaluations in Spanish. We have all received training in the documentation of torture and trauma and training in forensic evaluations for undocumented immigrants through the American Psychological Association. We have also conducted training for evaluators and local attorneys.

Insurance & Fees

What type of insurance do you accept?

Visit my Fees & Policies page to learn more about accepted insurance.

What are the fees to work with you?

Visit my Fees & Policies page to learn more about accepted insurance.

Get in Touch

Book a free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Darien.