Our Services

Emotional Support Animal Assessment and Letters

Emotional Support Animal Assessment and Letters

An emotional support animal is an identified pet that provides needed comfort to an individual, which, due to their relationship, causes adverse symptoms of a disability to lessen or dissipate. Guidance Teletherapy believes in client self-determination and advocacy and therefore offers its clients the ability to utilize this form of treatment as their primary form of treatment or in addition to teletherapy services. The process involves a thorough assessment with a clinician trained in animal-assisted assessment. The assessment aims to identify four things: does the client have a disability, does that disability impair at least one life functioning, and is there at least one symptom mitigated by their relationship to their pet, which results in at least partially improved functioning?

We do not guarantee that any client will qualify. You may not have a disability, or your pet may not mitigate it. Additionally, some clinicians may request additional appointments or documentation from other treating providers to determine your disability. Lastly, it may take multiple sessions to make these determinations, depending on the relationship you build with your clinician, the type of animal you have, and the type of disability.

Please note that Guidance Teletherapy no longer provides assessments for potential ESA letters used on airlines, given that the Department of Transportation no longer lists them as accommodation on their airlines. We do not want to deceive clients into thinking these letters can be used where they are not allowed. We also want clients to be aware that ESAs are not service animals, and therefore, these letters, if given, cannot be used to justify access to public places, such as a restaurant or grocery store.

Our clinicians charge differently for each service. Additionally, you are responsible for ensuring that your insurance does or does not reimburse for assessment services. If it does not, these services are out-of-pocket costs.

Please note that denying a letter is possible, and you are not refunded for the services provided. Doing an assessment IS a service.

Below is a list of our clinicians who actively provide ESA assessments and letters:

• Ariel Landrum, LMFT: California, Kansas, Nevada, Florida, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah

• Stephanie Kinney, LMFT: California, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Arizona, Utah, and Virginia

• Serena Hsieh, LMFT (English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese): California

• Stacey Inal, LMFT: California and Florida

• Jessica Medina, LMFT: California and Wisconson

• Gregory Tilden, LMFT: California

• Tia Brisco, LMFT: California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas

• Emily Adili, LMFT: California