Frequently asked questions about therapy with Hugo Herrera

It is a first conversation, free and with no commitment, to assess your situation. You tell me what is happening, I ask what I need to understand it, and I tell you honestly whether I can help, how I would approach it and how long a process like this usually takes. If I think you need a different kind of resource, I will say so and point you towards it. The therapy sessions that follow do have a fee, which I explain clearly before we start.

By phone or WhatsApp on +1 (786) 473-3466, or through the contact form. I reply personally and we find a time for your free assessment.

Go to contact

You do not need to be in a very bad place, or to hit rock bottom, to ask for help. If something worries you enough to be reading this, it deserves a conversation. That is exactly what the free assessment is for: to look together at where you are and whether starting a process makes sense.

No. You can contact me directly. If you already have a diagnosis or are being treated by a doctor or psychiatrist, tell me during the assessment: it helps us coordinate and pull in the same direction.

We focus on getting to know your story in more detail and on agreeing concrete goals: what you want to change and how we will know you are making progress. You do not need to prepare anything or know how to explain it all; sorting out what is happening is part of the work.

Each one-to-one session lasts 50 to 60 minutes. We agree the frequency depending on your case: usually closer together at the start, then more spaced out as you progress.

It depends on the case. Some processes resolve in a handful of sessions; others need months of sustained work. What I do from the start is set concrete goals, so you always know what we are working towards and can see whether you are moving.

For most problems, yes: what matters most for the outcome is the trust between us and the way we work, and both build just as well over video. All you need is a stable connection and somewhere you can talk without being overheard. If you prefer, we can also combine online sessions with sessions at the Miami office.

Yes, over video, wherever you are. We adapt the schedule to your time zone.

Spanish or English, whichever you prefer, from start to finish.

No. Therapy is private pay: I do not work with insurance companies or process claims.

It depends on the format and the plan we agree, and I explain it clearly during the free assessment, before anything starts. Doing the assessment does not commit you to continue.

Absolutely. I guarantee the privacy and anonymity of every person and their family. What is said in session stays in session.

It is stored encrypted on the website's server and only I read it, in order to reply. It is not shared with anyone, it is not used for advertising, and the site has no tracking cookies.

Privacy policy

Yes, and in many cases it is decisive. I offer assistance and therapy for the patient's family, as well as guidance for adult children of dysfunctional families. One person's recovery affects the whole household, and working with only one part usually leaves the system half-treated.

Yes. Families can do a lot: change the way they talk to the person, stop covering up the consequences and look after themselves. Sometimes a timely intervention is also needed: a private meeting with the person and their family so the urgency of getting help is understood. With the right technique and support it can happen in a calm setting, without ambushes.

Yes, and it is more common than you might think. Living with an addiction or a difficult relationship wears you down, and it is easy to end up living around the other person. Working on what is happening to you helps your family and helps you.

Codependency therapy

No. Many people start while they are still using, or unsure whether they want to stop. We work from where you are. One important caveat: if there is significant physical dependence on alcohol, sedatives or opioids, stopping abruptly can be dangerous and withdrawal should be medically supervised. In that case I will help you do it safely.

No. My work is one-to-one therapy, online or at the office. If your situation calls for medical detox or residential treatment, I will tell you honestly, point you towards the right resource and continue therapy when the time is right.

A relapse is not a failure and it does not end the process. It is information: we look at it together, without judgement, understand what triggered it and adjust the plan. What matters is not to hide it and to ask for help as soon as possible.

It is not compulsory. For many people twelve-step groups are a huge support, and I work alongside them; for others there are other ways to build a network. What matters is not trying to recover alone.

My practice is not an emergency service. If you or someone else is in danger, call 911. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24 hours, also in Spanish). Outside the United States, call your local emergency number.