(he/him)
Hi! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in California. I received my social work Masters degree from CSU Sacramento and have been a practicing full-time therapist for over 7 years, working primarily with adults of all ages. I previously worked with adolescents and children, both in the public school system and in the foster care system (social work case management-type work). I previously worked in residential treatment with probationary adolescents as well as those with emotional-behavioral struggles.
In my first meeting with a client, I introduce myself and discuss my approach to therapy, goal setting, working with clients, etc. I explain confidentiality, mandatory reporting, etc. I let the client know at the outset that our session (first appointment) will be an intake during which I will be asking them a fair number of questions about their history, experiences, etc. Early in this intake will be my inquiring as to their reasons for currently pursuing therapy, etc. I also inform clients that they may ask questions at any time, but that there will be time available at the end if they have other questions, etc.
One of my greatest strengths as a provider is that I have been in the (social work) field for over 35 years. I have worked with people from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Ironically, this experience has taught me as much about myself as it has other people, in that I have come to see myself in the experiences others have with me. Working in a variety of settings with many different populations over the years has taught me the importance of building a positive working rapport with others. To support my part in this process, I have needed to develop a greater awareness of myself, including my own strengths and weakness, the good and “not so good,” etc. I have become more familiar with concepts like acceptance and humility, etc. To sum up, this journey has helped me to land in a place where I am better able to both connect with clients and support them on their own journey.
My approach to therapy is large part based on building a positive working rapport between myself and my clients. I ask my clients what it is they want to work on. I collaborate with them to identify realistic goals for themselves. As a therapist, I see my job as finding the right balance of providing guidance and support to my clients. Specifically, I think it is important to be invested in our clients’ progress, but only as much as they are needing from us as the success must belong to them when they reach their goals.
I identify as
Cash - $120 per session
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Medicare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Amerihealth Administrators
Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage
Anthem
Arlo
AvMed
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
Blue Shield of California - Medi-Cal
Blue Shield of California - Medicare
Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
CalViva Health (Medi-Cal)
Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)
Centivo
Central California Alliance for Health (Medi-Cal)
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
Community Health Plan of Imperial Valley (Medi-Cal)
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Gold Coast Health Plan Total Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)
Golden Rule
GTEB
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Health Net (Medi-Cal)
Health Plan of San Joaquin/Mountain Valley Health Plan – Medi-Cal
Humana - Medicare
Humana Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
IHSS Healthy Workers
Independence Administrators
Independence Blue Cross
Independence Keystone 65 HMO
Independence Personal Choice 65 PPO
L.A. Care Covered
L.A. Care Covered Direct
L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
L.A. Care Medicare Plus (HMO D-SNP)
L.A. Care PASC-SEIU
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal)
San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Santa Clara Family Health Plan - Medi-Cal
Scripps Health Plan
SFHP Care Plus (HMO D-SNP)
Sharp Health Plan
Surest (formerly Bind)
Sutter Health Plan
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Complete Care (C-SNP)
UnitedHealthcare Dual (Medicare & Medicaid)
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
UnitedHealthcare/Optum - Medicare
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my work supporting my clients in both their healing and improving their quality of life, I have found that by making changes in our thinking and behaviors, we are affecting positive change in both areas for ourselves. This can and does affect positive change in our lives and in those around us.
8 ratings with written reviews
June 19, 2025
Kind , attentive, and insightful, we had a very good session. I was impressed with his breadth of experience and his interest in understanding my issues and challenges...very easy to talk to.....ideal!
May 20, 2025
I read what all the therapist had to say and I can't really explain it but I felt drawn to Timothy Masterson. There is so much more about his therapy style that I like but was restricted to only two.
May 2, 2025
I appreciate Timothy and his words of wisdom he listens and understands everything I say. He has helped me to manage the many challenges I face and have faced in my past. He’s a very down to earth therapist with no judgment.