Our standard fee for individual and couples counseling and therapy services are as follows:

Individual Sessions 55 minutes:    $150.00

Individual Sessions 80 minutes:    $200.00

Couple Sessions 55 minutes:        $160.00

Couple Sessions 80 minutes:        $200.00

Initial phone consultation:              No charge

Diagnostic Evaluation Session       $175.00

Our professional rate is considered standard for licensed clinical social workers and/or licensed clinical professional counselors who practice in our local area, based on our expertise, education, and years of experience.

Is it true that for my insurance to pay for therapy I have to have a diagnosable mental health disorder?

Yes, you must be given a diagnosable mental health disorder in order for insurance to pay for therapy. Insurance companies will not pay for therapy unless there is a mental health disorder code on the receipt/bill. This is extremely unfortunate because many people come to therapy to improve their lives and to work on something they are struggling with, and that absolutely doesn’t mean they have a mental illness.

Yet, in the eyes of insurance companies, in order for them to consider payment, therapy recipients must have a diagnosed mental health disorder. This concerns some people because once that code is assigned to you within your health insurance record, it never goes away. Every future insurance application (life, disability, medical) form you fill out may require you to list that you were treated for a mental health disorder.

If you want to use your insurance to help cover the costs of your therapy sessions, we will discuss if your symptoms meet the criteria for a mental health disorder and if the diagnosis is appropriate. You will need to agree to it and then make the final decision if you want to report that information. We don’t believe labeling is always helpful or necessary, but we do understand sometimes people need to utilize the financial assistance from their health insurance provider to help cover the costs of therapy.

If you are concerned about your privacy and being given a mental health disorder diagnosis, you have many options. You may consider paying for therapy out of pocket as you do for other personal services you value. A lot of people choose this option, as it allows for them to have more autonomy over their therapy experience. Knowing that you do not have to receive a mental health disorder diagnosis and be pathologized for seeking help is often a relief.

Also, to be assured that your personal data and the details of your therapy treatment will not be shared with an insurance company and be in a permanent electronic health record is a great benefit. When you pay for counseling yourself, your complete privacy is assured within the limits of state and federal laws. In addition to privacy, flexible scheduling, variable session lengths, and possible online sessions when you travel are things that can help make therapy work best for you.