Can I Come Alone?
Absolutely. Ideally, both you and your partner would attend couples therapy together. However, there are times when only one person is interested in working on the relationship. We can discuss strategies that you can use to change yourself in healthy ways, which often encourages a shift in your partner too.
The First Session
I prefer meeting with both members of a couple in the first session. This helps me to get to know you as a couple and to hear each of you talk about your concerns and your dreams for your relationship. We may later schedule individual sessions if you or I decide it might be helpful.
How Long Does Therapy Take?
That is a hard question to answer, however, most couples report that they notice some improvement very quickly. The average number of sessions for couples is generally 10 – 12 over 6 months; however, some finish more quickly. Others find that they need and want to stay longer.
What About Affairs?
Infidelity affects an estimated 80% of marriages in the US! As a result, I work with many couples where infidelity is a top reason for seeking counseling. Generally speaking, most marriages don't end in divorce when one spouse has an affair. Divorce happens when the conditions which led to the affair are not addressed and rectified. Many couples report much stronger relationships due to the hard work they experienced while working through the heartache of an affair.
Do you work with individuals?
Yes. I work with individuals dealing with trauma, overcoming sexual abuse, and general mood difficulties such as anxiety and depression. See my general practice site for more information.
What are your fees?
My fee is $90 for a 55-minute session. Longer sessions are available upon request, pro-rata.
Do you accept insurance?
Couples or marriage counseling is generally not covered by insurance companies because it is not deemed a "medically necessary" treatment.
For individual counseling, I am a listed provider for Aetna, Colorado Access, Colorado Health Plan (CHP), Humana (Corphealth), Mines EAP, and ComPsych EAP. If I am not a listed provider on your insurance, statements can be provided for "out of network" insurance reimbursement or for flexible spending accounts (FSA).
A Note on Insurance:
Although it may sometimes be financially beneficial to utilize insurance benefits to pay for therapy, there are several important considerations for therapy clients:
1. All Insurance claims require a mental health diagnosis, even if one doesn’t exist. This becomes a part of your permanent record and can affect or limit future insurance coverage and inhibit certain employment opportunities. Disability and life insurance applications, in particular, can be denied due to mental health diagnoses.
2. The insurance company, not you, decides how many sessions are appropriate for your treatment.
3. Private information, even under new privacy policies, is shared with insurance companies.