What are the fees and availability?

55 minute session fee (individual and couple):  

  • Krista J Miller, LMFT, LCDC, Certified Gottman Therapist: $195 Hours: 9-3pm Weekdays

  • Lisa Aguilar, MA, LPC: $165

  • Ashley Lundquist, LMFT, LCDC: $165 Virtual appointments only. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10am-5pm, Tuesday and Thursday 12-8pm, Sundays

  • Claire Fallin, LPC: $165 Hours: Weekdays, some evenings

  • Paola Misteli, LPC: $165 Hours: weekdays, some weekends and evenings

  • Yaira Rosa, MS, LMFT-Associate: $135 Weekdays, evenings, virtual appointments only

80 Minute couples session:  

  • Krista J Miller, LMFT, LCDC, Certified Gottman Therapist: prorated

Couples Counseling online assessment fee(Completed through the Gottman Connect):  $39

Fee for written report:  $50

Payment is accepted in the form of cash, check or credit card

Court fees:  $1000 per day paid in advance for each day of required attendance

Can I use insurance?

We do not bill insurance for couples/family counseling.  Health insurance requires that we are treating a mental health condition(medical necessity), so if you are seeking counseling for relationship issues, this is generally not covered.  Clients are often told by their insurers that their policy includes couples counseling, only to find out that this means that their partner can only be in the room intermittently and all goals must relate to the mental health condition.  They are then responsible for sessions previously paid by their insurer.  You may be able to use your flex spending accounts for couples therapy, ask your benefits administrator for further information.

Out of Network benefits may be accessed per your insurance if available, but also requires medical necessity/diagnosis.

While we are not “In Network” with your insurance, you may be able to be reimbursed by your insurance as an “Out of Network” expense.  I would be happy to supply you with the receipts to submit to your insurance.  

Before you decide on using your insurance benefits please understand there are benefits to private (out of pocket)pay:

1.  Use of health insurance requires a mental health diagnosis.  (Major Depressive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for example).  Insurance will not pay for relationship counseling, parenting, grief, and many other typical challenges for which you may be seeking therapy.  If you are looking for help in one of these areas, you will have an easier time finding a therapist, and getting an earlier appointment if you pay out of pocket.

2.  If you use your insurance, the insurance company will have a say in your treatment plan, goals, etc.  They will want documentation of our work toward their “approved” goals and plan.  These goals may or may not be in line with why you are seeking therapy.  

3.  Insurance benefits are not accessible until your deductible is met.  If your deductible is high, we may be done with counseling long before it’s reached. 

4.  My therapeutic orientation is brief and solution focused.  Many clients compete their goals within 2-3 months.

5.  Many therapists who are accepting insurance are at full capacity and not accepting new clients.  I have immediate availability.

6.  By paying privately, your file and everything we discuss is private.  Many clients do not want a paper trail documenting a mental health or substance use diagnosis on their permanent health record.

How do I get started?

If you are requesting couples counseling we begin with a 4 session comprehensive, personalized assessment which includes:

  • 55 minute conjoint couples therapy session to go over desired goals, gather relationship history, assess current relationship functioning

  • Online assessment through the Gottman Relationship Checkup

  • Separate 1:1 counseling sessions with each partner to address individualized histories, concerns

  • Follow up conjoint session to present all information gathered from online assessment and 1:1 sessions. This provides the road map to begin work.

We can schedule these sessions all in one day, or over the course of a few weeks depending on your schedule and needs.

 

Where are you located?

Our in person offices are located in North Central San Antonio, Texas. We also offer virtual counseling to clients all over Texas.

How long does counseling last?

This answer varies widely, depending on why you are being seen and your relationship history. Our number one goal is to eventually be fired! It’s definitely a different mindset than most businesses. But our goal is to get you on your feet and get back to your life as soon as possible. Relationship strengthening and prevention is always faster and easier than critical intervention, so don’t hesitate to work on your relationship before it feels like a crisis.

We will also work with you on desired frequency and tapering sessions to eventual graduation. While we make professional recommendations, we also work to align this with your needs and preferences. Most couples start weekly, and then as they are feeling more confident, feeling more functional, they spread sessions out.