Frequently Asked Questions

The cost of your treatment truly depends on your unique needs but services typically range from $150-$480/session depending on which of our therapists you work with and the length of the session. Session fees are listed on each therapist’s profile page. Our unlicensed (APCC and AMFT) and masters-level therapists (LMFT and LCSW) will be on the lower end of the price range and the doctoral level (Psy.D. and Ph.D.) will be on the higher end of the price range.

All Couples Learn therapists have advanced and specialized training in couples therapy beyond their graduate work. Our session rates are comparable with other masters and doctoral level specialists in Los Angeles. We do not offer a sliding scale due to the limited number of client hours available. We do offer opportunities to learn and engage via blogs, videos, workshops, community events, and speaking engagements.

Follow our social media pages @coupleslearn on Instagram and Facebook and sign up for our newsletter list for upcoming events and opportunities.

For low-fee counseling, we recommend looking here: https://openpathcollective.org

We are not in-network with any insurance companies but we do accept PPO insurance as out-of-network providers. What that means is you pay your therapist directly after each session and then we provide you with a receipt for services (called a superbill) for you to submit to your insurance at the end of every month. If your claim is accepted, your insurance will mail you a check for the amount they agree to reimburse or they will apply that amount to your deductible depending on if you have hit your deductible for the year yet.

Most PPO plans will reimburse you for some portion of the session fee (20-60%) but every plan is different so call your insurance to ask about your coverage. If you have a high deductible, you most likely won’t reach it so everything they do reimburse will go towards your deductible and not be paid to you.

Some helpful questions you can ask them:

• What is the maximum allowable rate my insurance will pay for an out-of-network provider for this code? If you’re doing individual therapy, ask about reimbursement for procedural code 90837 with the modifier 95 for telehealth and 90834 with the modifier 95 for telehealth. For couples therapy, ask about code 90847 with the modifier 95 for telehealth.
• Is there a deductible that has to be met before you reimburse for out-of-network therapy sessions? If so, what is it and how close am I to meeting that?
• Is there a limit to how many sessions you will reimburse for?

The other option is that you can use your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to save by paying for therapy with pre-tax dollars.

Wondering why we are not in-network with any insurance companies? Read this blog post on the real reasons (that nobody tells you) about why therapists don’t accept insurance.

No. All sessions are completed online via a secure encrypted video chat. Our clients love the convenience of being able to connect from work or from their own home where they feel most comfortable. Online sessions allow you to avoid traffic and parking and are less of a time commitment than if you had to schedule a time to get to and from an office. They’re also more discreet.

Online therapy has been thoroughly researched and all the studies show it is just as effective as in-person therapy. We would never practice in a way that is not effective and backed by research as we are very committed to providing the highest level of service to our clients. If you or your partner have concerns about whether online sessions are for you, we recommend booking a free 30 min consult on our website and trying it for yourself. Most people are pleasantly surprised by the experience. Since it’s free, you really have nothing to lose!

Yes! Online therapy is just as effective as meeting in person. All the nuances of facial expressions and body language can be seen through video just as they can in person. Many of our clients have commented that they prefer online sessions because they do not have to allocate additional time to travel to and from an office, deal with traffic, parking, etc. and they feel more comfortable in their home or office.

Benefits of telehealth
Here are a few of the research-based benefits of telehealth services:

• Increased access. Approximately 123 million Americans live in an area with limited access to healthcare. Telehealth can play an important role in these communities by increasing accessibility.
• Reduced costs for clients. Telehealth saves money when compared with traditional approaches to providing care. For clients, this often means lower transportation costs, less time missed from work, and less money spent on child care expenses. These are some of the “hidden costs” of therapy beyond the session fee that many do not factor into the cost of their therapy services.
• Same-level client care. No client outcome difference was found between telehealth appointments and face-to-face office visits across multiple studies.
• Better client experience. Telehealth eliminates the wasted time traveling and sitting in the waiting room. You get to have your session in your own space where you are already comfortable which often leads to clients opening up faster given their increased comfort.

All major counseling, psychology, and social work associations have endorsed telemental health services. As the industry continues to progress and become more widely used by clients and practitioners, online counseling is on course to become as mainstream as face-to-face counseling. The use of online counseling has been validated by the US Federal government and most states, as illustrated by the billions of dollars dedicated to setting up and delivering telemental health services and the installment of the federal and regional offices advancing telehealth. http://www.telehealth.va.gov/, http://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/about/telehealth/.

Some of our therapists can work with clients outside of California and some cannot. Those that cannot will have that listed on their profile. However, even if a therapist is able to work with clients outside of CA, it’s not guaranteed that they can take you on as a client.

At Couples Learn, we provide both therapy and coaching. For clients seeking therapy, you will only be able to work with a therapist who is licensed in the state where you are located at the time of your session. Dr. Sarah Schewitz is licensed in over 35 states and can provide therapy in all of those states (listed on her profile).

Our other team members are only licensed to provide therapy in California but may be able to take you on as a coaching client if your needs and goals are aligned with coaching. Whether or not you qualify for coaching versus therapy is something that can be determined in your free 30-minute consultation. Also, check out our FAQ below this titled “what is the difference between therapy and life or relationship coaching?”

Both therapy and life coaching are great alternatives for someone looking to make a change in their lives. Therapy is typically better suited for someone with a diagnosed mental illness such as severe depression or anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, addiction, PTSD, etc. Therapists have different modalities they work from but therapy will generally be less directive than life coaching and more focused on feelings, gentle support, and exploration of past issues. Therapy is reimbursed by some health insurance plans if the client has a mental health diagnosis.

Life coaching tends to be a more directive approach where the coach helps the client define and achieve goals, develop a plan and structure for creating the desired results in their life, and holds the client to a high level of accountability to their goals. Life coaching is typically better suited for a client that is already functioning relatively well but would like some guidance or motivation to enhance specific areas of their life. Life coaching is not reimbursed by insurance companies.

Relationship coaching and couples therapy look similar in a lot of ways. Both will focus on skill building, providing tools for the couple to improve their relationship, and working towards goals the couple has for their relationship. Like with life coaching, relationship coaching is more appropriate for folks without severe mental health diagnoses or substance abuse. Folks dealing with those issues will likely need couples therapy and would not be appropriate for relationship coaching.

This is a great question because there are a lot of people in the marketplace today branding themselves as coaches with very little formal training or experience. It is important to know what qualifies someone to be working as a coach or therapist so you can make an informed decision as a consumer.

All of our therapists have a masters or doctorate degree in psychology and and are regulated by a board that ensures they maintain the highest ethical standards. All of our therapists have completed additional training in the area of love & relationships after and in addition to their graduate degree and continue to hone their skills by attending courses and reading books on the topic regularly. 

Most life coaches are not regulated by a board and do not have to undergo any sort of supervision or certification process to practice. They also are not required to complete any ongoing education (which we as licensed professionals are) to ensure that they stay up to date with changes and developments in the field.

While many life coaches are wonderful, it’s important to do your due diligence when hiring someone that is not regulated by a licensing board. In reality, it’s important that you do your due diligence no matter who you are hiring!

A number of benefits are available from seeking the services of a therapist or coach. Therapists/coaches provide support, problem-solving skills, motivation, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as insecurity, relationship troubles, grief, stress management, and creative blocks. Therapists/coaches can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the challenges of daily life. Therapists/coaches can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy/coaching depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available include:

• Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
• Developing skills for improving your relationships
• Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek guidance
• Learning new ways to reframe and cope with stress and anxiety
• Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
• Improving communications and listening skills
• Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
• Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
• Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence