Affordable, effective couples counseling (with Kaiser insurance)
Hello BPN! My husband and I are interested in pursuing couples counseling. The financial stress of this is a big concern, and unfortunately we have Kaiser insurance so I don't see that being very beneficial. We'd love any tips or referrals on ways to make this happen. Specifically we are hoping to improve our communication, and reignite our intimacy, both physically and emotionally. Thank you in advance for any help!
Oct 17, 2024
Parent Replies
If one of you has an EAP through work, that might help with finances.
Out of pocket, you can expect $200 per session (and up?). It can be cheaper to go to someone slightly outside of the Berkeley/Oakland area, like Hayward, Hercules, Concord, etc.
Good luck!
I'm a therapist in a private practice focused on couples work, but I don't take insurance, so likely not that helpful for you.
There are much cheaper options through graduate programs where you'd be working with unlicensed folks working toward hours requirements. I've heard good things about CIIS (in SF, but you could do virtual). They will work with you on a sliding scale: https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
It might be worthwhile to check with Kaiser insurance to see if they cover it or have a small copay. I was surprised that my Kaiser covered virtual couple therapy and put in a referral thru their psych/behavioral health dept.
I started personal therapy through Octave.com, which is a clearing house for connecting users to counselors and payment is based on your insurance that you input during the intake questionnaire. It's entirely telehealth, and I know you could do couples through it, too. Check it out and see if they accpet Kaiser.
Have you asked Kaiser yet? I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are much more generous with their mental health services than they used to be. They work with several online platforms, so they will most likely refer you out (I believe in house Kaiser counselors are very impacted). With Kaiser you always have to jump through some hoops at the beginning, but after that they authorized a ton of sessions (renewable) and I don’t pay a co-pay or anything.