Where can we get inexpensive couples counseling?

[Anonymous]

Spoke with my employee assistance program – they don’t do couples counseling. Called my insurance provider (Kaiser) – they don’t do couples counseling. What the heck?

Contacted a few local faith-based counselors and it’s $150 a session based on the sliding scale (we make $100K combined, two kids).

I know in the grand scheme of things this is “worth it” but we really need at least a few sessions and we are having trouble with our bills as is (this is one of our problems!).

We don’t need someone fancy. We need a mediator to work through communication issues, household responsibilities, anger, etc. We will each be seeing someone separately.

Close to Arlington preferred.

Thanks so much. Why doesn't anyone offer couples counseling???

[Anonymous]

Try the Women's Center - they have couples counseling. I think its less than $150 per session.

[Anonymous]

Also, see if your insurance covers "family counseling" or any other type of counseling that might fit into what you're looking for. Our insurance doesn't pay for marriage counseling either, but we found a therapist who has given us a diagnosis of anxiety and is doin family counseling with us.

[Anonymous]

Church.

[Anonymous]

I innitually used a free e-mail course by a family therapist that was very helpful. Later I bought the whole program because it was helping and the price for the whole program is like one session with a therapist...and much more helpful (I heard some awful stories about therapists)..
Anyway you can find it here, hope it helps:

http://how-to-save-marriage.org

[Anonymous]

Find a counselor who takes Kaiser and see if they can find a way to get you covered. We did that, the therapists are good at this. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

the VA Tech counseling program offers couples and family therapy super cheap, maybe even free. They're students that are supervised by experienced clinicians. Might be worth a try.

[Anonymous]

Do you ever wonder WHY a therapist would charge less than the going rate in DC to do couples counseling? Because that person is inexperienced, probably collecting hours toward a license, etc. Cheap therapy is just that, cheap therapy. And there's something to be said for the fact that when people pay something for what they're doing, they are in fact more committed to the process and get more out of it in a shorter period of time.

[Anonymous]

We have Kaiser and are going to couples counseling covered by Kaiser (each session is $10.) Our therapist is actually quite good, Susan Blum in White Oak (just past Silver Spring in MD.) I realize this is unlikely to be convenient for you, but you may just need to call Kaiser again and figure out what the deal is.

[Anonymous]

Go to church, synagogue or mosque. Most clergy are trained in this stuff. I'm protestant (Presbyterian) but went to a Lutheran pastor I knew was a no-BS guy. He was masterful in both joint and private (one-on-one) discussions. Religion barely came into it once he established that neither of us were into the "because God said so" crap, and got down into finding out why we were doing the things we were doing to each other. No topic was off-limits as my resentments about sex were laid out plain, and her resentments of me for the myriad of reasons was also laid out there. Years later, we are doing better than ever. His counseling didn't cost us a dime (and we didn't even go to his church), and we've learned to deal with our resentments much better. He told me recently that whenever anybody comes to counseling, the guy is 90% angry about sex (or lack of enough) and sometimes money, and the women are angry about money or help. I hope it helps. I don't know how effective a priest would be as I am not Catholic so not sure how a celebate being can help when 90% of a male complaint is about something they know little about besides theory, and I haven't the faintest clue about what an Imam would do. I only know stereotypes of muslims, though they seem to usually have very happy marriages from what I've seen from a distance. Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find a counselor who takes Kaiser and see if they can find a way to get you covered. We did that, the therapists are good at this. Good luck.

Ditto. And damn kaiser. Damn da man!

[Anonymous]

I have BCBS and they don't do couples counseling either. I went to my first appointment by myself which was covered and let the counselor know up front that I wanted couples counseling. They bill it as family counseling which is covered. I don't understand why there is a distinction between family vs. couples, but it works. I was very frustrated trying to deal with the insurance-but the counselors may know how to bill it so that it is covered. Call your insurance and see if they cover family counseling rather than couples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have BCBS and they don't do couples counseling either. I went to my first appointment by myself which was covered and let the counselor know up front that I wanted couples counseling. They bill it as family counseling which is covered. I don't understand why there is a distinction between family vs. couples, but it works. I was very frustrated trying to deal with the insurance-but the counselors may know how to bill it so that it is covered. Call your insurance and see if they cover family counseling rather than couples.

Technically a married couple is a family. Damn blue cross/ shield and damn da man, again

[Anonymous]

Our United plan says it will only cover $20 per visit for "Individual, family, therapeutic group and provider-based case management services"... so I'm guessing that means we're SOL whether they bill it as couples or family counseling.

Our financial issues are part of the problem but we need help.

[Anonymous]

Definitely go to the Women's Center. Inexpensive and good.