Marriage counseling is usually paid per session, and the price depends on where you live, your insurance and the counselor. At Acceptance Path, self-pay is $150 a session with a fully licensed counselor and $100 with an associate.
We confirm the rate for your sessions before you book. This guide covers what changes the price, when insurance pays and how to keep the cost down.
The Short Answer
- $150 a session with a fully licensed counselor, $100 with an associate, the same for couples and individuals.
- Insurance pays for couples sessions only in some cases, so check before you count on it.
- If you pay for yourself, you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate before your first session.
- A consultation is free.
What Marriage Counseling Costs at Acceptance Path
- Self-pay, fully licensed counselor
- $150 a session
- Self-pay, associate counselor
- $100 a session
- With insurance
- Your plan’s copay, coinsurance or deductible, estimated before you book
- Sliding scale
- A limited number of openings, so ask our team
- Consultation
- Free
These are our standard self-pay rates, the same whether you come alone or as a couple. Which one applies depends on the counselor you are matched with, so ask before you book.
Five of our counselors see couples, married or not, at our offices in Houston-Willowbrook and The Woodlands, or by secure video if both of you are in Texas. Read how the sessions work in couples and marriage counseling.
What Changes the Price of Marriage Counseling
The counselor’s license
Fully licensed counselors usually charge more than associates. Associates have finished their graduate training, and they practice under a licensed supervisor while they complete the hours needed for full licensure.
Where you live
The same kind of session costs different amounts in different cities, and even across one large metro area like Houston. The most useful number is the one from the practice you would actually see.
How long and how often
Some practices offer longer sessions at a higher price. Meeting weekly costs more each month than meeting every other week, even when the price per session is the same.
Insurance and your deductible
With insurance, you pay your copay or coinsurance plus whatever is left on your deductible. Expect to pay more per session until the deductible is met.
Does Insurance Cover Marriage Counseling?
Sometimes. Health plans usually pay for counseling when it treats a diagnosed mental health condition, and counseling for the relationship on its own often falls outside that.
Some plans cover couples sessions when they support a partner’s diagnosis. Whether yours does depends on the plan and the reason for your visit.
We work with twelve plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and Original Medicare. We do not accept Medicaid.
Before your first session, we check your benefits and tell you the estimated cost. The final amount can still depend on how your plan processes the claim.
What a Month of Couples Counseling Might Cost
If you met weekly, four sessions at $150 would come to $600 a month, or $400 at the $100 associate rate. Meeting every other week would halve that.
No one can honestly tell you at the start how many sessions you will need. Your counselor will talk through your goals with you, and the two of you can revisit how often you meet as things change.
Ways to Lower the Cost
- Ask which rate applies to your sessions, since an associate counselor’s rate is lower.
- Ask about the sliding scale, which has a limited number of openings.
- Check your benefits and your deductible before the first session, not after.
- Ask your employer about an employee assistance program; many include a few free counseling sessions.
- Use a free consultation to check the fit before you pay for a session.
- Once things settle, talk with your counselor about meeting less often.
Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate
Under the federal No Surprises Act, if you do not have insurance or choose not to use it, you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate of what your care will cost. If your bill comes in at least $400 above that estimate, you may be able to dispute it.
At Acceptance Path, self-pay clients get a written Good Faith Estimate before the first session. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services explains these rights in full.
Couples Counseling at Acceptance Path
Both of you meet with the same licensed counselor, in person or by secure video if you are both in Texas. See couples counseling in The Woodlands, couples counseling in Katy or our Houston-Willowbrook office for how each works.
Coming in after an affair? Our guide to marriage counseling after infidelity covers what those sessions work on.
If the fit is wrong, your first session with a new counselor is free. That covers fit only, not results.
When Couples Counseling Is Not the Right First Step
If you are afraid of your partner, or one of you is being hurt, threatened or controlled, couples counseling is not the place to start. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is free and confidential at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
In crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is marriage counseling per session?
It depends on the counselor’s license, your insurance and the practice. Our self-pay rates are $150 with a fully licensed counselor and $100 with an associate.
Is couples counseling more expensive than individual counseling?
Not here: our self-pay rates are the same for an individual or a couple. Some practices charge more for couples, so ask before you book.
Does insurance pay for marriage counseling?
Sometimes. Many plans cover counseling only for a diagnosed mental health condition, so ask the practice for an estimate before your first session.
How many sessions will we need?
No one can honestly tell you at the start. Your counselor will talk through your goals with you, and you can revisit how often you meet as things change.
Can couples meet by video?
We can do a secure video session, provided you are both in Texas when it is held.
How soon could we start?
Couples are seen within the week. You get the time and the estimated cost before anything is booked.
Is the first consultation free?
Yes. At Acceptance Path a consultation is free, so you can ask questions and check the fit before you pay for a session.
Do you take Medicaid?
We do not bill Medicaid, but your plan will be able to advise you on the counselors in your area that are covered.
Find a couples counselor How couples counseling works
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only. Therapy, counseling, and other mental health treatments discussed here are professional services that should only be pursued under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional.
Information provided does not constitute a claim of safety, effectiveness, diagnosis, or treatment outcomes. Any treatment, if appropriate, is provided only after a thorough clinical evaluation by a qualified licensed clinician at Acceptance Path Counseling.
Counseling at Acceptance Path
Our licensed Texas counselors offer weekly counseling in person in Houston-Willowbrook, The Woodlands and Katy, or by secure video across Texas.
We are not a psychiatry practice and do not prescribe medication. Counseling is not an emergency service.
In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
