FAQS

Questions & Answers

WHAT ARE YOUR COUNSELING RATES?

Our rates are based on the length of the session and the counselor with whom you are working. Counseling rates are $125-$175 for 60-minute sessions. 90 minutes sessions are $190-$300. The first session for a couple will be a 90-minute session, whereas follow-up sessions may be scheduled for either 60 or 90-minutes. Individual sessions are 60-minutes.

WHAT ARE YOUR RATES FOR COACHING?

Coaching sessions are 50-minutes. We offer the first session at our package rate of $125 to give you a chance to get a feel for the process and get to know your coach before deciding to purchase additional sessions. In addition to our normal single session rate of $175, we offer 3-session and 5-session packages at discounted rates.

DO YOU TAKE INSURANCE?

The Marriage Place is an out-of-network provider, and currently does not accept insurance or participate in any Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

If you are unsure if you have out-of-network benefits, contact your insurance company and ask if your plan offers mental health benefits including counseling, and if so, at what reimbursement rate and do you need to meet a deductible first. Many of our clients choose to file a reimbursement claim with their insurance company and receive reimbursement of up to 80% of session cost. If you plan to file with your insurance, please let us know and we will be happy to provide you with a receipt that includes the additional documentation required.

If you have an FSA card, we are also happy to accept it for payment.

DO YOU ONLY WORK WITH COUPLES? …AND DO YOU HAVE TO BE MARRIED?

No and No! We work with both couples and individuals, and both married and unmarried. We work with those never married, those thinking about getting married, and those thinking about not staying married. We also work with a lot of couples and individuals who desperately want to learn how to do ‘married life’ better. I think you get the picture!

WE’VE TRIED MARRIAGE THERAPY BEFORE. WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT?

The quick answer is, if you want to improve your relationship, you keep trying until you find something that works. It’s not unusual for our clients to have tried several other counselors before finding The Marriage Place. We don’t just take you as our client, we take your marriage. We aren’t looking to bandage your relationship. We help you understand how you got to where you are today, why you respond to each other the way you do, and most importantly, how you can make lasting change moving forward. This isn’t easy work, but we are passionate about it. Couples therapy accounts for 95% of our counselors’ work and we are good at it.

WHAT IF I WANT TO COME IN FOR COUPLES THERAPY, BUT MY PARTNER DOES NOT?

Great question – come anyway! We recommend you don’t beg and plead for your spouse to come (usually doesn’t work and definitely doesn’t help). Instead, come by yourself and come ready to focus on what you can control – and that’s you. We can teach you how to change your relationship – and potentially change your spouse’s attitude towards working on the relationship – simply by focusing on ‘your side of the street’.

WHAT IF THERE HAS BEEN AN AFFAIR? CAN MY MARRIAGE BE SAVED?

Yes. In fact, most marriages heal after infidelity. Though we won’t sugar coat this and tell you it will be easy (it won’t be), it is very possible to rebuild the foundation of a relationship and learn to trust each other again. An affair causes significant damage to the relationship and to the partner who was not unfaithful. The partner who cheated is not unscathed either, likely carrying loads of guilt and shame for the damage done by the infidelity. Damage control and repair work must be addressed before moving forward together. We suggest Shirley Glass’s book: Not Just Friends: Rebuilding Trust and Recovering Your Sanity After Infidelity as a companion piece to the work you will do with us.

WHAT IF MY SPOUSE WANTS OUT BUT I WANT TO SAVE MY MARRIAGE?

You have come to the right place. Our coaches specialize in Marriage Rescue, helping you save your marriage even when you are the only want who wants to stay married. You can learn more about our Marriage Rescue Program here.

ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME TO LEAVE MY PARTNER OR SUGGEST DIVORCE?

The only time we ever tell a couple they should consider separation is if either partner is being seriously threatened in some way. The truth is we hate divorce. That’s why our name is The Marriage Place. We are huge advocates for the marriage relationship; but sometimes, a couple comes in and one spouse is being abused (emotionally, physically or sexually) by the other. When this happens, we may – depending on the severity of the abuse – recommend the couple separate and each to do individual counseling before trying to work on the relationship as a couple. We believe the only people qualified to say if your marriage can be saved are the two people IN your marriage. Our job is to help you sort out your thoughts and feelings so you can decide what is best for you.

THERAPY CAN BE EXPENSIVE. HOW CAN WE JUSTIFY SPENDING THIS MUCH?

Well, for starters, the average cost of divorce is more than $15,000. Think of therapy as a financial investment in your relationship and in your emotional and mental health. To help you manage costs, we are committed to keeping you and your therapy focused with your end-goal in mind. You will largely dictate how long your therapy takes by how quickly you can embrace the necessary changes to achieve your goals. If cost is a concern, let’s talk about it.

MY FRIENDS WENT TO MARRIAGE COUNSELING AND GOT DIVORCED. WILL THERAPY MAKE THINGS WORSE?

The truth is, sometimes therapy does make things more stressful in the beginning. We often warn clients to expect it to get harder before it gets better. Why? Because you are likely going to be ‘stirring the pot’ by addressing issues that may have been ignored for some time. You will also be learning new skills that can bring about positive change, and any change – whether it be positive or negative – can be hard at first. I think about how I feel after working out for the first time in months. I’m sore, but with that soreness comes my understanding that I’m making progress and will be stronger and healthier because of it. Therapy works. We’ve seen couples come in and make life-changing progress.

how do i get started

Excellent! We are glad you are making this brave first step. To ask more questions or to book your first session, you can call our office at 972-441-4432 or email us using our simple contact form, and we will call you. If you prefer, you can even text us to get the process started.