How Does the Gottman Method for Couples Counseling Work?
The first four sessions and the assessment are structured differently than ongoing therapy. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
Session One: Joint Session (50 minutes)
● Both partners attend the first session to discuss the history of the relationship and the reasons for seeking therapy.
● If both partners are comfortable with continuing, we will assign the Gottman Relationship Assessment to be completed at home independently; you will never see each others responses.
● Payment for the first four sessions and the assessment is due at this time ($750 package cost).
Sessions Two & Three: Individual Sessions (45-50 minutes each)
● These sessions are held individually with each partner to review the results of the assessment and explore their personal lives.
● If there are any concerns about continuing therapy, or appropriateness for couples therapy at this time, they will be addressed during these individual sessions.
Session Four: Joint Session (50 minutes)
● Both partners return for this session, during which we will review the results of the assessments. We will discuss the couple’s strengths and challenges, as well as the plan for therapy.
● If time, the first strategy for improving the relationship will be introduced, and assigned as homework.
Ongoing Therapy
Session Frequency & Cost: Ongoing sessions are $175 for a 50-minute session. We will typically focus on an area of challenge in the relationship, and you will learn more effective ways to navigate these issues by practicing in session.
Homework: Between sessions, couples will often have a task or "homework" to practice together based on what was learned during therapy. It is important to utilize and keep focus on your strengths as well, so early homework often focuses on increasing the strength areas you already have available.
Flexible Payment: If you're unsure about continuing after the first session, you can pay the session rate of $175. If you choose to proceed, the remaining $575 can be paid to schedule the assessments and the next three sessions.
Additionally we offer a discount for 6 prepaid sessions that can be used at any time or ongoing basis, whatever works for you!
Is Couples Therapy Covered by Insurance?
We utilize the Gottman Method for couples counseling. In this approach, we do not diagnose either partner during couples therapy. We strongly believe the couple is the client, not just one individual and operate from the perspective of repairing the relationship. Diagnosing one person in the couple can sometimes lead to blame being placed on that individual.
Insurance requires a diagnosis and only medically necessary treatment for each diagnosis will be covered. Couple or family therapy is not medically necessary for most mental health diagnoses, as individual therapy is more appropriate, which can lead to large bills and denied claims. If individual therapy is appropriate in your case, we will recommend a provider that is in network for you and work collaboratively with them for continuity of care.
In some cases, we may need an individual session to process a particular issue or how to communicate a specific need. However, individual sessions are not typical in couples therapy within our practice, and for these reasons, couples therapy or individual sessions as part of couples therapy are generally not billed to or covered by insurance.
Why the Gottman Method?
The Gottman Method is an evidence-based tool that has been shown to work effectively with couples. We typically see improvement very quickly when couples engage with and implement the tools from this method.
Most couples experience long-lasting changes in their relationship, and we generally recommend weekly sessions for the first 2-3 months. As progress is made, we can move to bi-weekly or as-needed appointments. Additionally, the tools you receive are yours to keep! Our goal is to help you embrace your strengths, adjust the challenge areas using proven methods, and move on feeling confident in your ability to handle any of life’s new challenges together.
Please feel free to read more about the effectiveness of the Gottman Method here:
The Gottman Method is also highly effective for same-sex couples. If you're interested in learning more, check out this article: