Our Founder
THE COUPLE CENTER was started by Dr. Barbara Swenson in 1994 to provide high quality, affordable couple therapy utilizing therapists who had above average skill and interest in working with couples. While many therapists work with couples in addition to individuals, families and children, very few have actually had advanced, on-going training in couple therapy.
Barbara Swenson, PhD
Dr. Swenson wanted to create a therapy center where therapists could keep their skills sharp, have an on-going learning opportunity and a professional collaboration with other like-minded couples therapists. She wanted to avoid a ‘one-size fits all’ approach and tailor each couple’s sessions according to their unique needs. This has allowed her to design a more effective, efficient approach that is often more cost effective.
Our Therapists
She recruited some of the most effective couple’s therapists she knew and together they have been able to continue their goal of creating an exciting professional community of couple therapists that provide assurance to couples that they are benefiting from the skills and collaboration of all the participating therapists.
At The Couple Center, we stay abreast of the latest research on what works well for couples and what does not.
Schedules and Fees
Each therapist sets their own schedules. Most days and evenings can be arranged and some Saturdays. Not all therapists have Saturday hours.
Dr. Swenson only works in the Bay Area locations – Oakland (Rockridge), Lafayette, and Walnut Creek. She has flexible daytime hours and some evening times open.
Our other Couple Center therapist’s are in our Los Angeles center. Their schedules vary. We will help you find the right therapist for you at a time that works best for your schedule. For clients with limited availability due to work constraints, we will work with you to create an opportunity to utilize our services if we possibly can. (See Alternative schedules)
FEES:
Dr. Barbara Swenson………… $150/ session
Los Angeles therapists: …….. Each therapist sets their own fees – please discuss with them individually.
Can’t make it to one of our offices?
Dr. Swenson uses Skype to meet with clients who are unable to come to the office, and also conducts phone sessions when needed.
Insurance
Using your insurance for couple therapy depends on a number of factors.
1. If you have insurance which requires you to use one of their approved providers, then it depends on if one of our therapists is a member of that panel. We have therapists who are on provider panels for: Blue Cross/Blue Shield – the Blue Card network, United Behavioral Health, Pacificare, MHN Behavioral Health, and HMC/APS.
2. If you have other insurance that allows you to use any qualified provider, or allows you to go ‘out of network’, then most of our therapists could work with that insurance. If you have this option and you want the therapist to accept an assignment of benefits and you only pay the difference, each therapist works differently. Please discuss this option with the individual therapist at the time of making the appointment.
3. All our licensed therapists will give you a “super bill” which you may turn into your insurance for reimbursement of whatever amount your insurance will cover.
4. In order for your sessions to qualify as a medical expense, your sessions need to be medically necessary. This means that the person covered by insurance have a diagnosable disorder such as depression, anxiety, or other mental health problem. If this is not the case, you would need to check with your insurance and see if they cover couple therapy or marriage counseling. Most do not unless there is a diagnosable disorder.
5. We encourage you to discuss the impact of using your insurance for our services as this can impact future insurability due to a pre-existing condition, etc.
I hope this helps to answer your insurance questions. If you’d like to discuss this further, just leave us a message :
Los Angeles: 818 995-0206
Bay Area: 510 277-3111