What Therapy Here Costs
Every rate is on this page, along with what a course of treatment actually looks like. If you're in-network with Aetna or coming through Northwell, your plan sets what you owe, not these numbers. Everyone else pays privately, and I can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement.
Private-Pay Rates
Individual therapy is $250 per 50-minute session, and that's the rate whether it's your first session or your fortieth. I don't charge more for the intake. Couples sessions are $300. When we're doing exposure work that needs a longer block, an 80 to 90 minute session is $375.
The 15-minute intro call is free, and there's no charge if we decide I'm not the right fit. That happens sometimes, and it's a better outcome than starting with the wrong person.
Most people start weekly and we adjust from there based on what you're working on.
What a Course of Treatment Looks Like
The per-session number is the easy part. The harder question is how many of them, and most therapy websites won't answer it. Here's the honest version for the work I actually do. These are typical ranges, not promises, and we set goals at intake so you can tell whether it's working.
ERP for OCD
About 12 to 20 sessions
Exposure and Response Prevention is a protocol, not open-ended talk. We spend the first two or three sessions mapping your obsessions and compulsions and building a hierarchy, then the bulk of the work is doing exposures together and between sessions while cutting out the rituals.
The research protocols run roughly 15 to 20 sessions, and outpatient work usually lands in that range. How much you practice between sessions moves that number more than anything I do in the room.
More on anxiety and OCD treatment →CPT and PE for trauma
CPT about 12 sessions, PE about 8 to 15
Both are structured treatments with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They're designed to finish, not to continue indefinitely. After the intake we decide together which one fits you better and set goals we can actually measure.
CPT works on the beliefs trauma leaves behind. PE works through approaching what you've been avoiding, in a paced and planned way. I hold both inside an ACT frame so the work stays pointed at the life you want back.
More on trauma and PTSD treatment →Gottman couples work
A four-session assessment, then weekly work
Couples work starts with a structured assessment before any goals get set: a joint session, brief individual time with each partner, and research-based questionnaires. Session four is a feedback session where I tell you what the assessment actually showed and we build the plan from there.
That means by the end of the first month you know where things stand and what we're working on, based on data about your relationship rather than a guess. I'm Gottman Method Level 2 trained.
More on couples therapy →ACT-based individual work
Open-ended, reviewed around session eight
Anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, and values work don't run on a fixed protocol, and I'd rather say that than invent a number. Some people get what they came for in a few months. Others do better with longer-term work.
Open-ended doesn't have to mean indefinite. We set goals at intake and check progress against them around session eight, out loud. If it isn't working, that's a conversation we have then, not something you have to raise yourself.
Try the values assessment →Three Ways to Pay
Northwell Health
Northwell Health employees and partners have a preferred direct intake path. No referral needed.
Aetna
I'm in-network with Aetna. Book directly through Sessions Health; insurance verification is handled at booking.
Private Pay & Out-of-Network
I accept private pay and can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement. Through PSYPACT, I'm authorized across 40+ states.
Not sure which one you are? Email me and I'll point you in the right direction before you book anything.
Out-of-Network and Superbills
If your plan has out-of-network benefits, you pay me directly and your insurer reimburses part of it later. I provide a superbill, which is an itemized receipt with the diagnostic and billing codes your insurer needs. You submit it, and the reimbursement goes to you rather than to me.
How much comes back depends on your deductible, your coinsurance, and your plan's allowed amount, which is usually lower than the full fee. The calculator on this site does that math in your browser, and nothing you type into it is stored or sent anywhere. It pre-fills the $250 individual rate, so swap in $300 or $375 if you're modeling couples or extended sessions.
Estimate your out-of-network cost →Cancellations
Cancel or reschedule with at least 24 hours notice and there's no charge. Less than 24 hours, or a no-show, is a flat $50 fee, not the full session rate.
Insurance never covers a missed session, so that $50 is out of pocket regardless of which payment path you're on. It isn't really about the money. Your hour is held for you, and consistency is a large part of why therapy works. I use judgment for genuine emergencies.
Common Questions About Cost
Do you take insurance?
Yes, for two paths. I'm in-network with Aetna, and Northwell Health employees and partners have a direct intake path. Both book through Sessions Health, and what you owe is whatever your plan sets, not the private-pay rate. Everyone else pays privately at $250 per 50-minute session, and I can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement.
How much will I actually pay if I have out-of-network benefits?
Less than the sticker price, often much less, but it depends on your deductible, your coinsurance, and your plan's allowed amount. The out-of-network calculator on this site works that out in your browser, and it pre-fills the $250 ongoing rate so you can see a realistic per-session number.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancel or reschedule with at least 24 hours notice and there's no charge. Less than 24 hours, or a no-show, is a flat $50 fee rather than the full session rate. Insurance does not cover missed sessions, so that $50 is out of pocket. Life happens, and I use judgment for genuine emergencies.
How do I pay?
Payment is due the day of your session. I keep a card on file in Sessions Health, the HIPAA-compliant portal I use for scheduling, payment, and documents, and it gets charged after each session. Payment details live there and never go over email.
Can I use an HSA or FSA?
Generally yes. Psychotherapy with a licensed psychologist is a qualified medical expense under IRS rules, so HSA and FSA cards usually work. Plans administer this differently, so check with your plan administrator if you want to be certain before you start.
Start With a Free Call
Fifteen minutes, no charge, no commitment. Enough to figure out whether I'm the right fit before anyone pays anything.
Written by Dr. Olivier van Hauwermeiren, PsyD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist, ACT & CBT