How Much is Couples Therapy in Atlanta?
If you and your partner are considering couples counseling (also called marriage counseling or relationship counseling), we get it. While it can feel vulnerable to think about discussing your relationship with another person, we've seen firsthand how helpful it can be for couples.
As couples therapists in Atlanta, our clinicians are intimately familiar with the challenges that couples face. From communication issues to infidelity to stressful life transitions, couples have sought our support for it all. Often, they can resolve conflicts and grow stronger than ever.
At the same time, investing in therapy might feel intimidating, especially if this is your first time in couples counseling. In this post, we aim to demystify the cost of marriage counseling to help you understand what you're actually paying for. Plus, we outline some of the common ways that therapy can help your relationship.
Let's dive in.
Average cost of couples therapy in the Atlanta area
The price of couples therapy can vary based on a range of different factors. However, the average cost of couples therapy in Atlanta seems to range between $70-$350 based on therapists' advertised rates.
While nailing down an exact figure is difficult, it can help you get an estimate. To give you a clearer picture of what you might expect to pay for couples counseling, we averaged the rates of 25 local therapists in various Atlanta neighborhoods.
| Atlanta neighborhood | Average cost of a couple's therapy session |
|---|---|
| Buckhead | $152 |
| Midtown | $164 |
| Old Fourth Ward | $179 |
| Inman Park | $160 |
| Grant Park | $168 |
| Druid Hills | $182 |
| Virginia Highland | $177 |
Keep in mind that these figures are averages. Your couples therapist may charge more or less depending on several factors that we'll break down in a moment. Plus, some couples counselors offer sliding-scale options for those who qualify. We recommend checking with each prospective therapist you're considering to get more information on their rates.
Why is couples therapy so expensive?
Understanding what goes into the cost of marriage counseling can help you understand exactly where your investment is going. Here, we explain some of the main reasons why couples therapy costs what it does.
Couples counseling sessions are often longer and more intensive than individual counseling sessions.
Couple therapy sessions tend to cost more than individual therapy sessions. In many cases, couples sessions tend to be longer than one-on-one sessions. They also require more intentional involvement from the therapist as they navigate a dynamic between two people. This can result in a higher cost.
Couples therapists have extensive education and training.
Marriage counselors are highly trained professionals. All have at least a master's degree in their field, and some have a doctoral degree. To practice couples counseling, a clinician needs thousands of hours of supervised practice. Plus, therapists are required to adhere to strict ethical standards and engage in continuing education. It should be expected that they're compensated accordingly.
Therapists invest their unpaid time to improve your care.
While you only see your clinician during a therapy session, they also invest their unpaid time toward providing high-quality care. They spend time documenting your session, engaging in clinical supervision, making referrals, and pursuing further training and education. Since this time is unpaid, therapists must account for this in your rates.
Marriage counseling often isn't covered by insurance.
People may pay more for couples therapy than individual therapy since it's often not covered by insurance. To charge your insurance provider, therapists must provide a mental health diagnosis. If you're unsure whether you can use insurance benefits in your situation, we recommend contacting with a practice directly.
Higher therapy costs may reflect a higher cost of living.
Like other services, the cost of couples therapy can also depend on where you live. In areas with a higher cost of living, marriage counseling session rates may be higher as well.
Is therapy worth it for couples?
Yes, therapy is absolutely worth it for couples. As counselors ourselves, we've navigated the therapy process with dozens of couples and seen how it can help them grow. Here are some of the main benefits we've seen couples get from therapy.
You'll learn what healthy relationships look like.
If you weren't raised with examples of functional relationships, you may struggle to communicate and resolve conflict in healthy, constructive ways. In therapy, you'll learn new skills to help you build a more fulfilling relationship with your partner.
You can improve your communication.
Regardless of whether you saw examples of healthy relationships, you and your partner may still struggle with communication from time to time. Working with a couples therapist can help you manage your own reactions and emotions to communicate effectively. Plus, you'll learn active listening skills to help your partner feel heard.
You can grow a deeper understanding of each other.
While intimate partners already know a lot about each other when entering therapy, there's always more to learn. Counseling provides you with a venue to dive deeper into your needs, desires, goals, and strengths.
You can foster more intimacy.
Intimacy is a key part of any romantic relationship. Research shows that marriage counseling can improve couples' intimacy in several different aspects of their relationship, including emotional, physical, and sexual intimacy—check out this study.
You can improve your mental health.
Even if only one partner is struggling with mental health issues, couples counseling can help. This study found that couples therapy can help ease depression and that results can be sustained even a full year after your work in counseling is done.
Choosing a couples therapist
We've established that working with a couples therapist can be helpful for a range of different relationship issues. Now, let's take a look at what you and your partner should consider once you're ready to hire a couples counselor.
Consider their credentials. Couples therapists can have a range of different credentials. You might choose to hire a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, or another type of mental health professional. Aside from their specific license or degree, make sure to check into their experience working with couples who've faced similar challenges as you and your partner.
Reflect on the type of therapy you want. Couples counselors may use a variety of different techniques to help intimate partners strengthen their relationship. Emotionally-focused therapy, the Gottman method, and solution-focused therapy are just a few examples of methods that may be used.
Think about logistics. Is a prospective therapist licensed in the state where you and your partner live? Do they provide in-person or online sessions, depending on what you prefer? Does their availability align with your schedule? Consider these logistics (and more) when making your decision.
Hopefully, these tips can help you and your partner choose the best couples therapist for your specific situation.
No matter what relationship problems you're facing, our Atlanta couples therapists can help.
At Atlanta Therapy + Wellness, our clinicians enjoy helping couples navigate a range of different relationship challenges. Whether you're dating, an engaged couple looking for premarital counseling, or have been married for years, we're here to support you.
To learn more about how we can help, we invite you to get in touch or request an initial session with one of our clinicians. We look forward to meeting you!