FAQ

We know how frustrating it is to search endlessly for a decent, in-network therapist with immediate availability! It makes sense that you want to keep costs down, but very few top-notch therapists work in-network. 

If you have out of network insurance coverage, why not start using it today? It may cost $20 – $40 more a week than in-network, but it’s worth it! Investing in your mental health and committing to weekly sessions will pay off in more ways than you can even imagine.

We are out of network providers who bridge the gap and offer an in-network experience. Like your in-network providers, we bill insurance for you and only charge you the copay/co-insurance once you’ve met your deductible, so you can devote your precious time and energy to therapy – not insurance paperwork! Many of our clients only pay between $50 – $100 per session after meeting their deductible. 

We accept most PPO and POS plans with UHC, Oxford, Aetna, Cigna, Meritain, Wellfleet and Student Resouces.

Sessions cost between $75 and $375 per 45-minute session, depending on the therapist you see and whether or not you have an insurance plan that covers part of the cost of therapy. We accept HSA/FSA card payments, and are also a registered practice with Lyra health, which can provide up to 10 paid sessions for you through your employer!

Self Pay Full-fee Rates:

Sentient Senior Therapist – $325 per session/$375 Couples

Sentient Psychotherapist – $250 per session/$275 Couples

Sentient Therapist Intern – $100 per session/$75 Online

The usual and customary rate for a licensed therapist within our zip code is $300 per session, as calculated by FAIRHealth (https://www.fairhealthconsumer.org), an independent, national nonprofit organization that provides fair and neutral information for consumers regarding their healthcare costs, health coverage and insurance. We always do our best to keep therapy within your budget and let you know up front what your fee for therapy will be, so there are no surprises after you start. We offer sliding scale upon request.

If you use out-of-network insurance, your rate will depend on the coinsurance set by your insurance company, typically between 20% and 50%. You may also have a deductible to pay before your insurance begins reimbursing. If finances are an issue and you do not have out-of-network insurance coverage, ask about our Low-fee, Pay What You Can Clinical Internship Program. To learn more or to apply for our low-fee therapy program, please click HERE.

The length of treatment in therapy is all up to you! You may begin to experience symptom relief within a few sessions, but research shows that the benefits of therapy usually occur within four to six months of consistent attendance. Many clients commit to therapy longer-term for deeper work.

Therapy works best when it’s “taken as prescribed,” and that’s at least once a week. We don’t want to waste your time or money working on an “as needed” or less frequent basis.

Mindfulness means “paying attention on purpose, without judgment” and is a skill that research has shown to help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction symptoms.

Mindfulness also helps in coping with chronic pain, improves relationship quality, and increases our capacity to manage life’s difficulties. Integrating mindfulness into therapy equips clients with an invaluable skill that provides a foundation and enhances all the challenging work of therapy.

Mindfulness can be enhanced with meditation, but meditation is not required to develop nonjudgmental awareness. Mindfulness is about noticing and paying attention to what’s happening inside and around you with an attitude of curiosity.

In therapy, you will learn informal mindfulness exercises easily integrated into your daily routines and other techniques to help you develop commitment, compassion, and connection where they may be lacking. You are not required to meditate unless you want to!

The use of psychedelics as a “break-through” form of psychological exploration and healing has increased exponentially in recent years, in what many refer to as a “psychedelic renaissance.”

At Sentient Psychotherapy, our therapists are trained in psychedelic preparation and integration for clients planning to explore or have already explored psychedelics on their own, with a guide or facilitator, or as part of a clinical trial.

Using psychedelics is a powerful, mind-altering tool that can disrupt one’s experience of reality and self. A harm-reduction framework supports individuals before and after preparing for and integrating the experience.

We DO NOT administer any psychedelic or psychoactive substances to anyone, nor refer clients to any person who administers or sells illegal substances.

In today’s world of instant connection via text and social media, it may seem old-fashioned or even unfair not to have immediate access to your therapist whenever you want. However, therapy is a special relationship requiring containment and confidentiality to be effective, safe, and ethical.

While some types of therapy allow high-risk clients to text their therapist in an emergency, this is not the kind of therapy we provide at Sentient Psychotherapy. We deeply value and respect the nature of the therapeutic relationship and firmly maintain the “therapeutic frame,” as it protects both client and therapist to delve safely into complex psychological and emotional material to produce the highest therapeutic outcomes for our clients.

Yes! Just because you don’t live in New York City, doesn’t mean you can’t get New York City-quality therapy! Our diverse, multiculturally-sensitive therapists provide Online Therapy across New York State. Our clientele includes Immigrants, First Generation, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ college students and professionals who are seeking help from therapists who share some of their identities.

Working online with a New York City therapist is affordable, too! Stop the frustrating search for a decent, in-network therapist with immediate availability! Use your PPO or POS insurance benefits to start online therapy today, or check out our Pay What You Can FAQ to see if you qualify for our low-fee, self-pay therapy program. Most of our clients only pay between $50 and $100 per session with or without insurance.